The UFC returned to Brazil for the first time since UFC 198, and the Brazilians came up big, winning nearly every fight at UFC Fight Night 95. Of course, Cris Cyborg won again (could you expect anything else?), and all was right with the world.
Main Card
—Catchweight (140 lbs) Cristiane Justino def. Lina Lansberg via utter destruction (TKO) (round 2). Yep, this went as you expected. Check out the replays here. They’re worth checking out just for the smile Lansberg gives after the fight.
—Renan Barao def. Phillipe Nover via unanimous decision.
Renan Barao does not look to be himself. He looked pretty good against Philipe Nover, someone who probably shouldn’t be fighting him in the co-main event of a UFC Fight Night. In other words, this was a showcase fight, and Barao, towards the end looked gas and nothing like the killer he was a few years ago, even without the weight cut. This was his second fight at 145, and I’m wondering where we go from here. Props to Nover who was a game opponent, but Barao should’ve run through him.
Now we’re seeing replays of “signature” Barao takedowns.
A signature @RenanBaraoUFC takedown! #UFCBrasilia https://t.co/zsvIi9xw2o
— UFC (@ufc) September 25, 2016
—Roy Nelson def. Antônio Silva via KO (round 2). This was as hard-hitting as you would expect, and it devolved into Roy Nelson beefing with Big John McCarthy once again. You should watch the replay of the whole situation here.
—Francisco Trinaldo def. Paul Felder via TKO. The fight was stopped due to a cut over Felder’s eye, but this was as one-sided as it gets. Good win by Trinaldo, who has a 7-fight win streak in the lightweight division. That’s one win less than Tony Ferguson, and one more than Khabib Nurmagomedov.
—Eric Spicely def. Thiago Santos via rear naked choke submission (round 1). This was not supposed to happen. The eye test alone tells you Santos was going to kill Spicely, who doesn’t even have a wiki page. Spicely was likely to be cut with a loss, but he fought his heart out and finally, after multiple submission attempts, sunk in the rear naked choke off a gorgeous transition. What a fight for the 8-1 underdog.
Here’s the replay minus the best part about the whole finish.
Eric Spicely locks in a rear naked choke and gets the finish! Huge upset! #UFCBrasilia https://t.co/GvQNMiQmQ7
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) September 25, 2016
—Godofredo Pepey def. Mike De La Torre via rear naked choke submission (round 1). This was a rock ’em sock ’em match that just happened to end via submission, and Brazil wins again.
Godofredo Pepey kicks off the main card with a 1st round rear naked choke! #UFCBrasilia https://t.co/fnyKIJ6tQP
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) September 25, 2016
Prelims
—Michel Prazeres def. Gilbert Burns via unanimous decision. This was a hard-hitting fight by two lightweights who look like light heavies. Woof.
Burns and Prazeres coming out SWINGING! #UFCBrasilia https://t.co/eb7cWJkYoB
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) September 25, 2016
Momentum is all @MichelTrator in the third! #UFCBrasilia https://t.co/AAogUCo6y9
— #UFCBrasilia (@ufc) September 25, 2016
—Rani Yahya def. Michinori Tanaka via unanimous decision.
—Jussier Formiga def. Dustin Ortiz via unanimous decision.
—Erick Silva def. Luan Chagas via rear naked choke submission (round 3). You have to see this replay. Silva continues to be the most entertaining fighter who will probably never crack the top 8.
RNC OUTTA NOWHERE! #UFCBrasilia https://t.co/e4b631X1NP
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) September 25, 2016
Erick Silva ducks the head kick Matrix style and drops Chagas on the way back up! #UFCBrasilia https://t.co/DJusbbMx8E
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) September 25, 2016
Fight Pass Prelims
—Alan Patrick def. Stevie Ray via unanimous decision.
—Vicente Luque def. Héctor Urbina via KO (round 1). Urbina fights out of Muncie, Indiana, so… yeah. This didn’t go well for Jerry’s favorite fighter.
OH MY LUQUE!!!! @VicenteLuqueMMA lands in the pocket! #UFCBrasilia https://t.co/Qkv2R8b3yb
— #UFCBrasilia (@ufc) September 24, 2016
—Gregor Gillespie def. Glaico França via unanimous decision.
BIG right to a BIG knee! @GlaicoNego starts R2 with a bang! #UFCBrasilia https://t.co/ojyOdykWVW
— #UFCBrasilia (@ufc) September 24, 2016
.@Gregor_The_Gift lands early! #UFCBrasilia https://t.co/EcljDDH69q
— #UFCBrasilia (@ufc) September 24, 2016