UFC Fight Night 111: Holm vs. Correia took place Saturday at the Singapore Indoor Arena in Kallang, Singapore. It was a journey into enemy territory for the world’s top MMA promotion. The preliminary card got underway bright and early for those in North America, and featured a host of fights including a featured bout between Japanese legend Takanori Gomi and Jon Tuck. That, and lots of other fights awaited at UFC Singapore!
How did the preliminary card play out? Lets take a look!
Ji Yeon Kim vs. Lucie Pudilova
Kim came out swinging, but Pudilova immediately caught her with a jab. Pudilova continued to use her jab to make space, while Kim to avoid and counter. Kim began to land as the round progressed, with Pudilova showing some damage around the eyes, but she continued to land her jab seemingly at will. Towards the end of the round, Kim landed a high kick that was partially blocked, and Pudilova closed the action with a superman punch.
The second round opened with Pudilova utilizing her jab again. No thought of a takedown had arisen thus far into the fight. Kim began adding some leg kicks, and seemed to have found her range early in the round. That forced Pudilova to clinch up against the fence. The two battled for position for a few minutes, exchanging the odd knee until the ref broke them up and restarted the action. After a brief exchange the pair went back to the clinch against the fence again to finish out the round.
Straight back into the clinch the went in the third. Kim looked for a trip to no avail. Pudilova worked in a back elbow that missed, and the ref had seen enough, breaking them up again. As action restarted, Kim caught her foe with a solid right. Pudilova then drove Kim back up against the fence again, this time looking for a guillotine that forced Kim to drop to her knees trying to escape. As Kim slipped down to her back, Pudilova was able to gain top control then pull guard in an attempt to secure the choke. However, that eventually backfired as Kim was able to break free, and found herself in Pudilova’s guard. Some big shots from above were short lived and Pudilova bucked the Korean fighter off and jumped back to her feet. Another clinch against the fence led to another guillotine attempt by Pudilova, which took us to the end of the round.
Lucie Pudilova def. Ji Yeon Kim by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Naoki Inoue vs. Carls John De Tomas
Japan’s Naoki Inoue took on Carls John de Tomas in flyweight action next. Tomas came out swinging early, landing a hard left early on. He then scored a takedown, lifting Inoue and dropping him to the mat. Inoue, however, worked right back to his feet, and clinched alongside the fence. As the fight went back to the ground, the pair displayed some beautiful transitions and Inoue tried to take the back. Once he had it, the Japanese fighter was able to secure a body triangle and pepper his foe with right hands while trying to work his arms under his opponent’s neck. Tomas would eventually escape, turning in to face his opponent and get back on top, but Inoue used the transition to look for an arm. He managed to get back on top, where he would finish out the round.
Round two opened with an exchange of body kicks. Tomas caught his opponent with a hard right hook just over ninety seconds in. Tomas began countering as Inoue moved in with combos. Inoue began mixing in leg kicks as well in the second round, which Tomas checked when possible. Tomas would try to duck under an Inoue attack for a takedown with about two minutes to go in the round, but it proved to be a crucial mistake as he again gave up his back, and ate a fair amount of ground and pound for his troubles. Inoue showed sublime skill on the ground, transitioning between multiple submission attempts, and had a tight arm bar at the end of the frame. Tomas was saved by the bell there.
With the third round getting underway, you had to imagine Tomas would want to keep things standing. Inoue level changed early for a takedown, but missed by a country mile. A second level change came closer, but Tomas was able to fight the takedown attempt off. The threat of a guillotine forced Tomas to drop down, which allowed Inoue to take the back once more. With a body triangle secured he looked for a rear naked choke then transitioned out. Tomas managed to threaten for a moment, looking to secure his opponent’s back, but it was clear who the better ground fighter was, as Inoue quickly regained control. Though he couldn’t find the finish, heading to the judges an Inoue win seemed inevitable.
Naoki Inoue def. Carls John De Tomas by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
Kwan Ho Kwak vs. Russell Doane
Bantamweights Kwak and Doane were up next. Kwak landed a crisp leg kick to open the action. The Korean then caught a Doane kick and dumped his opponent on his back. Doane, however, made it back to the feet without taking any damage. On the feet, both fighters displayed some sound striking, with Doane mixing in some spinning kicks. Kwak, meanwhile, was able to land a body kick and looked to counter. However close to the end of the round, Doane began landing with Kwak’s back against the cage, dropping the Korean. The ref waved it off, and we had our first finish!
Li Jingliang vs. Frank Camacho
Li Jingliang ate a huge power right a minute in from Camacho. Another hard shot landed moments later and Camacho tested the Chinese fighter’s chin early and often. “The Leech” survived, and would later clinch with the pair going to the mat. Though Camacho wound up on top, he appeared tentative and the two were quickly back on their feet. Camacho then landed another right, wobbling Jingliang again. He returned fire, then level changed and looked for a takedown, which he landed ever so briefly with just under a minute left in the frame. With seconds remaining the Leech managed to take the back and sink in a rear-naked choke, but the buzzer sounded moments later.
