UFC 317 ‘Topuria vs. Oliveira’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Jhonata Diniz (257.5) vs. Alvin Hines (259.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Diniz (-305), Hines (+245)

Round 1

2025’s International Fight Week will come to a close at the end of June with a pay-per-view that might not dazzle in terms of big names, but should deliver when it comes to action fights. Most of the bouts on the slate have a real chance of ending inside the distance, other than one we will talk about later. This heavyweight card opener is one of those that could wrap up in the blink of an eye. Given the high stoppage rates of 87% for Diniz (8-1, 2-1 UFC) and 86% for Hines (7-0, 0-0 UFC), referee Herb Dean may be needed before it is all said and done. The big men come together and bump their fists together before lobbing them like wrecking balls. Let the fun begin.

Hines quickly moves to the center of the cage, pushing out his jab and following with an overhand right. Diniz avoids the first, but a second catches him on the chin. He tries to take advantage of the success by tossing out another, and when that misses, he rushes forward for a clinch. Diniz scoots out of the way and avoids subsequent right hands, while sticking the Minnesota native with a jab. Hines continues to hunt for his overhand right, and he nearly gets one in, but Diniz beats him to the punch with a check left hook. Hines doubles up on a jab, and he pegs the Brazilian with a one-two. Hines rushes forward to take the fight down, and when dragging Diniz to a knee, he fires off a knee that is barely legal as Diniz was lifting his knee in time. Due to the Brazilian’s jabs, Hines’ right eye is swelling up quickly. Diniz targets the damaged area with a few more jabs, and he busts up the newcomer’s nose.

Hines does not care, swinging his big right hand but coming up short. On a second effort, he tags Diniz. Diniz defends against a double-leg entry and swings with two winging shots, and the second finds its mark. Hines shakes it off and takes a low kick, and damage on that calf is welting fast as well. Hines goes to the well with his telegraphed right hand, and he suddenly changes things up with a body kick. He runs forward, and ends up crashing into the cage wall when missing. Diniz targets him with a solid left hand that briefly staggers “Goozie,” and it appears that every strike of Diniz is hurting the UFC debutant. The punches from Diniz cut Hines on his left eye, and his face is transforming into a horror movie in a hurry. Blood pouring out of his nose, Hines wipes at it a few times, and he backs off to avoid a leaping knee. Diniz staggers his man with a left hand, and Hines desperately spins with a back kick right before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Diniz
Christian Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Diniz
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Diniz

Round 2

The big men bump fists to get going, and the cutman did decent work in cleaning up the busted Hines between rounds. Hines leads off with his overhand right, and Diniz slides out of the way with ease. Chants for “Goozie” come from a certain area of the area, which spur him into a double-leg shot. Diniz shuts it down, but he does eat a right hand when taking too long to get his hands back up. Hines is headhunting, with Diniz already opening the nose open up again with his accurate jab. Diniz chops down the front leg with another kick and lets fly a right hand, and Hines is tough but a bloody mess once again. Hines’ overhand right puts him in danger as Diniz times a counter, and the follow-up piston-like jab makes Hines frown. Hines whiffs on a one-two and fakes a level change, and Diniz is bouncing on his heels in a rhythm. He catches Hines with a left hand coming in, and he knocks the unbeaten fighter back with a looping left hook. Hines misses the mark with his right hand, as Diniz appears to have figured it out, and he nails the calf with yet another kick.

Diniz steps through to tag Hines with two crisp punches, and Hines is tough but his balance is starting to loosen. Hines shoots desperately when getting hurt, and he winds up with a huge right hand that skims on the side of the Brazilian’s dome. Diniz misses a front kick and a massive left by a matter of inches, and Hines gives chase but is also out of range. Diniz slaps away a responsive front kick and chips at the lead leg with his shin. Hines appears to get Diniz’ attention with a right hand, but Diniz is able to sway and blast Hines right back and develop a mouse near Hines’ right temple. Hines is losing steam and getting a bit sloppy, although he does connect with a body shot and has a spinning back fist ricochet off the guard. Hines scores a high kick as Diniz dips down, and Diniz clips him back with a left hook. Another left from Diniz makes Hines shake his head, and Hines shoots in for an unsuccessful entry. Hines misses on a spin kick, and Diniz smacks his foe with a left hook right before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Diniz
Christian Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Diniz
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Diniz

Round 3

The heavyweights high-five to get going in the last round, and Hines is the aggressor as he rushes forward with two hooks. Diniz slips out of the way and absorbs a body shot on the way out, but it is a single strike that allows him to retreat and reset. Hines bounces a right hand off the temple and shoots in on the hips, but the Brazilian is a stone wall, who pushes him back and sticks out a left hand. They both score right hands at the same time, and Hines goes after a few jabs. Hines partially lands a right, and he sneaks in a shovel uppercut with his left. The offense for Diniz has fallen off a cliff, with Hines attacking his opponent to the body that open up punches up top. Hines pushes out a right hand, and his finger appears to slide into Diniz’ eye socket. Dean calls time as Diniz protests, and the Brazilian goes to a neutral corner to try to clear his vision. Dean asks if Diniz needs the doctor, and Diniz shrugs him off but Dean still brings the physician in. Diniz uses a cloth to wipe out his eyeball that is bloodshot and clearly wounded, but otherwise is good to go.

