Canadian lightweight Olivier Aubin-Mercier (10-2) was anticipating a scrap with notable BJJ expert Gilbert Burns at UFC on FOX 28 just a few weeks ago. Yet when Burns arrived in Orlando, he was heavy. Very heavy. At 186lb by all accounts, Burns was a full thirty pounds over the non-title fight limit for lightweight. The promotion, alongside the Florida Commission (part of the Department of Business & Professional Regulation in the state), pulled the plug on the fight.

It’s probably one of the most frustrating scenarios a fighter can go through. A fight pulled last minute, through no fault of their own. Aubin-Mercier had expected a fight that could potentially break him into the top fifteen in the deep waters of the UFC’s 155lb division. Instead, after flying out to Orlando, and enduring the expenses of a training camp, he pretty much got a trip to Florida.

‘OAM’ had been set to chat with Cageside Press just prior to the fight. Instead, we reconvened a few weeks later, to reflect on what happened, and what’s to come for the talented ‘Quebec Kid.’

The news that the Burns fight was off, from Olivier Aubin-Mercier’s side, came via a phone call from his agent. It came “the night I arrived in Orlando, so on Tuesday.”

“He called me just when we were going to Whole Foods,” ‘OAM’ explained, “and told me that the fight was cancelled. So at Whole Foods I was looking at all the vegetables I was supposed to eat. I said ‘f*** this, I’m going to eat a burger!'” And who could blame him?

The real surprise was that the UFC never offered the fight at a catchweight. It was something that Aubin-Mercier, still in shock at his opponent pulling out, didn’t even think of initially. “I didn’t talk to any UFC representatives, I just talked to my manager,” he said. “So all this time, I was really shocked, and didn’t really think about it. But the day after, we thought it was kind of weird that they didn’t ask me [to fight at] a catchweight.”

No fight generally means no pay, which for UFC fighters, treated as independent contractors by the promotion, puts an incredible strain on their resources. Luckily, the promotion did try to make it right. “They compensated a little bit,” the Canadian lightweight revealed. “I hope I’m going to get booked really soon. It was not the best compensation — I will need money soon.”

Yet despite being thirty pounds over the lightweight limit, it was Burns, not Olivier Aubin-Mercier, getting booked in a new contest first. Instead of Aubin-Mercier, Burns will now face Lando Vannata at UFC Glendale.

“I was surprised that he was booked before me,” Aubin-Mercier told us about the pairing. “I’m a little bit shocked, to tell you the truth. Especially at 155. I understood what they did, to cancel the fight since he was too big.” What he doesn’t understand is Burns sticking around the weight class after missing the mark so badly in Orlando. “If his next fight is at 155, everything is kind of for nothing.”

“I was surprised, a little bit shocked,” he added. “I’m still waiting for my call to get a fight. So I hope I’m going to receive it pretty soon.”

When that call does come, ‘The Quebec Kid’ has a name or two in mind. “I would like to fight Teymur. David Teymur” he revealed. “I was going to call him out after my fight.”

He’s not sure, however, if Teymur, or anyone else, is in a position to accept. “Now I don’t know who’s booked and who’s not booked.” Still, Teymur was his first choice. Alan Patrick is “definitely a good fight too” should Teymur not be available. The 7-1 Teymur, undefeated in four UFC fights, does not have anything announced currently. Though who knows what negotiations are going on behind the scenes.

As for when Aubin-Mercier would like to get back in the Octagon, “I would have liked Brooklyn, but I think it’s too close now.” With that off the table then, he hopes to be back in action in a month to a month and a half.

Catch our full conversation with Canadian lightweight Olivier Aubin-Mercier above!

One of the top mixed martial artists in Canada today, ‘OAM’ — like pretty much every other Canadian with an interest in the sport — had the perfect role model to look up to in Georges St. Pierre. When asked if there were any other fighters who he took as an inspiration in his early days, Aubin-Mercier singled out Olympian Nicolas Gill.

“I started judo because of Nicolas Gill,” he said. Gill won the silver medal for Canada at the 2000 Olympic games in Sydney, Australia. He also took home bronze at the 1992 games in Barcelona. “I guess he had a big impact in my career,” Aubin-Mercier continued. “But I started MMA because of GSP too.”

