Mark De La Rosa hangs on to beat Joby Sanchez, SD
- If you're either one of these guys, you have to be worried about losing. They're Flyweights who had the good fortune of being bumped up to Bantamweight.
- Sanchez is given chance after chance, too.
- This wasn't a great fight.
- SRS' Rec: Don't watch. De La Rosa will be a Bantamweight full time if he's lucky.
Eric Shelton keeps Flyweight alive over Joseph Morales, SD
- The final scorecards don't really tell the tale of this fight. This is also about as insignificant a fight as I can imagine on one of these shows.
- I'm not sure who scored this fight for Morales, but they're dumb. Literally all media and fan scores had it for Shelton.
- Morales is probably gone, and Shelton will get a shot at Bantamweight
- SRS' Rec: This fight will never affect you in any way.
Devonta Smith starches Julian Erosa via KO in 46 seconds
- Devonta Smith gets a big pop when he's announced from Denver.
- Smith steps in quick and just obliterates Erosa. This probably could have been stopped a little earlier by both the ref and Smith.
- How can you make sure a Contender Series product wins? Match them up. Not a bad idea.
- Smith wants to fight Ross Pearson. Good idea.
- SRS' Rec: This was a great display of a prospect. Watch it.
Davi Ramos dominates John Gunther, SUB R1
- This is sad when you know that John Gunther lives in his car.
- Gunther never had a chance. He's dragged to the ground and strangled. His first pro loss.
- SRS' Rec: Despite their records, this was a big mismatch. It isn't worth your time.
Bobby Moffett kinda sorta submits Chas Skelly, R2
- Some good exchanges on the feet early, and Moffett has a nice slam.
- Skelly did really well using the cage to try to sweep and escape. Always cool to see that.
- Skelly was NOT out, but the ref stopped the fight on a d'arce choke. Skelly was probably going to go out anyway.
- The referee has the benefit of replay, and spends that time defending the decision while looking at the screen.
- Ben Henderson as a coach is on a roll (technically).
- How the shit is that a TKO instead of a Technical Submission?
- SRS' Rec: This was a solid fight anyway, but the good, juicy controversy makes it a must-watch.
Ashley Yoder is gifted a win over Amanda Cooper
- Amanda Cooper really controls all aspects of this fight until a late takedown from Yoder, but she even turns the tide there, too.
- This really should be 29-28 Cooper.
- Amanda Cooper's record is deceiving. Her losses are to Mackenzie Dern, Cynthia Calvilo, Tatiana Suarez and Aspen Ladd, and has 3 wins that aren't counted from TUF. 4-1 as an ammy, too.
- Yoder saves her job, and hopefully Cooper doesn't lose hers for that.
- SRS' Rec: Don't give this lame decision the time of day. No way.
Mike Trizano splits Luis Pena
- Both guys had their moments, and some nice grappling exchanges. Pena seems really anxious and kind of green, but not a terrible type of green.
- Pena does himself a disservice by telegraphing his punches with the kind of range he has. Negates a lot.
- Another lame scorecard. Shouldn't be a 30-27 for Trizano, but he won. There was only one definite round for Pena.
- Jordan Breen had a fantastic tweet that is worth visiting.
SRS' Rec: If you're starving for MMA, sure. Why not?
Maycee Barber CUTS UP Hannah Cifers, R2
- Barber has that footwork that isn't really great, but it's active, and that's enough until she gets caught.
- Barber's chin is straight up in the air, but still lands strikes. Cifers just takes them. It's kind of impressive, these are really clean shots.
- Cifers has some power, some guns on her. Barber works to push forward and get Cifers to the ground. Barber's use of elbows from the top was fantastic.
- This is the type of impression to make at 20 years old and at Strawweight. Maycee Barber wants Mackenzie Dern.
- SRS' Rec: Watch this fight. Barber is a top prospect, and Cifers could develop into something good, too.
Beneil Dariush controls Thiago Moises, UD
- I thought they were showing a UFC 1 clip but someone on UFC Denver actually did pull guard in 2018.
- Beneil Dariush gets out of a guillotine, takes down Moises, and finishes round 1 with ground and pound.
- You have to think UFC wants to keep Dariush around as the new generation of the Diego Sanchez/Joe Lauzon/Jim Miller/Michael Johnson class of "shit, I dunno man, he might win."
- Dariush knocks off a Contender Series guy. This wasn't an exciting fight, but I see where Dariush is coming from. He got blasted by a late replacement last time out and would likely be PFL bound with a loss tonight.
- 30-25, 30-25, 30-26. WOOSH.
- SRS' Rec: Nah, son.
#5 GDR put me to sleep against #4 Raquel Pennington
- De Randamie and Pennington is an interesting fight for a number of reasons. GDR hasn't fought since her title win.
- Pennington pushes GDR against the cage, but when the tides turn, that's not where she wants to be. That's dangerous territory.
- Pennington scores a right in the second, but never puts anything else with it. She comes out on the short end of the striking exchanges.
- The most relevant fight of the show. Also, a boring one.
- See you in 2020, De Randamie.
- SRS Rec: A top-5 fight, so if you feel the need to watch all of those, still don't watch this.
#12 Cowboy Cerrone tip taps Mike Perry, R1 Armbar
- Will Cerrone pull the trigger? That's what I think a lot of this comes down to. Cowboy just plodding. I don't want to see him back at 155.
- Perry is able to get inside on a body lock and drag Cerrone down, but Cowboy sweeps him and takes side control.
- There's a brief exchange and Cerrone applies a triangle, then switches to an armbar. Perry slams himself into it deeper. That's a wrap.
- Lol, can't believe Perry was the favorite in this. So weird. I'm not sure what Mike Perry has shown that led anyone to believe Cerrone wouldn't beat him. There's always a chance, but yeah.
- Cerrone brings his child into the Octagon. He wants to go to 155. Cerrone, not the kid.
- SRS' Rec: This was a good fight, although slow at the beginning. Watch it. The personalities help.
#15 Yair Rodriguez all-times #10 Korean Zombie, R5
- Both of these guys have had long layoffs. Zombie is probably ranked a little too high in the division.
- Yair is catching Zombie coming inside often with leg kicks.
- Zombie is able to score some nice counter hooks, and is particularly effective with uppercuts in the clinch.
- The grappling exchanges here are superb, complete with Yair rolling through into a kneebar position into the first bell.
- These two are so evenly matched. Nothing is off the table when Yair is pressured. He lands a spinning back elbow as a counter.
- Rodriguez is really cracking Zombie to the body.
- These exchanges are a blast to watch and neither are out of their depth.
- Felder breaks the unwritten broadcast rule of asking "WHAT HAPPENED?" a lot, but this one was warranted. There's a weird situation where both men stop the action.
- When Korean Zombie comes forward with combos, he lands. Yair counters pretty well though. The latter also goes for some fantastic Imanari rolls and cartwheel kick attempts.
- There are some real goddamn weird parts of this part. They high five, stop, stare, shake hands. Okay.
- Seconds from the buzzer, Yair threw a back elbow BEHIND HIS OWN HEAD and knocked out Korean Zombie. I have never. This was one of the craziest things I've ever seen.
- What a roller coaster ride. Unbelievable!
- SRS' Rec: This was a great fight with an all-time classic KO. WATCH IT.
Get exclusive pro wrestling content on Fightful Select, our premium news service! Click here to learn more.