After about 90 seconds, they resume. Hines goes right after Diniz, hurling his right hand at him a few times to decent effect. Diniz lands, and he points at Hines to celebrate his success. He then goes to the body with the ball of his foot, and he loops a right hand over the top. Another right hand from Hines comes, and he narrowly avoids a left hand coming back. Two low kicks from Diniz connect flush on the welted lead leg, but Hines does not slow down. Instead, Hines drops down to a knee to shoot for an unorthodox takedown, and Diniz shucks him out of the way and stabs out a jab. Hines targets the head and body, and his big right hand finds its mark on the side of the melon. Diniz grits his teeth and beans Hines back with a right hook, and once more Hines’ face is starting to leak from…everywhere. Hines pitches out high kicks from both sides, landing one of them and surprising Diniz. He overthrows a right hook and almost spins himself around, but gathers his thoughts and eats a guard-splitting jab on the nose. Diniz stops another strange takedown and boots Hines in the face with his foot. They swing it out right to the bell, surprisingly going the distance.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hines (29-28 Diniz)
Christian Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Diniz (30-27 Diniz)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Hines (29-28 Diniz)

The Official Result

Jhonata Diniz def. Alvin Hines via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Niko Price (170.5) vs. Jacobe Smith (170.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Smith (-1800), Price (+1000)

Round 1

The matchmaking with violent intentions continues with a welterweight tilt pitting two men that win roughly 80% of their matches by stoppage. Now a grizzled veteran at the age of 35, Price (16-8, 2 NC; 8-8, 2 NC UFC) is no less willing to throw down than he used to be. “The Hybrid” will attempt to remove the 0 from the flawless record of Fortis MMA’s Smith (10-0, 1-0 UFC), who could fast track himself to greatness if he keeps knocking people out like he has lately. Stunningly, Smith is coming in as one of if not the largest betting favorite in UFC history. Good luck with that. Referee Mark Smith draws the charge and dons his proverbial hard hat as the two knockout artists ply their trade against one another. There is a touch of gloves to start things off.

Price rushes forward to start the fight, looping punches at the overwhelming favorite. Smith surges into action, connecting with a flurry of punches that draw him closer until he lifts Price up and slams him down to the ground. Smith is quick to lash out with nasty ground-and-pound in the form of elbows and punches. Price, on his back, considers an armbar off his back, but it is broken up when Referee Smith warns him loudly for grabbing the cage. While Price flails off his back, he busts open Smith’s nose, which starts leaking in a hurry. Price tugs on the fence to improve his position, and Referee Smith yells at him a third time to knock it off. Smith sits up and jacks Price up with hammerfists, all while Price tries to survive. A fierce elbow from “Cobe” slashes open a cut above Price’s eyebrow, and he turns over to present his back.

Smith quickly takes the back and gets a hook in, working Price over from behind with his free left hand. Price clings to Smith’s arm with a two-on-one wrist lock, and he is warned for grabbing the glove. The grasp for Price allows him to stand up, although he voluntarily lowers himself to the mat for a second to get a way out. Both men stand up, and Price flashes out his jab and follows with a right to the body. Price goes after a low kick, and Smith is starting to slow down. His punches still have impact, as he knocks Price back with a one-two. Price sticks his tongue out and fires back, and he too appears quite fatigued four minutes into the match. Both men try to find their way towards one another, and Price tags the massive favorite with an overhand right. Price whiffs on an uppercut, and Smith blasts Price with a right hand right before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Smith
Christian Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Smith
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Smith

Round 2

Between rounds, Price shouts out commentator Joe Rogan in his corner. Rogan greets him back. The fighters meet in the middle to clap hands, and take a few steps back to measure one another. Price slowly works his way forward, and his low kick leaves him open for a right hand up top. Smith takes a right hand behind the ear without issue, and Price is fussed at for his fingers outstretched pointed towards his opponent. Referee Smith calls for activity, and Smith answers the call with a right hand that is at least a foot out of range. Price takes a knee to the belly and throws back with a right hand, and he loops around a right hand. Smith knocks Price off his feet with a right hand, and lowers himself down, striking with huge hammerfists. Price thinks about a leglock off his back, and briefly flirts with a triangle choke setup as well, but Smith is composed with his weight pressed hard on his foe. Price grips two-on-one again to hold onto Smith’s arm, and Smith wriggles out and lowers himself down to clash head with Price. Price gets off an elbow that surprises Smith, who sits up and gets back into the guard.

Price looks for a sweep, all while Smith slowly hammers him with high-amplitude punches. As Smith starts to slow, the crowd grows restless. Price uses this lull in action to turn over to his knees, and “Cobe” partially takes his back from the right side. Smith tries to impose his weight to keep Price grounded, and he smacks Price with a right hand before Price somersaults. The roll gives up his back, and Smith follows it every step of the way and locks up a body lock. Practically at the same time, Smith wraps up a rear-naked choke, and it is tight and basically locked up as soon as he wraps it up. Price thinks about going out on his shield, but he elects to tap out before he loses consciousness. The two get back to their feet and share an embrace after a bloody, hard-fought battle. The ultra-heavy favorite cashes, much to the delight of parlay bettors everywhere. Price congratulatorily smacks him on the backside. On his post-fight interview, the victorious Smith yells the words "Joe Rogan" to Rogan several times in lieu of some answers.

The Official Result

Jacobe Smith def. Niko Price R2 4:03 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) 

Viacheslav Borshchev (155) vs. Terrance McKinney (156)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: McKinney (-185), Borshchev (+154)

Round 1

Fans should be treated to a delight with this lightweight smash-em-up derby. In the one corner stands McKinney (16-7, 6-4 UFC), who has reached the third round just one time in 23 pro outings. In the other is brick-fisted Team Alpha Male product Borshchev (8-5-1, 3-4-1 UFC), who is looking to even his promotional record to .500 should he get his hand raised tonight. Bettors and prognosticators expect this one should not hear the final bell, with odds hovering around -800 to -900 that it ends inside the distance. If that is the case, referee Chris Tognoni will need to be on his A game to intervene at a moment’s notice. Gloves are touched before they are traded.

