Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to the pay-per-view (PPV) market with its UFC 231 mixed martial arts (MMA) event, headlined by the featherweight championship showdown pitting reigning division kingpin, Max Holloway, opposite streaking division phenom, Brian Ortega. In the UFC 231 co-headliner, which goes down this Sat. night (Dec. 8, 2018) inside Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, former strawweight champion, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, takes on ex-bantamweight title contender, Valentina Shevchenko, with the vacant flyweight strap up for grabs. Elsewhere on the card, 185-pound power punchers, Jimi Manuwa and Thiago Santos, try to stay alive in the middleweight title hunt. And we must not forget the FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass preliminary cards, featuring such recognizable names as Claudia Gadelha and Jessica Eye, among others. Let’s just hope fans are “Blessed” enough to make it through this Friday’s weigh ins without incident!

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 231 fight card below, starting with the Fight Pass “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on FOX Sports 1 at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET.

Many of our readers check-in before, during and after the televised fisticuffs to share their thoughts on all the exciting action. Therefore, feel free to leave a comment (or 231) before you split and chat with all the other Maniacs during the show -- it always turns out to be a great discussion.

Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps, and post-fight analysis following “Holloway vs. Ortega.”

Without further delay, see below for the latest UFC 231 results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action.)

UFC 231 QUICK RESULTS:

Max Holloway vs. Brian Ortega — Holloway def. Ortega by TKO (doctor stoppage) at 5:00 of Round Four

Valentina Shevchenko vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk — Shevchenko def. Jedrzejczyk by unanimous decision (49-46 x3)

Gunnar Nelson vs. Alex Oliveira — Nelson def. Oliveira by submission (rear naked choke) at 4:17 of Round Two

Kyle Bochniak vs. Hakeem Dawodu — Dawodu def. Bochniak by split decision (28-29, 30-27 x2)

Jimi Manuwa vs. Thiago Santos — Santos def. Manuwa by KO (punch) at 0:41 of Round Two

Nina Ansaroff vs. Claudia Gadelha — Ansaroff def. Gadelha by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Gilbert Burns — Burns def. Aubin-Mercier by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

Katlyn Chookagian vs. Jessica Eye — Eye def. Chookagian by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Eryk Anders vs. Elias Theodorou — Theodorou def. Anders by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Brad Katona vs. Matthew Lopez — Katona def. Lopez by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

Chad Laprise vs. Dhiego Lima — Lima def. Laprise by KO (punch) at 1:37 of Round One

Diego Ferreira vs. Kyle Nelson — Ferreira def. Nelson by TKO (punches) at 1:23 of Round Two

Devin Clark vs. Aleksandar Rakic — Rakic def. Clark by TKO (back fist and punches) at 4:05 of Round One

UFC 231 LIVE PLAY-BY-PLAY:

145 lbs.: UFC Featherweight Champion Max Holloway vs. Brian Ortega

Round 1: Tentative start. Holloway lands the first jab. Long right straight connects. Ortega looks for a left hook. Low kick from Ortega a minute in. Holloway lands a clean right cross soon after. Ortega counters a body jab with a right. 1-2 from Holloway, then a bigger right. One to the body. Ortega leg kick. Two minutes in. Ortega lands a jab. Holloway to the body. Combination downstairs. Lead right from Holloway, Ortega tries to counter and eats a right downstairs. Nasty right cross by Holloway. Combination. Body shot. Ortega lands a counter elbow. Two minutes to go.

Holloway blasts him with a clean right cross, Ortega eats it and hits a takedown. Holloway limp-legs out. More clean right hands. Trading in the center. One minute to go. Holloway continuing to land. Southpaw jab, two right hooks. Ortega lands a knee and fires a head kick. Ortega shoots. Elbow from Holloway, who denies the takedown. 10-9 Holloway.

Round 2: Both men jabbing. Leg kick from Holloway. Clean 1-2. Combination met by an Ortega uppercut. Holloway to the body a minute in. Leg kick connects. 1-1-2 lands clean. Ortega lands a right to the body, eats a series of head shots. Holloway denies a takedown, continuing to land. Big combination to the head. Holloway waving him on, continues to piece him up. Right hand after right hand. Ortega lands a counter, Holloway shrugs it off. Now Ortega landing a few. 1-2-head kick from Holloway. Ortega lands a right hand, eats one on the counter. Right cross by Ortega again. Two minutes to go.

