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After last week's surprisingly entertaining UFC on ESPN 5 card, the UFC entourage flew down to Montevideo for its first-ever show in Uruguay.
The monumental event was headlined by a tantalizing Women's Flyweight title contest between Valentina Shevchenko and Liz Carmouche. The vibrant Mike Perry took on Vincente Luque in the co-main event of the evening that promised to be a slugfest of the highest and most brutal order.
It was a balanced card that featured a mix of stylistically appealing fights and it delivered in terms of the action when all was said and done.
Here are the results and highlights of the show:
UFC Fight Night 156 Results: Prelims
Gilbert Burns def. Aleksei Kunchenko via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Cyril Gane def. Raphael Pessoa via submission (arm triangle choke) (4:12, Round 1)
Marina Rodriguez def. Tecia Torres via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Rogerio Bontorin def. Raulian Paiva via TKO (cut) (2:56, Round 1)
Chris Gutierrez def. Geraldo de Freitas via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Alex da Silva def. Rodrigo Vargas via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Veronica Macedo def. Polyana Viana via submission (armbar) (1:09, Round 1)
UFC Fight Night 156 Results: Main Card
#1 Enrique Barzola vs. Bobby Moffett (Featherweight)
TUF: Latin America 2 Lightweight tournament winner Enrique Barzola had lost just one of his last six fights and had the momentum going into the main card opener. Bobby Moffett needed a win as he suffered his first loss four fights in his last outing against Bryce Mitchell in March earlier this year.
This featherweight encounter between Barzola and Moffett was a close one to judge. The first round certainly went to Moffett as the Illinois-native outworked Barzola from a stand-up aspect.
Barzola woke up in the second round and began putting in the work. Barzola got his range going with 1-2 and 2-3 combinations to the body and head. He even tried for takedowns on multiple occasions in the round and was even pushed back to the cage at one point. However, he managed to win the round with the better strikes landed and octagon control.
Both men had their moments in the final round. It was an evenly contested round with Barzola eating shots but also giving it back in equal effect. Barzola landed a takedown in the dying stages of the fight before it all came to a close.
Result: Enrique Barzola def. Bobby Moffett via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
#2 Oskar Piechota vs. Rodolfo Vieira (Middleweight)
Four-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion, Rodolfo Vieira's UFC debut was a highly-anticipated fight as he came into this event with a big reputation to maintain.
The Brazilian has been the undisputed BJJ king amongst the heavyweights for the past few years and there was certainly a lot of hype regarding how he would fare inside the Octagon.
His opponent, Oskar Piechota was a Middleweight champion in Cage Warriors and posed a legitimate test to the BJJ wizard's prospects of becoming a successful UFC fighter. However, not that big of a test by how it all panned out.
It took Vieira just under ten minutes to lock in the arm-triangle choke for a memorable win on his UFC debut.
Vieira landed a double-leg takedown in the first round itself and settled for the Butterfly guard. He controlled the fight on the mat owing to his big frame and won it dominantly.
Vieira continued the good work in the second round as he tried to set up another takedown and waited for his opportunity.
With only a minute to go in the second round, Vieira got into half guard position, got the mount, and efficiently caught Piechota in an arm-triangle choke. The tap came and so did the referee to stop the fight.
Result: Rodolfo Vieira def. Oskar Piechota via submission (arm-triangle choke) (4:26, Round 2)
A BJJ World Champion couldn't have asked for a better debut. Vieira showed what he's all about and extended his undefeated record to six professional MMA wins.
#3 Volkan Oezdemir vs. Ilir Latifi (Light Heavyweight)
This fight between two fighters in the top ten from the Light Heavyweight division had a lot on the line. Oezdemir vs. Latifi had twice been cancelled before due to unfortunate reasons but thankfully, there was nothing that got in the way this time around. On paper, It had all the makings of an explosive fight.
Oezdemir needed a big win as he was coming off a three-fight losing streak. Latifi had also lost his last fight against Corey Anderson. Both men needed to get back in the win column to resurrect their respective UFC careers.
Oezdemir looked game right from the first round as he began with low kicks and strikes. He was briefly taken to the ground after his leg kick was caught by Latifi.
Oezdemir continued to use the leg kicks effectively to the inside and outside of the body. Oezdemir did enough to win the round.
'No Time' got into the groove in the second round as he increased the volume and was more diverse with his striking. A massive knee from Oezdemir knocked Latifi down, who shook it off, got back up and responded with a few desperate punches.
Oezdemir knew he would get another chance to finish off the fight as Latifi looked vulnerable. Latifi got hit with a low kick, that opened him up for counter right, followed by two solid lefts from Oezdemir. Latifi fell to the mat and the referee stepped in to put him out of his misery.
Result: Volkan Oezdemir def. Ilir Latifi via KO (punches) (4:31, Round 2)
Oezdemir has snapped a three-fight losing streak to get back into the win column, which is just what the doctor ordered.