Borshchev introduces himself with a spinning back kick that plants on the ribcage of McKinney, who then shoots for a double that sends them flying. McKinney gets on top and wraps up an anaconda choke as soon as they hit the ground, and Borshchev is in the danger zone in a hurry. “T. Wrecks” uses the submission to roll the Team Alpha Male fighter over to his back, where he assumes full mount and transitions to a guillotine choke. The choke is fastened as tight as can be, and Borshchev has his arms trapped and flails his legs to try to buck himself out. His head starts to turn a shade of red that matches McKinney’s shorts, and before he is put to sleep, he surrenders. Just like that, the fight is over, and McKinney stands up, looks at the camera and smiles while shrugging. The fighters hug it out after the brief but emphatic performance, waiting nearly as long for the official decision to be read as it took for McKinney to win the fight.

The Official Result

Terrance McKinney def. Viacheslav Borshchev R1 0:55 via Submission (Guillotine Choke) 

Viviane Araujo (125.5) vs. Tracy Cortez (126)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Cortez (-250), Araujo (+205)

Round 1

That one fight mentioned earlier that seems as close to a lock as one that goes the distance is here. After two finishes on the card thus far, women’s flyweights take center stage having combined for 17 straight decisions between them. Of the two, Araujo (13-6, 7-5 UFC) is the only woman in the Octagon now who has gotten the job done by stoppage in her UFC career. Arizona native Cortez (11-2, 5-1 UFC) cannot say the same, with her entire UFC tenure consisting of judges’ decisions. Nothing is guaranteed in the sport and anyone is capable of being caught, so fans hope that referee Jason Herzog will need to step in before the final horn blares. They elect not to touch ‘em up.

Cortez moves right to the center of the cage, and both women begin with low kicks and jabs. Cortez shoots for an early takedown, and Araujo staves her off and smacks her in the face with a right hand. This does not deter Cortez, who tries again, and this time, she gets her foe to the mat. Cortez partially takes Araujo’s back during the scramble, but Araujo turns around to briefly put Cortez on her back. Araujo puts Cortez on her knee against the cage, looking to slide a hook in. Araujo gets the second hook in, and she starts connecting with left hands to the eyelashes. Cortez hand-fights and tries to turn out of the bad position, but the Brazilian follows her. Cortez continues to turn herself about until she regains top position.

Cortez opens up with a few elbows from above, with Araujo bucking her off. Cortez leaps back down and belts Araujo with a right hand on the way down, and she positions herself in half guard. Araujo sits up and ignores a guillotine choke setup from the American. Cortez drops down a few 12-to-6 elbows before selling out for a choke attempt. Cortez loses the grip but is still mostly controlling, and she repositions her hands to pursue the sub again. Araujo keeps herself turned to the side until rolling all the way around using the fence to wall off until she is almost giving up north-south to her opponent. Cortez allows her to do this, as it opens up ground strikes for her with her left hand. Cortez stands up to find a way back in, and she connects with a few punches before attacking a power guillotine choke. Cortez pulls guard to lock the choke down, and Araujo flails to try to survive. Before she gets choked out, the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cortez
Christian Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Cortez
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Cortez

Round 2

The flyweights meet in the middle to engage in the second round, with Cortez leading the dance with a chopping low kick. Araujo skips her way forward behind her jab, but she bounces on her heels to prepare herself for the potential takedown. Both women trade right hands, with Cortez connecting the heavier of the two. Araujo backs off and hops forward with a right hand, but it is one-and-done as she is quite aware a takedown could come at any minute. Cortez stands her up with a spinning back elbow, and she flicks out a couple jabs for good measure. The jabs start to have a measurable effect on the Brazilian’s nose, who surges forward with a few punches extended. Araujo tosses aside the takedown that comes when Cortez backs herself to the wall.

Cortez fires off a one-two that sets up a takedown entry, only to back off when a head kick is aimed at her. Cortez gets off another one-two and a body kick, but it is Araujo who lands the cleaner with a heavy counter. Cortez uses her jab to keep the advancing Brazilian at bay, switching stances to fake a level change that Araujo bites on. Cortez sells out for a takedown, using it to bully Araujo to the fencing. Araujo stays on her feet but takes a knee to the liver when defending. Cortez aims another to the same spot and drops down for a double. Araujo defends by jumping guard with a guillotine, and Cortez easily slides out. Cortez lets her to do this and drops down a thudding elbow. Araujo turns to set up an armbar, but Cortez fights out of it. Araujo pushes her off, and the ladies fight to their feet at the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cortez
Christian Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Cortez
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Cortez

Round 3

The last round begins much like the second started, with jabs from both sides. Araujo pushes off with a front kick, and Cortez takes it like a champ and uses it to take the fight to the floor. When Cortez looks to establish top position, Araujo strikes from off her back. Cortez lets her have it with ground strikes, shifting her hips to half guard to keep the Brazilian flat on her back. Cortez embraces the grind.

The ladies start jawing at one another when in this position, and Cortez unleashes a storm of ground-and-pound. Araujo turns to her side to defend from the bombardment, but this opens up Cortez to an arm-triangle choke. Cortez is on the wrong side, and she loses the position when Araujo turns to her belly. Cortez follows her and takes her back with a hook in, and she sits up and elbows Araujo on the side and back of the head. Araujo turns to possibly pursue a single, or otherwise looks for a way out, but time is not on her side. Araujo complains about something, and when time expires, Cortez shoves her off aggressively. The Arizona native’s eyelashes remain intact after 15 minutes of combat, and her streak remains unbroken with decisions account for her whole UFC career.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cortez (30-27 Cortez)
Christian Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Cortez (30-27 Cortez)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Cortez (30-27 Cortez)

The Official Result

Tracy Cortez def. Viviane Araujo via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Hyder Amil (145.5) vs. Jose Delgado (145.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Delgado (-180), Amil (+150)

Round 1

A protégé of Gilbert Melendez, Amil (11-0, 3-0 UFC) is hoping to represent the former Strikeforce champ well as he battles a man who has never won a fight on the scorecards. MMA Lab’s Delgado (9-1, 1-0 UFC) would love nothing more than to secure his sophomore UFC effort similar to his first, as he needed three minutes to demolish Connor Matthews in February. Referee Marc Goddard will keep tabs on this featherweight contest for as long as it lasts, and he steps back as the fighter clap hands.