Leg kick from Holloway, two hard right crosses. A third, fourth. Ortega lands a combo. Counter right from Holloway. A series of heavy right hands connect. Another. High-low hooks. Ortega lands a series of jabs and a right. One minute to go. Holloway with a four-piece combo. Ortega with a tight right hand. 3-2 from Ortega. 10-9 Holloway.

Round 3: Ortega fires a body kick. Holloway lands a right on the break. Holloway to the body, hard combinations from Ortega. Ortega shoots, looks for the back, can’t get it and eats a right hook. One minute in. 1-2 from Holloway, rights from Ortega. Spinning elbow lands for Ortega. Chopping low kick, counter hook. Holloway leg kick, harder leg kick from Ortega, who absorbs more combinations. Ortega lands an uppercut, eats a pair of rights. Hard right and an elbow from Holloway. 3-2 from Holloway, lands a right hand. Two-piece from Ortega, who takes Holloway to the fence. Two minutes to go.

Double unders for Ortega. Knees from Ortega. Holloway exits with a 3-2, lands a clean three-piece. Holloway digs a body shot in the clinch. Ortega lands a 1-2, eats a winging hook. Trading punches. Ortega tries a head kick, misses with an up-elbow. Holloway cracks him with more straight rights. Elbow, right hook, uppercuts. 1-2 from Holloway and Ortega shoots. 10-9 Ortega.

Round 4: Holloway comes out swinging, continuing to blast the unflappable Ortega. Damn that’s a lot of clean shots. Body blows. Combinations upstairs. Cuffing right hand knocks Ortega back. One minute in. Ortega rips a body shot and eats a lengthy combination. Max is beating the shit out of him right now. He denies a clinch and just blasts Ortega with a hook and right hand. Unloading on Ortega, ignores the punches coming back his way. More shots to the head. Ortega comes back with a right, eats a bigger one in return. Left hook by Holloway, straight right. 3-2 from southpaw and he chases Ortega to the fence, landing all the way. Ortega going hard for a takedown, tries to snap Holloway down but cannot. Two minutes to go.

Knees from Holloway. Ortega tries to jump guard, continues getting blasted. Ortega’s left eye is shut. Holloway is brutalizing him. He tries a guillotine, lets him up when it’s not there. Holloway continues to pulverize him with combinations. Ortega looking for a single-leg. Holloway bashes the body, lands a straight right. Ortega pulls guard, goes for a leg when Holloway takes mount. Holloway smashing the body and head. These are Street Fighter combos. 10-7 Holloway.

They correctly stop it between rounds.

Final result: Holloway def. Ortega by TKO (doctor stoppage)

125 lbs.: Valentina Shevchenko vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk for vacant flyweight title

Round 1: Shevchenko lands the first low kick. Straight left. Lovely clinch takedown into side control a minute in. Jedrzejczyk avoids a crucifix, rolls to her knees, and stands. Shevchenko tries to muscle her down with a head-and-arm throw. Shevhcneko knee, Jedrzejczyk elbow. Shevchenko looks for another trip, eats a knee. Double underhooks for Shevchenko. Jedrzejczyk lands an elbow and knees. Two minutes to go.

More knees from Jedrzejczyk as she’s pressed against the fence. Shevchenko elbow, Jedrzejczyk left hook on the break. One minute to go. Spinning back kick lands for Shevchenko. Jedrzejczyk body kick met by a 1-2. 10-9 Shevchneko.

Round 2: 1-2 from Jedrzejczyk, Shevchenko tries to spin. Jedrzejczyk staying body with kicks, eats a 1-2. Both whiff on their power hands. Body kick from Shevchenko. Back to trading at range. Low kick exchange. Two minutes in. Counter 1-2 from Shevchenko. Another counter left. 1-2 from Shevchenko. Jedrzejczyk counters a front kick with a body kick. Leg kick lands. Shevchenko lands one in return, then a right hook. Two minutes to go.

Shevchenko catches a head kick for a takedown. Jedrzejczyk pops up, gets hurled back down into side control. Good elbows by Shevchenko. Jedrzejczyk stands, eats a hard knee, taken down again. 10-9 Shevchenko.