Another name also came to mind. “I would say Rory [MacDonald] was a big inspiration too. I was just an amateur fighter when he fought Condit, I was surprised and impressed that he was already in the UFC fighting him.”

When it was Olivier Aubin-Mercier’s time to arrive in the UFC, the comparisons to GSP were almost immediate. Maybe it was that both were French Canadian, maybe it was the link to TriStar. Maybe it was simply because you could abbreviate their names to three initials. Probably not the last one, but in any case, it certainly added pressure.

“They were comparing myself to GSP after four fights,” the lightweight recalled. “Journalists are like this, people are like this, they compare everybody with the best. So yeah, it put a little bit of pressure on my shoulders, but I don’t feel it anymore.”

Still, the speed at which Aubin-Mercier broke into the UFC and worked his way up through the lightweight division has been impressive. And it doesn’t surprise him, exactly. “More proud than surprised,” he said of the achievement. “Like you said, I had just four fights when I went [on] TUF: Nations, which is not a lot.” Fighters from the show with far more experience didn’t last in the UFC, he pointed out. “So I’m more proud of what I did. I don’t think I’m the one that went the fastest [to the UFC], but I went fast, and I’m proud of it.”

Speaking of TUF Nations, whatever happened to the country vs. country format? ‘OAM’ suggested there may have been a plan to do more seasons. Canada vs. the UK, or Canada vs. Brazil, could have been stellar. “I hope at some point they’re going to do it again” he stated.

In the past, Aubin-Mercier has said that he didn’t watch a lot of UFC events, but the lightweight told us that’s no longer the case. And the reason might surprise you. “I watch it more now. I didn’t have cable before,” he said. “Now I can watch it, I paid for the cable. I’m still not at the point that I can pay for the PPV, but I can pay for the cable,” he added with a laugh.

“I watch it more and more. A lot of my friends bet on the fights, and they often ask me my point of view. I like to see them lose” he chuckled. “Of course I give them bad advice. Actually there’s a running gag, that every time I think someone [will] win, you have the bet for the opposite guy, since I’m really really bad at betting and picking who will win.”

Note to self, do not take betting advice from Olivier Aubin-Mercier.

On a more serious note, while the ‘Quebec Kid’ awaits his next assignment, what’s his goal for the remainder of 2018? “To be in that top fifteen myself at the end of the year.”

Before we go, don’t miss Olivier doing his best Nate Diaz impression as he took in UFC on FOX 28 in Orlando, unfortunately as a spectator. Still, making the best of it!

https://twitter.com/oliaubin/status/967541614636920832

The post UFC: Olivier Aubin-Mercier Talks The Gilbert Burns Fight That Wasn’t, Would Like David Teymur Next appeared first on Cageside Press.

Jeremy Stephens picked up a big win Saturday night at UFC on FOX 28. He also picked up a win that was mired in controversy. That’s thanks to a finishing sequence that included a potentially illegal knee to the head of opponent Josh Emmett, plus some questionable elbows to the back of Emmett’s head. It’s not a clear cut situation: Emmett is moving throughout the sequence, and where he was positioned when the elbows landed may not have been where he was when Stephens launched them, for example.

Of course, the rules don’t cover intent. That’s only to say that Stephens likely didn’t intentionally target the back of the head. The knee, meanwhile, is another consideration. And it appears that, once again, there’s massive confusion as to what the new Unified Rules of MMA are trying to say. According to Stephens, speaking on the UFC on FOX 28 post-fight show, ref Big Dan Mirgliotta informed fighters backstage that “‘if two hands are down, you can lift one hand up to knee. That’s okay.’ So if he’s on his knees and one hand is up, it’s okay to throw a knee.”

The problem with that interpretation is that it’s ignoring the fact that Emmett was on his knees. The rule, in regards to hands being down, was more along the lines of preventing fighters from gaming the system by sticking their hands on the mat while standing bent over. An opponent on his knees is still an opponent on his knees, and Stephens’ explanation of the rule isn’t doing him any favors. Though it appears the ref’s pre-fight instructions caused the confusion.