Amil immediately tosses out a low kick after the glove touch. He throws another, leading Delgado to try to the fight down. The two scramble wildly when Amil counter-throws his foe to the mat, and they both explode back to their feet. Delgado surges forward behind a three-punch salvo, and he looks to drive a knee straight through Amil’s head. Taking it square on the chin, Amil crashes to the ground in big trouble, and Delgado follows him and obliterates him with a bomb of a left hand and two crushing elbows. Amil goes out and comes back online, and Goddard steps in to stop the fight. Amil is upset and stands right back up, but he is a little wobbled and confused. He has to be held up by Goddard and explained what happened to him. The previously undefeated fighter is crestfallen but calms himself down, while Delgado is on the map with a sub-30-second knockout over a man 11-0 mere moments before. In the throes of victory, Delgado calls for a fight against William Gomis at Noche UFC in September.

The Official Result

Jose Delgado def. Hyder Amil R1 0:26 via KO (Knee and Elbows)

Jack Hermansson (185.5) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (186)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Rodrigues (-205), Hermansson (+170)

Round 1

When is the last time that “Robocop” Rodrigues (16-6, 7-3 UFC) had a boring fight? We’ll wait.

Running out of gas in his first UFC headliner this past February, Rodrigues tumbled from facing a top-ten ex-title challenger in Jared Cannonier to a man who used to be a regular fixture in the middleweight rankings. He draws the well-rounded Hermansson (24-8, 11-6 UFC), a perennial trap fight who has amassed a pattern of alternating wins and losses in his last nine outings. A win would break the streak, but he is not favored to do so. Referee Herb Dean takes charge of the cage for this preliminary headliner, bearing witness to a sporting glove touch to get it going.

Hermansson plods forward behind a sharp jab, parrying what comes back his way. After measuring his foe, Rodrigues comes out firing with a big right hand. Hermansson keeps his guard high to defend from oncoming blows, circling away from the power right of the Brazilian. The probing jabs of “The Joker” have cut Rodrigues on the top corner of his forehead, and Rodrigues grits his teeth and slugs Hermansson in the body and face. Hermansson stays light on his feet, pecking with low kicks and narrowly avoiding a huge right hand zooming at him.

Hermansson keeps busy with low kicks, and he reaches out with a one-two. Rodrigues works his way forward, bleeding from one or possibly two places on his dome. Paying it no mind, he connects with a trio of punches, and Hermansson clicks him with an uppercut. Rodrigues gives chase, walking through a jab and another uppercut to get his hands on Hermansson. Hermansson stays on his bike to avoid the lumbering Brazilian, but “Robocop” catches up with him. Not needing to say the trademark line of “dead or alive, you’re coming with me,” Rodrigues launches an explosive left hand fired out of his Cobra Assault Cannon, detonating square on the Swede’s chin. Hermansson is out before he hits the ground, his unconscious body clattering helplessly on the mat like a puppet that’s had its strings cut. As soon as Dean reaches them, Rodrigues drops the hammer in the form of a punctuating hammerfist that would make Mike Russow blush. Incredible. In the blink of an eye, Hermansson went from performing well to laying lifeless on the mat in the fencing response. Agonizing seconds peel off the clock as Hermansson is still down, unresponsive. It is a scary period as the physicians and his team tend to Hermansson, but thankfully, he is eventually able to sit up and come to. Tying a bow on the prelims, the UFC will already have its hands full awarding post-fight bonus checks tonight. With any luck, they will crack open the piggy bank and dole out extra cash to everyone deserving.

The Official Result

Gregory Rodrigues def. Jack Hermansson R1 4:21 via KO (Punch)

Felipe Lima (135.5) vs. Payton Talbott (136)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Lima (-205), Talbott (+170)

Round 1

The main card commences with a pair of young, hungry prospects that each sport a single loss on their respective resumes. Bantamweight up-and-comer Talbott (9-1, 3-1 UFC) found Raoni Barcelos to be a little too much, too soon this past January, and he finds himself matched up against rising talent Lima (14-1, 2-0 UFC). Someone will suffer the second defeat of their career, and referee Chris Tognoni will be there for it every step of the way. The fighters race at one another, no glove touch in sight.

They pull back when rushing towards the other, but Lima lands first about 15 seconds in with a flurry. Talbott walks him down, getting off a knee and walking through a clean one-two. Lima lands another one-two on the jaw, and a third is soon to follow. Talbott takes them on the chin and keeps pushing forward, loosing a heavy low kick. Lima wraps a punch around his foe’s head, resulting in a tie-up where Lima knees the body and pushes Talbott to the wall. Talbott gives him a back a knee as Lima is adjusting to change levels, and Talbott turns him about. Lima breaks off and resets in the center of the cage to spin with a wheel kick that buzzes past Talbott’s face. He shoots for a takedown, wrenching Talbott to the ground, and Talbott bounces back up. A first mat return does not succeed, but the second from Lima gets the fight down. Talbott rolls all the way through to wind up in an awkward position on top, fighting through Lima’s quick leg setup for some kind of submission.