Round two opened with Camacho stalking his opponent on the feet. Jingliang shot early and grabbed a leg, then latched on to the body, but couldn’t finish the takedown. That may have boosted Camacho’s confidence. The action actually slowed, however, with Camacho sitting back a little and Jingliang using his jab and kicks to create distance. Camacho tried to back his opponent up against the fence again, but the Leech escaped. After a trio of jabs, Jingliang landed a solid right. Camacho answered back a moment later. Jingliang snuck in with an uppercut, and later latched on to a leg again, but once again, Camacho managed to remain standing.
Camacho caught a kick early, and it looked like something might be brewing, but Jingliang managed to escape. The Chinese fighter’s leg kicks were definitely doing some damage by this point. Jingliang began landing more frequently, and connected with a big right that wobbled Camacho. Camacho bit down and came forward. No doubt, he was hurt. A leg kick stopped Camacho in his tracks. Jingliang fought like a man who needed a finish, backing Camacho up, connecting with punches and kicks almost at will. They stood and traded to end the bout!
Li Jingliang def. Frank Camacho by unanimous decision (29-27, 28-27, 29-27)
Justin Scoggins vs. Ulka Sasaki
Scoggins with a big suplex to start off the flyweight action! The taller Sasaki then tied up his opponent and threatened to drag him to the mat. Scoggins managed to keep it on the feet, and looked to take the back. After some solid ground work and transitions by Scoggins they found themselves back on the feet. Scoggins seemed to have figured out the range, and clipped Sasaki with roughly ninety seconds to go, dropping him. Scoggins (who had just missed a spinning hook kick moments prior to that punch connecting) then stacked his oppponent up against the fence, working in some ground n’ pound.
A back kick to the body floored Saski early in the second round! Scoggins worked to move into half guard after that. Scoggins began dropping elbows to soften Sasaki up, and try as he might the Japanese fighter could not seem to escape. However with two minutes left Sasaki was able to reverse and get into full mount. He then took the back, locked in the rear-naked choke and got the tap!
Ulka Sasaki def. Justin Scoggins by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 3:19
Alex Caceres vs. Rolando Dy
Bruce Leeroy was up next in featherweight action. Rolando Dy was making his UFC debut. Dy with the more traditional approach, Caceres looking loose early. Dy shot, Caceres sprawled just over a minute in. Back on the feet, Bruce Leeroy backed Dy up against the fence. Dy make have suffered an eye poke (turned out to be a clean punch to the eye) as he seemed to be pawing at his eye frequently. A head kick goes through from Cacares, and is followed up with a punch that wobbled Dy. A huge left drops Dy, and Cacares pounces! He winds up taking the back, looking for the rear-naked choke. A few punches to soften Dy up, and he gets the arm in, but Dy manages to fight the choke off for a time. Full credit to Dy for surviving that. He made it through the round, but it was all Caceres.
Dy seemed to ask for time to start the second round, but the ref ordered him to fight. However moments later he stopped the action to have the doctor check Dy’s eye. It appears he was complaining about seeing double, but the fight continues. Dy managed to take the back to Caceres, and appeared to have recovered from the drubbing he took in round one. The second wound up far more even than the first, but after the round was over, the ref waved off the action due to Dy’s continued eye issues.
Alex Caceres def. Rolando Dy by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 2, 5:00
Cyril Asker vs. Walt Harris
Heavyweight action was highlighted in the second last prelim card of UFC Singapore. Asker worked to counter Harris early, and clipped him with a right. Harris then connects with a pair of shots that sent Asker falling back to the mat. Huge ground and pound followed with some nasty elbows and punches.
Walt Harris def. Cyril Asker by TKO, Round 1, 1:44
Takanori Gomi vs. Jon Tuck
The Fireball Kid came out sporting blue/green hair. It had been a good night so far for Japanese fighters — could Gomi make it a threepeat? Tuck opened with a pair of front kicks, the second of which rocked him. Tuck pounced, and Gomi gave up the back. Not a good start for Gomi. Moments later, Gomi would tap. That was all Tuck.
Jon Tuck def. Takanori Gomi by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 1:12
UFC Fight Night 111 Preliminary Card Results:
Jon Tuck def. Takanori Gomi by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 1:12
Walt Harris def. Cyril Asker by TKO, Round 1, 1:44
Alex Caceres def. Rolando Dy by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 2, 5:00
Ulka Sasaki def. Justin Scoggins by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 3:19
Li Jingliang def. Frank Camacho by unanimous decision (29-27, 28-27, 29-27)
Russell Doane def Kwan Ho Kwak by TKO, Round 1, 4:09
Naoki Inoue def. Carls John De Tomas by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
Lucie Pudilova def. Ji Yeon Kim by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