“I’m not a dirty fighter, I never have been my whole life. I saw an opportunity, I was looking for it. I don’t even think I landed the knee, it was the left hand that dropped him,” Stephens added. He also stated he didn’t feel the knee landed. “No I didn’t. I’m in the moment right there.”

It’s important to remember that under any rule set, a fighter on his knees is a grounded opponent. However, it’s up to the ref to make the call, something that didn’t happen Saturday. Stephens also addressed the elbows post-fight, and again insisted he wasn’t a dirty fighter. Ultimately, it does appear more of a miscommunication by the ref combined with being in the heat of the moment, which should make it interesting if Emmett does in fact appeal the result.

In our full interview with @lilheathenmma, Michael @Bisping asks if it bothers him if people might think he's a dirty fighter…

"As of tomorrow the money will hit my bank account. I am not worried." https://t.co/CwQTJzFP2A

— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) February 25, 2018

In a separate post-fight interview with the UFC’s Megan Olivi, Stephens also addressed his ever-improving skill set, likening his development as a fighter to cooking a good stew. “Once you wait long enough,” he explained, “even though you’re really, really hungry, if you wait til the right moment, like at your grandma’s house, it turns into the best recipe.”

Stephens had been ranked eighth in the division, and Emmett at fourth, heading into the fight. When asked about where he expected to stand after the big win, Stephens replied that “if you ask me, the rankings are way out of whack.”

Still, he pointed out that “that puts me right there” — and he estimates there’s only three fighters in front of him, including Brian Ortega and Frankie Edgar.

The post UFC Orlando’s Jeremy Stephens Addresses Illegal Knee, Says “Rankings are Way Out of Whack” appeared first on Cageside Press.

Suffice to say, UFC Orlando did go go according to plan for Josh Emmett. The Team Alpha Male fighter rode into the night on a wave of success following his surprise knockout of Ricardo Lamas late last year. However, after a strong first round, Emmett found himself rocked and dropped in the second against Jeremy Stephens in Orlando last night. Things then went from bad to worse. Stephens began unleashing elbows to the fallen fighter, most of which appeared legal. However, at least two looked as if they hit the back of the head, which would be considered illegal. Worse, Stephens subsequently connected with a knee to the downed fighter, which while grazing, also appeared illegal.

Stephens would add additional strikes to finish Emmett off. Ultimately, he got both the win and a Performance of the Night award. Yet fellow fighters, fans, pundits, and even the UFC on FOX broadcast team immediately began debating the subject. On the UFC on FOX end, former bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz immediately claimed he didn’t see what the fuss was about. “I don’t see what people are arguing about, I really don’t” Cruz claimed on the broadcast. However, his impartiality is immediately brought into question, given he’s a potentially biased observer due to his long-running feud with Team Alpha Male, led by arch-rival Urijah Faber.

Other parties, such as UFC lightweight Kevin Lee, suggested that Emmett appeal the result And that appears is what will happen, per comments by MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani.

Meanwhile, the news was even worse for Emmett, as ESPN’s Brett Okamoto has reported that the fighter suffered three fractures in his orbital bone as a result of the bout.

Per his team, Josh Emmett suffered three fractures to his orbital bone tonight. This sport is no freaking joke.

— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) February 25, 2018

As a result, Emmett is likely looking at a lengthy layoff. Team Alpha Male’s Faber also made it clear how he felt about the finish on social media:

Gimme a break! Feel for @JoshEmmett155, congrats @lilheathenmma but that was an illegal knee. @… https://t.co/4zq9cR7jy0

— Urijah Faber (@UrijahFaber) February 25, 2018

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For the second week in a row, the UFC put on an underrated card that performed above expectations when all was said and done. What UFC Orlando (UFC on FOX 28) lacked in star power it made up for in action, with seven finishes on the card, and a number of exciting bouts brimming with fireworks.