Talbott pushes past the legs to open up with punches, and Lima turns over to try to escape. Lima rolls to set up a leglock, and Talbott spins through it and puts himself in the guard. Talbott hammers Lima with elbows until Lima bursts back to his feet, and he puts the Brazilian’s back to the wall. Talbott laces his legs between Lima’s, and Lima trips him up and lands on top. Lima, in the closed guard, does some work with his free left hand. Talbott sits up in hopes of escaping, turning to his knees and giving up his back. Lima hangs on from behind, but Talbott stands back up. Talbott elbows him in the clinch, twirling around when tied up until the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lima
Christian Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Lima
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Lima

Round 2

The round kicks of with Lima winging a head kick at his advancing opponent. Talbott pushes forward, hopping away from two punches and stepping in with a knee to the body. Talbott pushes off a jab to set up a right hand, and Lima cracks him with a counter that snaps the head back. Lima leaps after a takedown, and when that fails, he drops low for a single. A wild scramble ensues, allowing Talbott to wind up on top, where he sits down in half guard. Talbott connects with a few strikes, but he abandons top position to stand up and allow Lima to follow. Talbott backs Lima up to the fencing, blocks a spinning back fist and goes whizzing past his opponent with a leaping right hand. Talbott splits the guard with a jab, and Lima dives after a takedown. Talbott bowls him over and returns to sit in half guard.

Lima keeps both of his hands clasped on the wrist to protect himself from much offense, but Talbott yanks his arm out and drops down an elbow and a few hammerfists. Talbott stands up again to force Lima to get up too, and he defends a speedy spinning back fist. Talbott replies with a spin kick to the ribs, and he doubles up on it and hammers the midsection with his heel. Lima strikes with an oblique kick to the knee, circling either way but not out of the way of a right hand. Lima ducks a big punch to try to take the fight down, and Talbott keeps his balance against the fencing. Lima is able to drag Talbott to the floor, where he clings to the back without getting a hook in. Talbott shimmies Lima off of him and falls into north-south position. Talbott swirls around to take full mount, and he lashes out with punches until the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Talbott
Christian Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Talbott
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Talbott

Round 3

The bantamweights are energized to begin the final frame, rushing towards one another to get started. Both fighters let their fists fly, and then connect with successive kicks. Lima slips a punch to land one of his own, and he drives home a knee and spins with a back fist that is blocked. Lima surges forward to catch Talbott with a right hand, and Talbott nods at him. Lima goes to the well with another spinning back fist, and once more it bangs in the guard. Talbott puts three punches in rapid succession on Lima’s face, and Lima answers this by shooting for a single-leg takedown. Talbott hops around to keep his balance, even with Lima lifting his leg all the way in the air. Lima lets it go and crashes the pocket to go after a double. Lima keeps Talbott stuck on the floor when Talbott tries to scramble, and this leads to Talbott wall-walking to his knees.

Talbott stands, and Lima wraps him up and tries with all his might to put him back down. Lima lets go of the attempt and works the body, and Talbott backs away and shrugs at him. Talbott marches Lima down and connects with a flurry, ending with a knee to the body. Lima’s counters miss the mark, and he backpedals with Talbott stalking him. Talbott spins with a wheel kick that cracks Lima in the side of the head, and Lima answers with a head kick and slips to his seat. Talbott follows him down and allows Lima to roll so he can establish top control. Talbott slices through to full mount, considering an arm-triangle choke, and he sits up to grin at the camera. Lima stays busy as a bee, keeping rolling and searching for a leglock. Talbott pushes out of it and lets Lima be stuck in an extremely awkward and uncomfortable position, with Lima’s head between Talbott’s legs. Talbott unloads with a barrage of punches, laying into the Brazilian with a huge grin on his face. Talbott trash-talks Lima while beating on him, and Lima tries to work to the wall and stand, but time expires before he gets up. The first round was close, but the judges should be able to make their determination without issue.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Talbott (29-28 Talbott)
Christian Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Talbott (29-28 Talbott)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Talbott (29-28 Talbott)

The Official Result

Payton Talbott def. Felipe Lima via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Beneil Dariush (156) vs. Renato “Money” Moicano (156)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Carneiro (-122), Dariush (+102)

Round 1

For the purposes of this coverage, the fighter whose actual name is Renato Carneiro will be coined “Moicano” going forward. Owner of some of the more entertaining if not comically profane interviews and conference appearances in recent memory, “Money” Moicano (20-6-1, 12-6 UFC) is trying to unlock the secret to becoming a star. To make his next step up the lightweight ladder, he will have to contend with Dariush (22-6-1, 16-6-1 UFC). The third man in the Octagon is referee Mark Smith, and the two combatants bump fists in front of him.

Dariush introduces himself with a head kick that pops into the raised guard of the Brazilian. He goes to the body with his second kick, and Moicano hops back and then lunges forward with a right hand. The fighters are warned to keep their fists closed, and Dariush continues his kick-heavy approach. Moicano responds with a high kick and a right hand. The lightweights trade low kicks, and Dariush is quick to fire off a body kick behind his. Moicano surges at his opponent with a short salvo of fists, and Dariush is able to deliver a hard inside low kick on the way out. Coming up short with a high kick, Dariush finds himself in a brief slugfest, and he calms himself down and chops Moicano down with two nasty low kicks. The second kick drops Moicano, who bounces back to his feet and gets right back in front of Dariush’s face. Dariush sells out on another low kick and stumbles back after losing his balance.