Round 3: Jedrzejczyk firing kicks, gets blasted by a spinning back kick to the face. Jedrzejczyk leg kick, Shevchenko body kick. One minute in. Low kick by Shevchenko, wheel kick attempt. Shevchenko goes for a takedown off a caught kick. Two minutes in. 1-2 lands for Jedrzejczyk. Body kick connects. Shevchenko eats a flush head kick without issue. 1-2 from Shevchenko in return. Jedrzejczyk body kick. Two minutes to go.

Shevchenko leg kick, Jedrzejczyk body kick. Both look for head kicks. Shevchenko steps into the clinch, lands a knee on the break. Shevchenko body kick, Jedrzejczyk leg kick. Another body kick. One minute to go. Shevchenko lands a straight left. They trade right hands. spinning elbow from Jedrzejczyk met by a knee. Shevchenko catches a front kick for a takedown attempt. Good knee by Shevchenko. Again. Closer round, but still 10-9 Shevchenko.

Round 4: More kicks from Jedrzejczyk. They trade low kicks. Shevchenko knees the body as she takes Jedrzejczyk to the fence. They separate a minute in. Jedrzejczyk goes back to the volume kicking. Jab exchange. Both land body kicks, but Shevchenko catches one and takes her down into side control. Jedrzejczyk forces her way back to her feet and gets underhooks. Jedrzejczyk looking for the back. Knees from Jedrzejczyk. Two minutes to go.

More knees from Jedrzejczyk. They separate with a minute to go. Shevchenko tries a wheel kick. Body kick from Jedrzejczyk. Shevchenko pops her with a right hand and they trade at the bell. 10-9 Jedrzejczyk.

Round 5: Early 1-2 lands for Jedrzejczyk. Shevchenko body kick met by a front kick downstairs. Jedrzejczyk continuing to pile up kicks. Jab connects. Shevchenko hits a trip, can’t keep her down. Double unders for Shevchenko a minute in. Pressing Jedrzejczyk against the cage. Ref separates them. Right hand from Jedrzejczyk, who eats a straight left two minutes in. Body kick exchange. Low kick by Shevchenko. Jedrzejczyk lands one in return. spinning back kick from Shevchenko. Two minutes to go.

Short right from Shevchenko, good trade in the center. spinning back fist exchange, Shevchenko ducks one for a clinch. One minute to go. Jedrzejczyk separates with a knee and right hand. They trade at close range. Spinning back kick from Shevchenko, heavy right hook. Both spin at the same time and Shevchenko’s lands. Clinch. 10-9 Shevchenko.

Final result: Shevchenko def. Jedrzejczyk by unanimous decision

170 lbs.: Gunnar Nelson vs. Alex Oliveira

Round 1: Leg kick from Oliveira to start. Nelson blitzes in for a takedown and eats some questionable elbows. Oliveira blatantly grabs the fence to avoid a takedown. Ref warns him and they restart on the fence. Nelson patiently drags him down and immediately takes the back, locking up the body triangle. Oliveira punching over his shoulder and manages to turn into guard. Elbows from Oliveira and a diving right hand. More big shots. Two minutes to go.

He dives in for more punishment. He postures up for more hammerfists and right hands. Nelson threatens a leg, eats more big punches. Crushing shots to the body and head, but now Nelson’s threatening the legs. 10-9 Oliveira.

Round 2: Oliveira ties up and puts him on the fence. Trading knees to the body. One minute in. Oliveira tries a high-crotch, no luck. Short punches as he does. Nelson reverses position and hits a double-leg, slicing through the guard into an immediate mount. Two minutes in. Slowly creeping his guard up. Oliveira just holding on. Two minutes to go.

Nice elbows from Nelson. One minute to go. Now Oliveira’s split open and he gives up his back, tapping immediately to the choke. Christ, that’s a lot of blood.

Final result: Nelson def. Oliveira by submission (rear naked choke)

145 lbs.: Kyle Bochniak vs. Hakeem Dawodu

Round 1: Early low kicks from both men. Bochniak blocks a right cross. One minute in. Dawodu tries a 1-2. Body shot falls short. Bochniak leg kick and right hand. Check hook by Dawodu. Two minutes in. Dawodu with a pair to the body. Combination lands for him. Body kick this time. Heavy low kick and counter right. Two minutes to go.

Low kick from Bochniak. Dawodu answers in kind. Jumping switch kick goes low. Body shot to right cross. Leg kick lands. One minute to go. Well-timed takedown by Bochniak, who stays attached to the back when Dawodu pops up. Trips Dawoodu dosn a couple of times. Dawodu separates. Body kick lands for him. 10-9 Dawodu.