Among those were Tecia Torres vs. Jessiaca Andrade, who put on a thrilling war in the evening’s co-main event. ‘The Tiny Tornado’ Torres found success, and a home for her right hand, early in the fight. However, as the affair wore on the powerful Andrade pulled further and further ahead, scooping Torres up and slamming her down repeatedly. In the end, Andrade picked up a unanimous decision. It was not enough, however, to convince the UFC to give them Fight of the Night, however. That honor instead went to Alan Jouban vs. Ben Saunders. That stand-up war ended roughly mid-way through the fight when Jouban sent Saunders crashing to the canvas. It was a potential Performance of the Night bonus winner, but the UFC ultimately decided the pair put on enough of a show to earn Fight of the Night.

In all honesty, any of Torres vs. Andrade, Griffin vs. Perry, and Jouban vs. Saunders could have got the nod.

Performance of the Night bonuses were handed out to Jeremy Stephens, for his second round finish of Josh Emmett, and Ilir Latifi, who choked out Ovince St. Preux via guillotine. The Stephens bonus will likely raise some eyebrows, as fans, pundits, and even fellow fighters debated some apparently illegal strikes Stephens connected with leading up to the finish. That said, the ref allowed the action to continue, and Stephens ultimately got the win.

All four UFC Orlando bonus winners will receive $50,000 for their efforts.

The post UFC Orlando Bonuses Go to Stepens, Latifi, Alan Jouban and Ben Saunders Get Fight of the Night appeared first on Cageside Press.

UFC on FOX 28 took place Saturday in Orlando, FL, with a card that was as balanced as you’re likely to find in the UFC. No one fight really stood out, but most were solid on paper, and several delivered in the end. From Mike Perry being bloodied by Max Griffin, to Sam Alvey’s crushing knockout of Marcin Prachnio, UFC Orlando was a fun card.

The main event, meanwhile, was a violent affair. In the first round, Josh Emmett dropped Jeremy Stephens, and looked to have won the round. Things were certainly going his way, but then, round two happened. Things changed in an instant, and a big — but controversial — finish followed. Stephens rocked Emmett, dropping him. Stephens followed up with a number of elbows, at least two of which looked to be illegal blows to the back of the head. Referee Big Dan Miragliotta, however, allowed to action to continue. Next, an apparent illegal knee was thrown, although it grazed Emmett at best, and the downed fighter was moving during the sequence. Either way, Emmett was likely finished, but the illegal blows added a little controversy to the affair.

Although Florida has adopted the most recent iteration of the Unified Rules of MMA, video replay was not available at the event. And either way, it’s unclear whether anything would change. Fighters were just as split on the finish as fans were — and you can see their reactions below!

Here we GO!#UFCOrlando pic.twitter.com/bpXfvSn84z

— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) February 25, 2018

Emmett takes RD 1 with late drop from a clean right hand. Let’s see how Stephens responds in RD 2. #UFCOrlando

— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) February 25, 2018

I saw an illegal knee

— Al Iaquinta🗽 (@ALIAQUINTA) February 25, 2018

Fuck yessss!! @LiLHeathenMMA 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

— Bec Rodriguez (@RowdyBec) February 25, 2018

That knee?

— Truck Gordon (@TruckGordon) February 25, 2018

That knee was illegal AF!! But that drop and that finishing instinct was WILD and BRUTAL! 145 is STACKED!! #UFCOrlando

— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) February 25, 2018

Damn!!! What a knock out! @LiLHeathenMMA needs a shot for the belt! Congrats

— Jimmie Rivera (@JimmieRivera135) February 25, 2018

Thatta boy! @LiLHeathenMMA

— Chase Sherman (@ChaseShermanUFC) February 25, 2018

#PROFESSIONALSAVAGE!!!!#UFCOrlando

— Jimmy Smith (@jimmysmithmma) February 25, 2018

Um, didn't he just knee him to the head when he was down??? #ufcorlando

— The Mane Event™ (@EliasTheodorou) February 25, 2018

That knee was questionable for sure tho..

— Shane Burgos (@HurricaneShaneB) February 25, 2018

https://twitter.com/secormatthew/status/967597156474515456

Yess !!! 👏👏👏 Danm @LiLHeathenMMA congrats brother @AllianceMmaGym

— Wilson Reis (@wilsonreis7) February 25, 2018

YEAH @LiLHeathenMMA!!!!

— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) February 25, 2018

Holy shit!!!! I'm gonna say it… Stephens is a savage!!! 😱😱😱 #UFCOrlando pic.twitter.com/BZWns0ugNS

— Megan Anderson (@MeganAnderson) February 25, 2018

Huge finish for @LiLHeathenMMA amazing fight! #UFCOrlando

— Jared Gordon (@JFlashGordonMMA) February 25, 2018

Knee was illegal. Knee landed. Knee most likely changes nothing about the fight ending

— Zachary Makovsky (@ZachFunSize) February 25, 2018

We gotta really clarify these rules, Emmet was trying to come up and wasn’t expecting to get kneed in the head.

— Kevin Lee MTP (@MoTownPhenom) February 25, 2018

I would file for a no contest lowkey. That knee grazed the top of the head, looked illegal af. Jeremy do hit hard but josh was looking good

— Kevin Lee MTP (@MoTownPhenom) February 25, 2018

The post UFC Orlando: Pros React to Jeremy Stephens Punishing Yet Controversial Finish of Josh Emmett appeared first on Cageside Press.

Jeremy Stephens has been around for a long time. In fact, he has as many wins in the UFC as Emmett has career fights. While the 14-13 Octagon record does not jump off the page, Stephens has put on the best performances in his career in his last two fights against Gilbert Melendez and Doo Ho Choi, and is now looking to make a run at the title.

Josh Emmett is a talented featherweight with just 14 career fights under his belt. Thus far, the Team Alpha Male fighter is 4-1 in the UFC and is currently on a two-fight win streak. Emmett stunned the MMA world when he knocked out perennial top-five featherweight Ricardo Lamas on short notice in December.

The fighters quickly met in the middle of the Octagon and exchanged feints until Stephens fired a straight punch. Emmett answered with a body kick and another. Emmett chased Stephens down with a combination but damage was avoided. Stephens countered an Emmett hook with a well-placed uppercut.

Stephens dug to the body during a combination and Emmett landed a kick below the belt in response. After a quick rest, Stephens was ready to go again.

Emmett flew in with a flying knee but only landed with a straight punch that followed. Both men went hard with combinations. Stephens caught Emmett flush with a pair of hooks, Emmett did the same. Then the turning point came when a huge right hand dropped Stephens. Emmett dove on top, but landed just one elbow while on top. Stephens stood quickly and avoided Emmett’s attack for the remainder of the round.

Stephens started the second round with a knee to the body quickly. After a body kick from Stephens, hooks whipped around from both fighters. A spinning backfist landed for Stephens as Emmett was along the fence. Stephens and Emmett stopped where they were to throw haymakers and Stephens landed harder, dropping Emmett. Stephens followed up with hard strikes on the ground and an elbow shut the lights off. Jeremy Stephens by KO.

With two straight knockouts over top prospects, Stephens begged for a title shot in the post-fight interview.

Jeremy Stephens def. Josh Emmett by KO (Punches) in Round 2 (1:35)

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Strawweight title fight implications were woven throughout the co-main event of UFC on FOX 28 Saturday night. A good performance from either Tecia Torres or Jessica Andrade could potentially boost either towards a shot at gold, depending on the outcome of Rome Namajunas vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk later this year.

Torres looked more focused than ever prior to the opening bell. Not to be outdone, Jessica Andrade had a deadly stare.

Meeting in the middle off the opening bell, neither women looked like she wanted to take a step back, but Andrade forced the issue with a kick. Torres then landed with a right, but instead of stepping back, Andrade came forward with a flurry of strikes. Torres next landed a counter right, her second or third in only the first minute of round one. Andrade landed a right hand of her own when her takedown attempt was stuffed, and both girls were swinging hard. The key for Torres was to keep moving, as Andrade was having success when her target wasn’t mobile. However, Torres was landing as well, and perhaps a little cleaner. Incredibly, the spent nearly the entire round going at that pace, until Jessica Andrade scooped Torres up and slammed her down for a takedown just before the bell.

In the second, Andrade walked Torres down as Torres circled out of harm’s way. Having enough of that merry-go-round, Andrade again picked up Torres and slammed her down. This time, they landed in north-south position, and Andrade had plenty of time to work. However, Torres tried an inverted triangle from the bottom; the Brazilian Andrade easily escaped that. Torres was able to create some space, then threaten with upkicks to allow room for her to spring back to her feet.