Moicano plods forward, taking a right hand on the chin so he can hurl one back. The ensuing melee results in a clinch, where Moicano thinks about changing levels but bails to push off so he can strike again. He whiffs on a head kick, and is unable to get out of the way from Dariush’s kicks to the body and lead leg. Moicano tries to check the kick, and he sticks out a one-two. Dariush nearly surprises his foe with a head kick, and then quickly follow with one to the calf. Dariush reaches his foe with a few right hands, and a pair of lefts get Moicano’s attention. Dariush doubles up on kicks, and he blocks the comeback from the Brazilian. Right down the pipe, Moicano jacks Dariush in the jaw with a straight right hand. Dariush hits the deck and rolls around to avoid any additional damage, but Moicano is on his back jackhammering with a free hand. Dariush stands, and he absorbs body shots and a knee up the middle. Dariush pushes the Brazilian away, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Moicano
Christian Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Moicano
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Moicano

Round 2

The lightweights meet in the middle, but Dariush sprints forward to belt Moicano in the jaw with a left hand. Moicano responds with a takedown shot, and Dariush tackles him to the floor. Moicano responds with a leglock that he uses to scramble and stand, but Dariush takes his back and wrestles him to a knee. Moicano returns the favor with his own takedown effort, but Dariush is able to swirl around him and take his back standing. Dariush quickly slides off, and he shoots for a single and lifts Moicano’s leg up. Moicano drops to a knee when briefly taken down, and Dariush once again looks to set up a backpacking approach. The grind results in a stalemate, and boo birds start to sound out in the building. Dariush abandons the try, turns himself around and knees Moicano in the gut. He then looks for a body lock takedown, quickly transitioning to a single that succeeds. Dariush lands in half guard and puts Moicano flat on his back.

Moicano takes time to get his wind back, while Dariush smothers him and scores the occasional blow. Dariush looks to pass into mount, and he grinds his elbow on Moicano’s face to further frustrate him. Dariush hangs on from the opposite site with an arm-triangle setup, before posturing up to drop two elbows. Moicano tries to push off the fence to improve his position, and fans grow quite restless. Dariush wraps his arm around the back of Moicano’s neck again, and once more he lets it go. Moicano rolls for a leglock, and Dariush pops him with strikes until the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dariush
Christian Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Dariush
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Dariush

Round 3

The lightweights meet in the middle to hand-fight, and Dariush lets his feet do the talking with one up high and one to the body. He spins with a back fist, and uses the momentum to shoot for a takedown. Moicano turns the corner and spins around to partially take Dariush’s back, but Dariush is able to break out of it and stand. When back upright, Dariush delivers two gnarly body kicks that make Moicano grimace. Moicano clinches up, but he cannot hold Dariush, who spins at him with a back fist that narrowly misses the mark. Dariush clips Moicano with a looping left hand, and closes in to tag him with an elbow. He goes low with a kick that makes the Brazilian switch stances. Another kick from Dariush makes Moicano turn awkwardly, with the leg kicks doing some damage. “Money” catches one and takes Dariush down, but as if Dariush had springs in his shorts, he pops right back up. Dariush bounces on the outside and catches Moicano with two right hands, and he wings a left hand that blows the hair back on everyone in the first row.

Dariush hits a clean double, letting Moicano stand back up so he can hop on his back like a salt-and-pepper backpack. Dariush uses his weight to drag Moicano down from behind, and Moicano surges back to his feet and swings with all he has in the form of a couple looping punches. The right hand from Moicano forms a mouse under Dariush’s eye, but Dariush is the fresher and more active of the two by a wide margin. Moicano tries to slow him down by engaging a clinch, uppercutting the longtime veteran on the inside. Dariush breaks free and stays on the outside, absorbing a jab and catching Moicano with a right hand. Moicano shoots for an exhausted takedown, and Dariush shucks it off before time expires.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dariush (29-28 Dariush)
Christian Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Dariush (29-28 Dariush)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Dariush (29-28 Dariush)

The Official Result

Beneil Dariush def. Renato Moicano via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Brandon Royval (125.5) vs. Joshua Van (125.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Van (-120), Royval (+100)

Round 1

In the “featured fight of the night,” flyweights roll the dice to see who may get the next crack at the champ. As it turns out, this de facto tournament will be resolved one bout later, when Alexandre Pantoja rematches Kai Kara-France for the throne. Having come up short in 2023, and already 0-2 against the champ Pantoja, Royval (17-7, 7-3 UFC) more than likely hopes there will be change in beltholder in about an hour. Looking to spoil the party of “Raw Dawg” will be the fast-rising 23-year-old Van (14-2, 7-1 UFC), who has shot up the ranks like a cannon and takes this bout on short notice. Despite that, Van is the betting favorite. Referee Jason Herzog will keep things on the up-and-up, although they kick off with a sporting fist bump.

Royval probes with his jab and sets up an early low kick. He digs a kick to the ribcage and goes back low to the calf on either side. Royval uses his reach to keep the younger man at bay, chipping away at him from a safe distance. For the first minute, Van is doing nothing more than taking potshots. Royval goes to the body again with his toes extended, and he rushes forward into the awaiting right hand from the 23-year-old. Van catches Royval twice more with his big right hand, and Royval shrugs them off and continues doing work from the outside. Royval splits the guard with jab after unanswered jab, moving and evading to not let Van get to him. Van misses on a right hand, and Royval clips him with his own short right hook. Van strikes the body with a right, and Royval reaches his target with jabs and a short check hook.

Van lands multiple blistering right hands, hitting “Raw Dawg” much harder than Royval has struck him yet. Royval goes to the body with a kick as he skirts away, and Van reaches him with a right. Van knocks Royval to his seat, although Royval stumbled on the way out. He bounces back to his feet, and Van is ready to crack him with another heavy right. Any time Royval closes the distance, Van has a right hand awaiting him. Van gets Royval’s attention twice, and Royval knees him hard in the chest. Van knocks Royval back a step with two powerful right hands on the cheek, and a third connects when Royval puts hands on him. Royval gets up close and personal, and although he delivers a single knee, Van rips the midsection with several fast fists. The strikes have marked up Royval’s nose, who does not appear concerned after getting hit hard. He potshots Van a few more times until the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van
Christian Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Van
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Van

Round 2

The fighters tap gloves before engaging, and Royval gets right back to his high-volume, low-power approach. He jams Van in the sternum with a smattering of knees before backing off, where he takes a right hand on the way out. The two swing at one another, forming a cloud of feet and fists reminiscent of an Andy Capp comic. Van drills Royval at the end of two right hands, only to eat a sharp knee on the jaw. Royval drives him back with a flurry, and his body kick allows him to get in and swing a left. Royval stings Van with a straight left, and Van comes over the top with a right. Van gets off a clubbing right in the midst of Royval’s jab-a-palooza, and he absorbs a low kick and two powerful uppercuts. Royval plants a one-two on the chin to shake up the youngster from Myanmar, and he opens up with several more punches. Van stands in the pocket and bangs with him, with Royval getting knocked back and needing to reset, his nose leaking.