Round 2: Body shot from Dawodu. Low kick from Bochniak. Stiff jab. More jabs. Low kick, Bochniak tries to counter. One minute in. Another combo from Dawodu. Bochniak catches a leg, can’t keep Dawodu down. Leg kick by Bochniak. Good right hand. Two minutes in. Bochniak elbow just misses, leg kick connects. Again. Body knee by Dawodu. Two minutes to go.

Dawodu to the body. Lean-back counter right. Body kick answered by a Bochniak left hook. One minute to go. Left hand catches Bochniak leaning as he takes Dawodu to the fence. Hard leg kick and body shot from Dawodu. They trade inside. Bochniak takes him to the fence again. Dawodu shrugs him off and hits the body once more. 10-9 Dawodu.

Round 3: Dawodu connects with another leg kick, left hook, knee to the body. Dawodu tries a spinning back kick. Bochniak looks for a knee. They trade at close range. Bochniak catches a body kick and takes him to the fence a minute in. Dawodu digs to the body when they separate. Knee connects, punches to the bead and body. Hard shots to the body and head, but Bochniak takes him down into half guard. Two minutes in. Dawodu works his way back to his feet against the fence. He gets underhooks and separates. Another hard body shot. 3-2 connects. Bochniak shoots, stuffed, eats a knee. Two minutes to go.

Bochniak shoots again. Dawodu again gets underhooks and separates. Dawodu lands another hard body hook. Front kick to the body. One minute to go. Dawodu continues to punish the body. Stiff jab, front kick downstairs. Bochniak shoots, stuffed with underhooks. Knee to the body by Dawodu. Brutal punches by Dawodu. More combinations and he hurts Bochniak with a body kick at the bell. 10-9 Dawodu.

Final result: Dawodu def. Bochniak by split decision

205 lbs.: Jimi Manuwa vs. Thiago Santos

Round 1: Santos clips Manuwa with a right hand in the early going, then drops him again. Manuwa hits a desperate takedown, fighting off a guillotine, but can’t keep him down. Pressing Santos against the fence. Santos clips him again when they separte and Manuwa ties up again a minute in. Short shots in the clinch. Good elbow and right hand by Manuwa. Hard elbow on the break two minutes in. Left hand dings Santos, who threatens his own takedown and tries to spin. Head kick to left hand and he takes Manuwa down into half guard. Manuwa works his way up. Trading knees inside. Manuwa connects with an elbow. Two minutes to go.

They’re trading bombs. Santos ties back up. Knees to the thigh. Santos lands an elbow on the break, then tries a wheel kick before they slug again. Manuwa defends a takedown and digs to the body. Elbow and a huge left hook hurt Santos, who tries a flying head kick. Manuwa threatens a guillotine, then comes down into guard. Santos rolls to his knees. 10-9 Santos.

Round 2: Right back to trading. Manuwa tries a head kick. Clinch and now it’s Santos doing damage. A gigantic uppercut hurts Manuwa and a left hook behind it slumps him face-first.

Final result: Santos def. Manuwa by KO (punch)

115 lbs.: Nina Ansaroff vs. Claudia Gadelha

Round 1: good exchange to start, hard punches from Gadelha. Body kick from Ansaroff, both connect and Gadelha ties up. One minute in. Gadelha tries to throw her in a couple of directions before getting her down and taking half guard. Two minutes in. Gadelha stands over her, dives in with a nasty right hand. Body-body-head in half guard. Ansaroff kicks her off and they stand. Two minutes to go.

Body kick from Ansaroff, then a sneaky side kick to the face. Hard uppercut by Ansaroff, elbow from Gadelha in return. One minute to go. Gadelha ties up, lands a right hand. They separate. Gadelha tries again, eats punches while Ansaroff is on one foot. Close round. 10-9 Ansaroff.

Round 2: Ansaroff lands a series of heavy counters. Stiff jab. Gadelha wades into the clinch, denied. Low kick by Ansaroff. One minute in. Low kick again. Gadelha looking a lot less busy as Ansaroff picks her off at range. Two minutes in. Claudia tries to tie up, appears to struggle with her mouthpiece. Another good jab by Ansaroff. 1-2 from Gadelha. Nina dominating at range so far. Two minutes to go.

Gadelha finally gets the takedown she’s been looking for, landing in side control. Ansaroff regains half guard. One minute to go. Gadelha with some short lefts. Gadelha staying heavy. Now she opens up near the bell. 10-9 Ansaroff.

