UFC Fight Night Phoenix: Rodriguez vs Penn Results

Main Card (10 PM ET)

Featherweight: Yair Rodriguez def. B.J. Penn via R2 TKO (front kick and punches, 0:24)

In the main event, number 10 ranked Rodriguez knocked out a returning Penn. Rodriguez used various kicks from his arsenal to continuously tag Penn and keep him on the back foot from the commencement of the fight.

In the second round, he overwhelmed the former UFC champion with an array of kicks and punches and finished the job after knocking down Penn and grounding him out.

Lightweight: Joe Lauzon def. Marcin Held via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 27-30)

Lauzon looked to finish the fight early in the first round as he unleashed a volley of vicious elbows on Held’s head. However, Held weathered the storm and managed to land a takedown. The Polish continuously out-wrestled the American in the remaining two rounds and looked to have secured the victory. Though, the judges gave a highly controversial decision declaring Lauzon as the winner.

Welterweight: Ben Saunders def. Court McGee via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Saunders was the aggressor and started landing body and leg kicks. In the second round, McGee was the aggressor and tried to close the distance. However, Saunders’ kicks and knees kept him at bay. Saunders was again the aggressor at the start of the final round, but McGee managed to secure the first takedown of the fight. Saunders’ swift start proved to be enough for the judges to grant him the victory.

Flyweight: Sergio Pettis def. John Moraga via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Pettis dictated the pace and tempo of the fight from the start. He kept Moraga at bay while also landing some hard punches throughout the fight. Thus he comfortably marched towards victory.

Preliminary Card (Fox Sports 1)

Lightweight: Drakkar Klose def. Devin Powell via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Klose was looking for a slugfest. He initiated and engaged Powell in clinch. He incessantly landed takedowns and threw punches and elbows at his opponent on his way to victory.

Bantamweight: Augusto Mendes def. Frankie Saenz via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Both men seemed close to finishing their opponent at different points. Mendes wobbled the 36 year old with clean punches in all three rounds. Saenz also knocked down the Brazilian with an elbow. In the end, the decision went the Brazilian’s way.

Heavyweight: Oleksiy Oliynyk def. Viktor Pesta via R1 submission (Ezequiel choke, 2:57)

Pesta landed an early takedown and began to ground-and-pound. However, the Russian turned the tables on him as he sneaked his arms into place from the bottom and managed to lock him in a choke to finish the fight.

Lightweight: Tony Martin def. Alex White via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Martin persistently landed takedowns against “The Spartan”. Whenever he failed to secure a takedown, he initiated a clinch. He grounded-and-pounded his way to victory.

Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass)

Women’s Strawweight: Nina Ansaroff def. Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger via R3 submission (rear-naked choke, 3:39)

Ansaroff threatened with her vicious kicks on the feet. In the final round, she swept Jocelyn off her feet with a brutal calf kick. Shen then secured the full mount position, shifted to the back and choked her out to finish the fight.

Heavyweight: Walt Harris def. Chase Sherman via R2 KO (knees and punches, 2:41)

The American Top Team member absolutely battered Sherman with a barrage of punches in the second round. He delivered a phenomenal knee strike-right hook-straight left combination to finish the fight.

Light Heavyweight: Joachim Christensen def. Bojan Mihajlovic via R3 TKO (punches, 2:05)

Mihajlovic was highly abortive throughout the fight. Christensen constantly successfully jabbed his face. In the final round, he connected with a right uppercut which dropped Mihajlovic to the mat. A few follow-up punches forced the referee to stop the fight.

Heavyweight: Cyril Asker def. Dmitri Smoliakov via R1 TKO (punches and elbows, 2:41)

Asker executed a gorgeous takedown and secured the full-mount position. The Russian had no consequential defense from his back. Asker then landed a number of unanswered punches, elbows and hammerfists to finish the fight.