Back on the feet, Torres landed more right hands, and later took the back of the standing Andrade only to be thrown off. Torres ate a couple of shots as she got back up, and Andrade again picked her up and slammed her down, this time finding herself in guard. The ‘Tiny Tornado’ worked for an arm-bar, but Andrade pulled free; Torres again grabbed an arm, but couldn’t hold the submission attempt. Tecia would try to drag Andrade down in a takedown attempt late in the round, but Andrade was simply too powerful.

Jessica Andrade had the fight to the ground early in round three, but Tecia Torres was quickly able to power back up. She looked for underhooks while her opponent pressed her back into the cage. After creating some space, Andrade once again got Torres back down; she deftly stepped into half guard, trapped an arm and began working both the body and the head with punches. Andrade was seemingly pulling away, building a lead Torres could not catch up to while on her back. Torres was able to take the back towards the end of the final frame. Andrade shook her off, though, and was back in control soon enough. As the bell sounded, it had become clear that Jessica Andrade had done more than enough to capture the victory. The win brings her that much closer to a second title shot.

Jessica Andrade def. Tecia Torres by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28)

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At light heavyweight on Saturday at UFC on FOX 28 in Orlando, ‘OSP’ squared off against Sweden’s Ilir Latifi. Properly known as Ovince Saint Preux, the former football player was on a three-fight win streak and looking to make his way back to a title shot. Latifi, meanwhile, was looking to build off a recent win over Tyson Pedro.

Saint Preux was the favorite in the eyes of many, but that’s not how things went Saturday.

OSP flashed stance changes early in the fight, and had Ilir Latifi backed up against the cage. Latifi landed a kick to the outside thigh on Saint Preux. The height and reach advantage for OSP was considerable; he used his reach to keep Latifi at a distance. Saint Preux began to work in some leg kicks, while Ilir Latifi tried to force his way inside. Then, it what could have been the evening’s most shocking upset, Latifi landed a punch that wobbled Ovince Saint Preux. OSP was rocked, and Latifi immediately charged in with follow-up strikes. Set up by that left hook that dropped Saint Preux, Latifi scored with another left. A barrage of punches followed, then Latifi sunk in a guillotine choke. Saint Preux, still dazed, was caught. He could neither escape nor tap in time before going out, and Ilir Latifi walked away with a technical submission, and arguably the win of his career. Signalling for the belt following his big win, Latifi had suddenly thrown his name in the mix of title contenders at 205lbs in the UFC.

“DC, you’re a legend, you’re a champ, and you know I have a lot of respect for you, but lets fight for the title” Latifi said after the fight. Daniel Cormier, of course, has a fight with heavyweight champ Stipe Miocic to worry about next. After that, however, the light heavyweight champ could have a new Swedish challenger to contend with.

Ilir Latifi def. Ovince Saint Preux by submission (guillotine choke), Round 1, 3:48

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Opening up the main card on FOX at UFC Orlando Saturday were Mike Perry and Max Griffin. ‘Platinum’ Mike Perry and Max ‘Pain’ Griffin were both looking to bounce back from recent losses; both were also capable of sheer violence in the cage. That made Perry vs. Griffin an early favorite for Fight of the Night. In short it was a fight full of potential.

Did it live up to the hype? You betcha!

The crowd began chanting ‘Perry, Perry’ to start, but it was Griffin coming forward early. It was Girffin who drew first blood, opening up a cut on the upper forehead of Perry with a right hand. Max ‘Pain’ worked his jab, and it was Perry grabbing on to his opponent with a body lock, looking for a takedown. Griffin fought him off, and back in the middle launched a leg kick that nearly tripped Perry up. Griffin stayed moving constantly, and used head movement to duck out of the way of Perry’s strikes. Perry, however, seemed to settle down as the round wore on. Late in the round, Perry fanned on a kick which allowed Griffin to take him down. However in a scramble, Perry took the back. He got both hooks in, then reversed and mounted, but couldn’t make anything happen before the bell sounded.

