Before the UFC closed out the FOX era, it hosted a pair of scraps on UFC Fight Pass at UFC on FOX 31 in Milwaukee, featuring heavyweight and light heavyweight action.
All good things must come to an end. On Saturday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the UFC on FOX era closed out. UFC Milwaukee was the final bow seven years after the MMA powerhouse debuted on network television. At the time, it was a landmark deal. The UFC had arrived, its initials synonymous with the sport of mixed martial arts. Few would have guessed that years later, despite flagging ratings, the promotion would sell for north of four billion dollars. That it would jump to ESPN after UFC on FOX 31, the last hurrah on a network that had brought MMA to the mainstream.
Yet before the FOX card got underway, a pair of early preliminary fights aired exclusively on UFC Fight Pass ahead of UFC on FOX 31. Heavyweight prospect Juan Adams was paired up against Chris De La Rocha, who had returned from layoff earlier this year to defeat Rashad Coulter. It was De La Rocha’s first UFC win, despite joining the promotion in 2015. Now 1-2, he was looking to pull to an even .500 against the promising Adams.
Adam Milstead, meanwhile, was giving light heavyweight another try against Mike Rodriguez. Milstead had started his UFC tenure at heavyweight, but after a loss to Curtis Blaydes (later overturned to a no contest), he dropped down to 205lbs against Jordan Johnson. Suffering a defeat in his light heavyweight debut, he was in desperate need of a win against Rodriguez.
Juan Adams vs. Chris De La Rocha
Heavyweight action kicked off the UFC Milwaukee card, and early on, Juan Adams was touching Chris De La Rocha with his jab. De La Rocha was cut early, but still fired back. Adams mixed things up with a leg kick, then another, which De La Rocha felt compelled to answer. A heavy right by De La Rocha had Adams ducking under, scoring a takedown and forcing his opponent onto his back after a scramble. Adams then went to work with some nasty ground and pound, specifically elbows that were certainly having an effect. De La Rocha would work his way to his feet, but gave up his back, allowing Adams to take him back down. Another scramble, a sweep, and De La Roche tried to isolate a leg, only to open himself up to further damage.
All that action, however, ensured that Chris De La Rocha survived the round. And in trhe second, he came out swinging. Adams returned fire, but soon wound up on his back ever so briefly off a messy takedown attempt. Adams wound up with his back to the fence, and the two fired off some heavy punches in a space roughly the size of a small closet. Eventually, Adams reversed, and landing some knees, but after a brief stall, the ref restarted them in the middle. De La Rocha took a step back, winded, but began walking Adams down, tagging him several times. Both men were breathing headed. De La Rocha’s face was a mask of blood. Adams then managed to pull De La Rocha down from a guillotine position. Adams would land more in the way of ground and pound, but the bell sounded.
Round three saw a body kick by Adams answered by a short punch from De La Rocha. Adams, however, turned up the pace, landing a right, a big knee to the body and forcing his opponent to the fence. There, he fired off a flurry of heavy punches. De La Rocha refused to go down but the ref waved it off!
Juan Adams def. Chris De La Rocha by TKO, Round 3, 0:58
Adam Milstead vs. Mike Rodriguez
Rodriguez and Milstead immediately went toe-to-toe, trading. Rodriguez scored a knockdown within 90 seconds, and pounced on his opponent, moving into guard. Milstead control the posture initially but ate a heavy elbow. Milstead tried to scramble up, but couldn’t escape. Eventually, Milstead would wall-walk up, but a leg kick would take his legs out from under him. Rodriguez continued to attack as Milstead got back up, driving his opponent into the fence. A knee to the body then connected for Rodriguez, and Milstead went down, covering up! That was all she wrote, as the blow had landed to the liver, and Milstead’s body simply froze up.
After the bout, Milstead left his gloves in the octagon, apparently signalling the end to his professional fighting career.
Mike Rodriguez def. Adam Milstead by knockout, Round 1, 2:59
Check back come fight time, 3:30PM EST, for results and a full recap of the night’s action!
UFC Milwaukee Fight Pass Preliminary Card Results:
Mike Rodriguez def. Adam Milstead by knockout, Round 1, 2:59
Juan Adams def. Chris De La Rocha by TKO, Round 3, 0:58