Round 3: Gadelha shoots, stuffed, shoots, stuffed, eating shots along the way. Ansaroff goes low-high with punches. Good uppercut from Gadelha. Ansaroff stuffs another shot. Low kick lands. One minute in. Low kick and jab by Ansaroff. Gadelha lands an uppercut. Ansaroff with a low kick and jab once again. Lead uppercut. Two minutes in. Another low kick, two more jabs. Gadelha still wading after her, eating a bevy of jabs. She shoots, denied. Trading jabs. Two minutes to go.

Gadelha lands a left hook, but she’s getting outworked considerably. Gadelha shoots, stuffed. Trading jabs, body shot by Ansaroff, straight right by Gadelha. One minute to go. Ansaroff body shot, leg kick. They trade right hands. Another right by Gadelha. Lead uppercut by Ansaroff. 10-9 Ansaroff.

Final result: Ansaroff def. Gadelha by unanimous decision

155 lbs.: Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Gilbert Burns

Round 1: Aubin-Mercier on the advance, looks for a combo. Aubin-Mercier fires a head kick and a punching combo, forced back with right hands and a body kick. One minute in. Straight left from Aubin-Mercier and Burns shoots. Burns heaves him into the air and slams him down into butterfly guard. Two minutes in. Aubin-Mercier looking to stand via the cage. Burns tries to spin to the back, denied. Two minutes to go.

Aubin-Mercier pressing him against the fence. They separate. Hard jab from Aubin-Mercier, but Burns comes over it with a left hook that drops him. Burns just hammering him with hammerfists and takes the back. One minute to go. Aubin-Mercier defending the choke. Burns turns for an armbar at the 10-second mark, but Aubin-Mercier scrambles to his feet. 10-9 Burns.

Round 2: Body kick from Burns to open the round. Aubin-Mercier presses forward with combos. He presses Burns against the fence. They separate. Burns just misses with a counter elbow. Body kick from Burns a minute in. Right hand downstairs. Burns counters a jumping knee with a right cross. Two minutes in. Body kick by Aubin-Mercier, who gets stunned by a counter right. Aubin-Mercier still throwing back. Lead uppercut by Aubin-Mercier. Two minutes to go.

Burns lands another right to the midsection. Body kick. Aubin-Mercier enters the clinch behind an uppercut. Burns presses forward behind punches. One minute to go. He tries a jumping switch kick. Good straight left by Aubin-Mercier, who fights off a takedown. Burns stays attached, trips him down into side control. Good elbow. 10-9 Burns.

Round 3: Burns throwing hard to start the round. 3-2 connects. Aubin-Mercier presses him against the fence. Burns tries a hip toss, fires a combination. Hard right to the body. Aubin-Mercier looks for a head kick a minute in. Both try elbows. Straight right by Burns. Body kick. Burns shoots, takes him down into half guard. Two minutes in. Burns staying heavy. Now looking for the back as Aubin-Mercier stands. Two minutes to go.

Both hooks in. Body triangle. He threatens a Suloev stretch, then goes back to looking for the choke. Nasty elbow by Burns. Now some slaps to try to open up the choke. One minute to go. Aubin-Mercier slips out the back door and lands a knee. Trading heat. Hard body kick by Burns and a left hook. 10-9 Burns.

Final result: Burns def. Aubin-Mercier by split decision

115 lbs.: Katlyn Chookagian vs. Jessica Eye

Round 1: Eye on the front foot early. Combo lands for Chookagian. Straight right by Eye. Another one after avoiding a front kick. Low kick from Eye. One minute in. Body kick by Eye. Chookagian looking to box off her back foot. Head kick attempt. Both land right hands. Two minutes in. Eye still pursuing. Low kick from Eye. Double lefts by Chookagian on the retreat. Eye tries to flurry. God, this already looks like a split decision waiting to happen. Two minutes to go.

Both fall short. Body kick from Chookagian, backfist by Eye. Chookagian low kick. She tries to spin. One minute to go. Uppercut by Chookagian. Eye’s trying to answer with flurries but falling short. Side kick from Chookagian. They trade low kicks and Chookagian lands a left. Brazilian kick attempt. Chookagian counters a takedown at the bell. 10-9 Chookagian.