Round two saw Perry hurt with a right hand early; Griffin clipped Perry with another right moments later as Perry tried to close the distance. Perry then went on the offensive, firing off a combo while pressing forward. Things settled down a little as the round wore on, with Griffin keeping ‘Platinum’ at a distance. Then in the final minute of the second, Griffin dropped Perry with a big right! Perry went down hard, Griffin went in for the kill but Perry gutted it out and held on, as Griffin couldn’t find space to finish him. Back on the feet Perry was bloodied as Griffin threw another volley, lighting Perry up all the way to the bell.

The third started off where round two ended, and Perry came back with a big right hand of his own that Griffin definitely felt. Perry then went for a takedown, and worked to take his opponent’s back. Griffin fought him off, and tried to do the same. The pair stayed on the feet, however, and Griffin returned to attacking the lead leg of his foe. Perry then scored with a left, and a big right, putting Griffin on his heels. ‘Platinum’ tried to goad Griffin into rushing in, but Griffin wisely ignored the ruse. Perry came in with a head kick in the final minute, and was swinging for the fences, looking for a finish. Perry landed a big right hand; Griffin tied him up. Perry worked for a takedown in the fight’s dying moments, a puzzling move given he needed a finish. As expected, the judges saw it for Max ‘Pain’ Griffin. Without question, he picked up the biggest win of his career in Orlando.

Max Griffin def. Mike Perry by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 30-27)

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In the featured fight of the UFC on FOX 28 prelims Saturday, former bantamweight champion Renan Barao was desperately in need of a win. Barao had hit a considerable slump since losing his title to T.J. Dillashaw in a shock upset back in 2015. After losing the rematch against Dillashaw, Barao was 1-2, a stretch made worse by struggles to make weight. After a failed experiment at featherweight, Barao was back at bantamweight on Saturday, taking on Brian Kelleher. ‘Boom’ had been the feelgood story of 2017, going from unknown to UFC fan fave overnight.

Kelleher came out and brought the fight to the former champion right out of the gate. Barao blocked a head kick, while Kelleher, clearly aware of T.J. Dillashaw’s past efforts against ‘The Baron,’ changed stances early and often. Barao began to attack the lead leg of Kelleher with kicks, and by the third one, ‘Boom’ was stumbling. Kelleher then landed a clean right by the ear of Barao off a leg kick. That led to a clinch along the fence, with Kelleher trying and failing to secure the takedown. Another right back in the open, however, hurt Barao. He clinched to buy some recovery time; ‘Boom’ reversed position. They’d make it out of the round, with Kelleher perhaps having the advantage thanks to those right hands.

Almost immediately, the pair were in a grappling exchange against the fence in round two. It didn’t last long, and in the middle Barao and Kelleher exchanged leg kicks before Kelleher shot in for a takedown. He drove Barao to the fence, putting his weight on the former champ, trying to wear him down. Staying with the attempt, he was able to take Barao down, but ‘The Baron’ was quickly back to his feet in a whizzer. The ref eventually broke the pair up, and they began trading punches back in the middle of the cage. Kelleher then looked to repeat his earlier takedown success, only the be reversed. With ten seconds remaining in the frame, ref Big Dan broke them apart once more, which took things to the third.

Renan Barao attempted a flying knee early in round three that was nowhere near landing. Kelleher then pressed forward, just grazing the ex-champ with a spinning back fist. Kelleher shot for a takedown only for Barao to fend it off. Another spinning back fist followed by a right forced Barao to retreat, and Kelleher seemed to be picking up the pace. Barao looked to be tiring, but he was still able to fire off some knees in the clinch. ‘Boom’ connected with an uppercut, and drove Barao into the cage.

Then, a final onslaught by Brian ‘Boom’ Kelleher. Kelleher began landing at will with uppercuts, working his jab, and beating up Barao. The former champion was covering up, but taking more and more punishment, unable to fire back. Ref Big Dan was taking a close look at the action, but Barao’s toughness kept him in it. With the crowd roaring, Kelleher pressed for the finish, but it was just out of reach. Still, he finished strong and picked up the biggest win of his career with all three judges scoring it in his favor.

Brian Kelleher def. Renan Barao by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

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