Royval starts putting more behind his punches, and Van is still hurling with power. The stats are racking up fast, and Van’s right hand is a weapon that seemingly cannot miss. Van drives a knee to the chest and follows with an overhand right, and Royval rifles off a number of piston-like jabs. Van misses with his right, and Royval works him with three speedy punches. Royval’s right cheek shows damage, and he gets stood up in a combo. Royval lets jab after jab land on the nose, and he follows with long, straight left hands. Van attacks the body, and just when he is about to gain momentum, Royval is on him with a powerful salvo. They continue to unload into one another’s faces, stealing the hearts of the crowd. Royval walks straight through a hard combination, fires back and gets staggered ever-so briefly. Royval goes to the body, and they swing it out to the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Royval
Christian Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Royval
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Royval

Round 3

The flyweights tap gloves, and it takes nary a second for Royval to get behind his jab. He sways to avoid the worst of a right hand and fires back with a one-two. Van connects with a quick left hook, shaking Royval up with two more punches but eating a few on the way out. Van reaches out with a right hand, and he allows Royval to close in so he can smash him in the temple with his overhand right. Royval surges forward behind long arms, ignoring a few body shots to put his fists on Van’s face. Van cracks him with a huge right hand, and Royval just smiles. Royval drops a body kick on his foe, and they take a moment to compose themselves before going for broke again. Van lands a one-two, and Royval pays him right back with a knee up the middle and a few fiery fists back. Van gets in tight for a second to land body shots, and Royval disengages.

Royval drives four punches him, and Van drills him with a right hand that surprises Royval. The Factory x fighter takes a hard leg kick and goes to the body with his shin. The two brawl it out, and Royval may be bloody in the nose but he is not slowing down. Van digs a kick to the body, and Royval reaches him with a left. Van pays him back with a combo, and Royval gets in his face with a flurry. Royval goes to the body with a kick, and Van counters him up top. Royval strings together a three-punch combo, and he darts away before Van reaches him. Van stumbles his opponent with his power right, and he knees Royval in the nose. Royval checks a kick and crashes the pocket with an uppercut and several more punches. Van kicks Royval’s leg out, and he swings a right hand over the top. He catches Royval on the way in with a left, and Royval is not about to let him off the hook. With 15 seconds to go, the two batter and smash one another. Van knocks “Raw Dawg” to the mat in an insane exchange, following the former title challenger down to the mat and hammering him until time expires. What an incredible fight! Royval was hurt but made it to the end, and a new challenger has emerged. The flyweights delivered easily one of the best fights of the year, giving it everything they had and more. If only this one had two more rounds...in victory, Van proudly declares that whomever wins the title in the next match will have to go through him.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van (29-28 Van)
Christian Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Van (29-28 Van)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Van (29-28 Van)

The Official Result

Joshua Van def. Brandon Royval via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

UFC Flyweight Title Fight:
Alexandre Pantoja (125) vs. Kai Kara-France (125)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Pantoja (-245), Kara-France (+200)

Round 1

That flyweight title tilt we mentioned in the previous match? It starts now. Champion Pantoja (29-5, 13-3 UFC), who may not be far from cementing his place as the second-best flyweight in MMA history, has a familiar test in front of him. In the quarterfinals of “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 24, which brought in 125-pound champs from around the world, Pantoja beat Kara-France (25-11, 1 NC; 8-4 UFC) in a two-round exhibition encounter. They will fight again for all the marbles, and referee Herb Dean will handle the particulars as he brings the top-tier, incredibly intense flyweights together to bump fists. They do.

Pantoja takes the center of the cage and whips an early kick to the body, and he goes right after Kara-France and draws him into a slugfest. Pantoja takes advantage of this by wrapping his arms around the Kiwi to drag him down to the ground. Pantoja almost immediately secures back control, where he fastens a body triangle around the waist in a hurry. Kara-France pushes off the fence with his feet to try to break out of the body lock, and he turns towards the side of the foot lock. Fans start booing the dominant position that Pantoja holds, and he starts to open up with power left hands to the body. Kara-France keeps rolling to the side of the body lock, but Pantoja is able to turn him the other direction to stay on lockdown. Kara-France keeps one hand on each wrist to defend from any additional attacks from “The Cannibal,” nearly breaking the lock around his waist.

Pantoja steps all the way over to half guard, where he wraps up an arm-triangle choke for a moment. Kara-France bucks out, but he surrenders full mount. Pantoja shifts back to half guard so he can control the fighter known as “Don’t Blink,” keeping him flat on his back and taking any of his firepower away. Pantoja hangs on with his right shoulder pressed on Kara-France’s face, and he postures up to drop down a punch or two. Kara-France appears to have no options, as he is not wriggling or bucking while Pantoja controls him. Pantoja smacks his foe with his shoulder with Kara-France clinging to his arms, and he gets an arm free and takes the back as Kara-France rolls. Pantoja fishes for a rear-naked choke, letting it go to work the body until the dominant round ends. The only question will be whether it merits a 10-8 score for the champ.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pantoja
Christian Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Pantoja
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Pantoja

Round 2

The flyweights tap gloves to get going again, and once more, Pantoja is the initial aggressor with a few body strikes. Kara-France circles around him, taking a fierce body kick and aiming a right hand back at his foe’s torso. Pantoja whiffs on a high kick, and Kara-France slaps his lead leg with a non-committal kick. Pantoja jabs his way forward, digging another kick to the body and nailing him with two low kicks as Kara-France tries to escape. Pantoja reaches his foe at the end of a right hand, and a combination of punches and a kick leads to him tackling Kara-France to the mat with a bit over three minutes left in the round. “The Cannibal” resides in the guard of his opponent, and Kara-France scrambles to get to a knee against the cage but gives his back up.

