UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs Holland Prelims

It was a rough start to Buys’ UFC career, as he took a low blow and a poke in the eye in the opening minute. Once the action heated up, the fight went to the mat in the second minute, Silva working from the top position. The two continued to grapple on the mat and while standing against the fence, trading moments of control before a spinning punch from Silva dropped Buys just before the horn.

In the second, a fistfight broke out, but just when Buys started to get some momentum, Silva came back with a right hand that dropped Buys just before the midway point of the round. Buys survived the follow-up from Silva, but after he rose and appeared to be back in business, another right hand produced another knockdown and brought in referee Mark Smith to stop the fight at 2:56 of round two.

With the win, Silva moves to 11-5-2, 1 NC. Buys falls to 9-3.

Official Result: Bruno Silva def. JP Buys by TKO at 2:56 of Round 2 | Official Scorecards

With the win, Jackson moves to 10-2. Strader, who missed weight for the bout at 137.5 pounds, falls to 5-2.

Official Result: Montel Jackson def. Jesse Strader by TKO at 1:58 of Round 1 | Official Scorecards

Giles, who got in some crisp shots in during the first frame, kept them coming in the second, but Dolidze got in his own shots before the fight went to the mat in the third minute, with Dolidze working for a leg. Giles kept the strikes coming in response, but Dolidze was undeterred until the Texan got upright with a minute to go. 

Giles’s strikes were getting closer and closer to paydirt in the third round, clearly rocking Dolidze early on, but the Georgian found daylight and worked well on the mat and in the clinch as the round wore on. Giles landed with a hard 1-2 in the final minute, but it was Dolidze again recovering and finishing strong.

Scores were 29-28 across the board for Giles, now 14-2. Dolidze falls to 8-1.

Official Result: Trevin Giles def. Roman Dolidze by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) | Official Scorecards

MORE UFC VEGAS 22: Scorecards | Derek Brunson | Kevin Holland | Song Kenan | Max Griffin | Cheyanne Buys | Trevin Giles | Tai Tuivasa | Macy Chiasson | JP Buys | Register for UFC 261 Presale | Register for UFC 261 Presale
 

A little less than two minutes in, Dawson (17-1) landed a right hand that briefly wobbled Santos (18-5-1), and the Missouri product looked for a takedown but came up short, with Santos using the trip to the mat to get the top position until the two rose and continued grappling against the fence.

The grappling exchanges continued in the second round, but it was a final minute surge by Santos that may have earned him the frame. Dawson finally got his takedown in the second minute of round three, and he stayed busy enough to avoid a restart, but with seconds left, a series of hammerfists came out of nowhere and knocked Santos out, with the official time of the stoppage by referee Chris Tognoni 4:59 of the final frame.

Official Result: Grant Dawson def. Leonardo Santos by KO at 4:59 of Round 3 | Official Scorecards

Reneau had a good first round, using her movement well to keep the taller Chiasson at bay, and when she moved in, she got off the harder punches. Late in the round, Chiasson locked up with her foe, but Reneau reversed position and got in some hard shots before the horn.

Chiasson went on the attack to start round two and she hurt Reneau early, bloodying her nose and forcing a clinch from the Californian. With a little over two minutes to go, Reneau was briefly shook by a body shot, and while she fired back, Chiasson was starting to take over until a Reneau takedown with less than a minute to go. Chiasson swept her way into the top position, though, and she stayed there until the end of the frame.

Both bantamweights put it on the line in the final round, fighting as if the fight was up for grabs, but it was Chiasson who held the edge and picked up the win.

Official Result: Macy Chiasson def. Marion Reneau by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) | Official Scorecards

UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs Holland Main Card

Australia's Tuivasa hurt Hunsucker early with leg kicks, and then he sent the newcomer to the deck with two right hands. It looked like Hunsucker had recovered from the first barrage of ground strikes, but the second series of strikes ended the bout, with referee Herb Dean stepping in at :49 of round one.

With the win, Tuivasa moves to 12-3. Hunsucker, who replaced Don’Tale Mayes, falls to 7-4.

Official Result: Tai Tuivasa def. Harry Hunsucker by TKO at :49 of Round 1 | Official Scorecards

After a brief feeling out process, both fighters began finding their range, Lopez with wild haymakers and Yanez with a more technical attack. Late in the round, Yanez landed a couple hard left hands that bloodied his foe’s nose and wobbled him briefly.

In the second minute of round two, Yanez dropped Lopez with a right hand, and though the Las Vegan was back on his feet and swinging a moment later, Yanez was pulling away, and early in round three, a laser-like right hand put Lopez on the deck and ended the fight, with referee Chris Tognoni stepping in at :27 of round three.

Yanez moves to 13-3 with the win. Lopez falls to 12-6.

Official Result: Adrian Yanez def. Gustavo Lopez by KO at :27 of Round 3 | Official Scorecards

The 115-pounders got right down to business, with Conejo using her strikes to close the distance against the fence. The Mexico native then put the fight on the mat and landed several strikes as she held Buys in a headlock until the closing seconds of the first round.

Buys started the second round effectively, landing a flurry of strikes. A minute in, Conejo locked up with Buys and moments later, Conejo had the headlock on the mat again. Buys did what she could to escape, and with a little over a minute left she did, only to get thrown back to the canvas. Buys did escape and she got in the mount before the horn but ran out of time.

Buys had success with her striking in the first three minutes of round three, but soon it was back in the headlock and back to the mat with Conejo in control. Buys got free with a little over a minute left, but soon Conejo got into the top position and stayed there until the end of the fight, when the two combatants got into it with a little trash talking.

Official Result: Montserrat Conejo def. Cheyanne Buys by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-27)

The fists and feet were flying as the bout opened, with Griffin ultimately striking his way into a brief clinch. Once separated, Song looked to be getting into a striking rhythm, but just as suddenly, a right hand stung Song and a follow-up right sent him down and out, with referee Keith Peterson stopping the fight at 2:20 of round one.

With the win, Griffin moves to 17-8. Song falls to 16-6.

Official Result: Max Griffin def. Song Kenan by KO at 2:20 of Round 1 | Official Scorecards

In the second, Holland turned away Brunson’s first takedown attempt and responded with right hands that staggered the North Carolina native. But Brunson shook off the shots and then got the takedown. On the mat, Brunson looked for an arm triangle and nearly got it until Holland got loose and back to his feet with under 90 seconds left. But Holland wasn’t upright long, as Brunson put him on the deck once more.

Holland opened the third with a couple good right hands, the second of which was greeted with yet another takedown. Again, the rest of the round was fought on the mat, with Holland content to stay on his back and Brunson content to control matters from the top position.

Showing some urgency for the first time in the fight, Holland’s striking looked solid early in round four, but Brunson landed some solid uppercuts at close range and then got his customary takedown. Holland finally got up to his feet with a minute left in the round, but Brunson stayed close, locking his foe up against the fence. 

After cutting Brunson early in the fifth round, Holland got his own takedown, and while Holland tried to stay busy with his strikes, they were having little effect on Brunson, who got back to his feet with 1:31 left and then returned the favor with his own takedown seconds later. 

Official Result: Derek Brunson def. Kevin Holland by unanimous decision (49-45, 49-46, 49-46) | Official Scorecards