Round 2: Chookagian looks for a high kick. Eye flurries and looks for the clinch. They separate. Double jab from Chookagian. One minute in. Eye looking for low kicks, lands a right to the body. Cross counter by Eye. They exchange in the center, neither lands. Cross counter again. Two minutes in. Low kick from Chookagian and a right hand by Eye. Eye leg kick, Chookagian left hook. Chookagian not as busy this round. Good rights to the body and head, then a knee by Eye. Two minutes to go.

2-1 from Chookagian. 1-2-head kick by Chookagian after an Ippo-style look-away. Side kick by Chookagian. Jab exchange. One minute to go. Good jab by Chookagian in combination. Good exchange, knee and elbow by Eye. 10-9 Eye.

Round 3: Back to the rapid exchanges with limited clean contact. Both try head kicks. Jumping knee attempt from Chookagian. One minute in. They trade rights on the break. Heavy overhand right by Eye, who looks for a trip and winds up on her knees. Punches from Chookagian. Eye looking to turn in against the fence as Chookagian looks for elbows. Two minutes in. They get to their feet and Eye puts her on the fence. They separate, Chookagian sporting some bleeding around her right eye. 1-2 lands for Chookagian. Uppercut from Eye catches her leaning. Two minutes to go.

Chookagian tries to spin, fires a side kick. They trade kick attempts. Counters land for Eye. Chookagian tries a jumping front kick. One minute to go. Spinning back kick falls short. Eye lands a body kick inside. Eye marches in with a combo and lands a pair of right hands. Trading knees in the clinch. Eye shoots, stuffed, eats rights. 10-9 Chookagian.

Final result: Eye def. Chookagian by split decision

185 lbs.: Eryk Anders vs. Elias Theodorou

Round 1: Theodorou tossing out kicks at range. Looking for knees inside. Low kick lands. Anders reserved so far. One minute in. They trade and Theodorou lands a body kick. Again. Anders lands a knee, eats one in return. Two minutes in. Body kick from Theodorou. Again. Hard low kick and he looks for the back. They separate with two minutes to go.

Leg kick connects. Another. One minute to go. Anders catches a kick, can’t use it and eats knees. Anders digs a left downstairs and right hook to the head. 10-9 Theodorou.

Round 2: Anders tries to open up, lands a knee and straight left. Uppercuts in the clinch by Theodorou. Straight left by Anders, clinch. One minute in. Knee on the break, uppercuts from Theodorou in return. Theodorou lands a leg kick. Straight left lands for Anders, who gets tripped up. Two minutes in. Left hands from Anders. Anders avoids a head kick. Hard counter left by Anders. Two minutes to go.

Another left and another and Theodorou is wobbling. Anders throwing heat. Anders counters a body kick with a left hand. One minute to go. Heavy combo by Anders and he blasts him with an uppercut. Theodorou continues to retreat. Another straight left drops Theodorou, who still manages to pop up. 10-9 Anders.

Round 3: Theodorou continues to circle. Still flicking out shots. Anders looks for a combo. One minute in. Uppercut from Theodorou. Warned for eye pokes. Theodorou lands a body kick, eats a left hand. Knee by Theodorou. Two minutes in. Counter left and a follow-up by Anders. Theodorou tries to open up with punches. They trade uppercuts. 1-2 from Anders. Two minutes to go.

Good uppercut by Theodorou. Counter left by Anders. Uppercut from Theodorou with a minute to go. Theodorou catches a kick and looks for a takedown, can’t get it. Uppercut by Anders, low kick from Theodorou. 10-9 Theodorou.

Final result: Theodorou def. Anders by split decision

135 lbs.: Brad Katona vs. Matthew Lopez

Round 1: Lopez catches a kick and answers with a right hook. Sneaky head kick from Katona. Lopez lands a snappy jab. Katona staying busy with his leg kicks, eats counters. One minute in. Katona ties up when Lopez charges in, can’t get him down. Body kick from Katona. Leg kicks. Lopez falling short with his left hand so far. Now he lands upstairs two minutes in. Lead right from Katona. 1-2 by Lopez. Hard 2-3 connects. Katona looks for a straight right in return. Low kick and straight right. Two minutes to go.

Lopez flurries, connects with his left. Body shot lands. Lopez counters a low kick with a takedown attempt, denied. 1-2. Katona digs a right downstairs, eats head shots. One minute to go. Katona leg kick. Lopez hits a takedown into guard. Katona looking for elbows off his back. 10-9 Lopez.