The Kiwi explodes back to his feet, and Pantoja instantly pursues a single but fails to get it. Kara-France, brimming with confidence, lets Pantoja have it with a big right hand. He blitzes with another overhand right, and Pantoja scores on the way out with a punctuating low kick. Pantoja goes the body with punches and a shin, and he wraps his leg up around Kara-France’s shoulder. Kara-France grips hold of a body lock to go for his own takedown, and Pantoja turns him around and attacks a single. Kara-France leans his back on the wall and escapes, where the two throw down for a moment. Pantoja ducks as Kara-France does too, landing a right hand to the body. When Kara-France strikes back, Pantoja knees him in the ribs. Kara-France bounces his way in and takes another flush knee. They trade single punches, with Pantoja bloodying up the nose of the challenger. Kara-France misses on a one-two and eats a front kick on the jaw before the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pantoja
Christian Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Pantoja
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Pantoja

Round 3

A glove touch opens up the third round, and they re-engage and start swinging. Pantoja ends an exchange with a body kick, and he flurries his way in and lands but gets clipped with a right hand. Pantoja wraps his arms around the waist of the challenger and grapples him from behind, bullying him to the wall and leaning on him. Pantoja jumps to wrench Kara-France down to the floor, hanging on from behind, and Pantoja is quick to initiate his body triangle. Pantoja sees there is a submission available and fastens a rear-naked choke under the chin. The forearm slides beneath the chin, and Kara-France hand-fights well to defend it as long as he can. As his brain is quickly deprived of oxygen and blood flow, Kara-France starts to loosen his grip and struggle to hang on. The resistance of “Don’t Blink” ends, and he has to give up and surrenders to the lethal submission from the champion. Pantoja is in rarified air with four straight title defenses, having finished a dangerous striker without taking serious damage.

While a long way away from catching Demetrious Johnson and his 11 consecutive defenses at 125 pounds, the second-place spot may decidedly be his. At the age of 35, he defies the age cliff that seems to hamper other champions in lighter weight divisions. To set up a big next fight, the UFC brings in Joshua Van to square off with him, with commentator Rogan declaring that Van will be next for Pantoja. They show nothing but respect for one another, shaking hands and embracing before getting into an intense but brief staredown. After they disengage, the victorious champion is all smiles, draping the belt around the shoulder of his youngest son.

The Official Result

Alexandre Pantoja def. Kai Kara-France R3 1:55 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) 

UFC Lightweight Title Fight:
Ilia Topuria (155) vs. Charles Oliveira (154.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Topuria (-440), Oliveira (+340)

Round 1

One way or another, lightweight history will be made tonight. Either Topuria (16-0, 8-0 UFC) will become the first undefeated two-division champ in UFC history, or Oliveira (35-10, 1 NC; 23-10, 1 NC UFC) will serve as the first two-time 155-pound king. The finish rates of the two are high, excitement is higher and the fighter that was electrocuted in Thailand on Sunday at a Weed Boxing show may be the highest. Locked and loaded, referee Marc Goddard has got this. Before the mayhem begins, the 155ers vying for the vacant throne share a respectful fist bump. It’s on with the show.

Oliveira is quick to deliver a hard leg kick, and they get right to swinging. Both men tag one another immediately, with the former lightweight champ hitting harder but suffering a cut on the eye. Oliveira rushes forward to grab hold of Topuria, searching for a body lock takedown. Oliveira tries to throw Topuria to the mat, but he ends up falling to his back. Blood flows from the eyebrow of “Do Bronxs,” who latches onto a leglock that drags Topuria to the floor. Topuria scrambles wildly to get his leg out, turning towards the Brazilian and exploding his way up. He slaps Oliveira with a few low kicks to either side, until Goddard tells Oliveira to stand. Topuria lets loose with swinging fists, and Oliveira clinches and throws him to the wall. Oliveira dips and delivers an uppercut on the chin, and Topuria goes to the body. Topuria’s power is maximum, as he unleashes a thunderous right hook and a lightning bolt left that sends Oliveira collapsing to the floor, completely unconscious. Before Goddard can get between them, Topuria hammers the nail with a couple brutal, unnecessary hammerfists. The snoozing Oliveira’s eyes stare into the void, and the void stares back into him until he regains consciousness.

While Oliveira has been stopped with strikes before, including taking a one-hitter quitter from Cub Swanson in 2012, no one has done that to the Brazilian at 155 pounds. The vacancy of the lightweight belt is now filled, and it is in the arms of “El Matador.” Topuria called his shot perfectly, claiming before the match that he would knock out Oliveira in the first round. He did just that, and the next question is who will be next for him. Three awaiting contenders are shown in the crowd: Justin Gaethje, Paddy Pimblett and Arman Tsarukyan. Topuria calls out Pimblett specifically, and declares, “If you think you are ready, come on you blonde b--ch.” Pimblett jumps out of the crowd to hurry into the cage, and politely gives Topuria credit for the hellacious knockout while patting him on the shoulder. “Paddy the Baddy” then announces that he will finish Topuria, and that “El Matador” could not knock him out. Topuria shoves Pimblett as dollar signs flash in the eyes of UFC executives, with the company apparently matching the fight right now. If that fight does materialize, it will be a big one, and we will be here for it. We hope you are too.

The Official Result

Ilia Topuria def. Charles Oliveira R1 2:27 via KO (Punches)