Round 2: Lopez connects with a counter left and catches a kick for a takedown. Katona works his way to his feet and lands a pair of punches on the break. Lead right from Katona. One minute in. Another lead right and leg kick. Body kick from Lopez. Lead right from Katona. Two minutes in. Check hook. Straight left by Lopez. Both land hard in the center. Lopez counters a body kick with a takedown into side control. Two minutes to go.

Katona makes it back up and digs a body shot. Lead right upstairs. Left hook downstairs. Leg kick, straight right. One minute to go. Looks for a head kick. 3-2 by Lopez. Counter right from Katona stings Lopez. Leg kicks connect. Lopez lands an overhand left. 10-9 Katona.

Round 3: Lopez has slowed quite a bit, but does land a body shot. Leg kick by Katona. Corkscrew uppercut. Lopez leg kick. One minute in. Leg kick from Katona. Lopez to the body. Eats a body shot, lands an uppercut. They trade straights. Overhand right by Katona met by a left from Lopez. Two minutes in. Lopez to the body. Lopez catches a kick and they trade punches. Katona with a knee from the front headlock. Two minutes to go.

Jab lands for Katona. Body shot, leg kick, looping right hook. Lopez fakes a shot, eats a left on the break. Punching exchange. One minute to go. Lopez shoots, lands a right on the break. One minute to go. Jab exchange. Another corkscrew upper from Katona, who looks for a single-leg. Hard right on the break. He shoots again, looks for the back. Granby roll from Lopez but Katona stays attached, locking up a Kadowaki Special in the scramble. Lopez is unconscious when the bell rings, rolling and stumbling around the cage as Katona celebrates. Let’s see how they call this.

They’re sending it to the scorecards. 10-9 Katona.

Final result: Katona def. Lopez by unanimous decision

170 lbs.: Chad Laprise vs. Dhiego Lima

Round 1: Early low kicks from Laprise. Lima left hand. Lima switching stances, lands a straight right. One minute in. Laprise staying on him, lands another leg kick. The aggression proves his undoing, however, as Lima knocks him into oblivion with a left hook.

Final result: Lima def. Laprise by KO (punch)

155 lbs.: Diego Ferreira vs. Kyle Nelson

Round 1: Nelson lands a check hook as Ferreira overextends with a right. Right straight counters a Ferreira leg kick and “The Monster” throws heat. 1-2-3. Ferreira lands a leg kick and gets frozen by a left hook. Hard body kick and a head kick after Nelson stuffs a takedown. Ferreira pulls guard a minute in, Nelson dives in with a right hand and waves the crowd on before letting him up. Body kick from Ferreira. Right hand lands for Ferreira, who avoids a looping uppercut. Right cross connects for him. Two minutes in. Kick exchange. Left hook and body kick. Right cross. Nelson lands a right, eats more body blows. Overhand right by Nelson and they slug it out in the center. Ferreira hits a double-leg into half guard against the fence. Ferreira looking for a kimura with two minutes to go.

He converts to a straight armbar. Not there and he drops the wrist. He postures up to land elbows. One minute to go. More elbows. Nelson gets space, but Ferreira immediately mounts and takes the back. Here come the punches. Big elbows, but Nelson survives. 10-9 Ferreira.

Round 2: Ferreira opens with a combination, then hits a quick takedown and takes side control. Looking for mount, caught in half guard. Now full mount. Punching time. Nelson just covering up as Ferreira bombs him from his back and there’s the stoppage.

Final result: Ferreira def. Nelson by TKO (punches)

205 lbs.: Devin Clark vs. Aleksandar Rakic

Round 1: Clark charges in and ties up on the cage. They separate thirty seconds in and Rakic lands a series of low kicks. One minute in. Rakic continuing to chew up the lead leg. Switch kick blocked and Clark comes back with a left hook that drops him Clark grabs a front headlock and lands about a dozen illegal knees that the ref misses. Rakic presses him against the fence. Trading knees. Rakic threatens a trip, lands knees to the midsection. They separate. Two minutes to go.

Leg kick again from Rakic. Clark runs in with a body kick. Rakic front kick misses, leg kick does not. Uppercut whiff. Clark tries to counter a leg kick with a straight right. Clark tries it again and gets clipped with a backfist as he charges in. He falls to his knees and Rakic drills him with punches for the finish.

Final result: Rakic def. Clark by TKO (back fist and punches)