#4 Luiz Eduardo Garagorri vs. Humberto Bandenay (Featherweight)
The first Uruguayan fighter in the UFC, Luiz Eduardo Garagorri got a rousing welcome to the Octagon from his fellow countrymen and women. The undefeated fighter took on Peruvian Humberto Bandenay, who was on a two-fight losing streak.
Garagorri took the first round courtesy of a takedown and some control on the ground. He even inflicted some damage with a two-piece combo that forced Bandenay to shoot for a takedown. Garagorri won the second round as well but this time, it was much closer than the first.
Garaggori mixed it up with jabs and kicks. Bandenay answered with two-piece combos and kicks. The third round was the most entertaining five minutes of the fight as they both slugged it out in front of an electric crowd, who were firmly behind Garagorri.
Bandenay kept looking for takedowns, but Garagorri stuffed them and got back at Bandenay with strong punches. The round and fight came to close with the Uruguyan getting the final nod on the scorecards,
Result: Luiz Eduardo Garagorri def. Humberto Bandenay via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
The first-ever Uruguayan fighter in UFC fighter did pretty well for a man who was formerly a lawyer. While the real test awaits in the future against top-ranked opponents, the undefeated Garagorri looked dominant here.
#5 Vicente Luque vs. Mike Perry (Welterweight)
Fight of the year? That's what we were told in the build-up to this fight. It may not have been FOTY level crazy but it was still a bloody war nonetheless.
Perry was expectedly adventurous in the first round. He tried a jumping kick to the body in the opening seconds. Luque took some time to get himself going but he began to connect with jabs and short left-hand strikes as the round went by. Perry kept looking to side-step Luque and land with a big right. He mixed it up with leg kicks to the body and high kicks to the face.
Luque got his range going and landed punches that opened up a cut under Perry's left eye. Perry unleashed a flurry of strikes late into the round but Luque held on.
Perry tried to dictate the proceedings in the second round as he clinched with Luque and pushed him against the cage. A few short punches kept the scorecards ticking. Perry landed a 1-2 on the break. Both men exchanged strikes in the middle of the Octagon. Perry, though, was a tad quicker and kept connecting with the jabs. He occasionally threw in the uppercut.
Luque stayed calm and kept working with strikes of his own. He tried to disbalance him with leg kicks. Perry kept coming in with combinations with a bad cut under his left eye.
The third round was all about who was prepared to absorb more damage and return the favour and dish out more punishment. Both men stood toe-to-toe and engaged in an even stand-up battle. While Luque went for body kicks, Perry looked for body punches.
Perry attempted his first takedown in the third round but Luque stuffed it with ease. Perry pinned him near the cage and got in a few knees to Luque's thighs before the referee separated them for lack of action.
Perry landed a takedown late in the third round after eating a massive knee to the face. However, he found himself in a precarious position as Luque had him in a Guillotine choke. Perry refused to tap out as a stream of blood gushed out onto Luque's body. Perry survived until the end of the fight but his nose looked in horrific condition.
Result: Vincent Luque def. Mike Perry via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Luque brought up his sixth consecutive victory and deserves a top-ranked opponent next. As for Perry, 'Platinum' needs to get his wrecked nose fixed. What a blood bath though!
#6 Valentina Shevchenko vs. Liz Carmouche (UFC Women's Flyweight Championship)
A rematch nine years in the making! Shevchenko vs. Carmouche 2 had intrigue written all over it.
It all began with Carmouche being the more mobile of the two as the veteran looked looser with her movements and was the one who attempted more stikes.
Shevchenko stayed defensive yet focused in her approach and was the counter attacker in the first round. Nothing much happened in the opening round as both women paid close attention towards reading each other.
The second round too began rather tepidly as the cautious stance was evident. Carmouche went for a takedown but Shevchenko stuffed it. Shevchenko began getting into the groove as the round progressed and he pushed forward while even attempting a superman punch.
Shevchenko stayed in southpaw and continued to stalk Carmouche. The second round was uneventful as well. The fans started getting restless.
The third round saw the biggest moment of the fight as Shevchenko knocked Carmouche down with a quick combination. Carmouche stayed down and invited Shevchenko into her guard but the champion had other plans. The referee stood Carmouche up before Shevchenko took Carmouche down with a classic underhook judo slam.
Shevchenko had the momentum on her side heading into the championship rounds. The range and timing were also on Shevchenko's side as Carmouche failed to land a single significant strike in the third round.
Carmouche shot a takedown in the fourth round but the sloppy attempt was easily defended by Shevchenko. The Champion settled into Carmouche's guard near the fence. The referee got the fight back to the centre of the Octagon due to inactivity on the ground.
Shevchenko rocked Carmouche with a spinning back fist. Carmouche rushed in for a body lock but Shevchenko spun and landed. Shevchenko tried to flatten her out and get her back but Carmouche scrambled and Shevchenko ended up in side control. Shevchenko ended the first championship round in a dominant position.
Shevchenko just had to stay calm and collected in the final round and the fight was in the bag. She didn't do anything careless and managed to take Carmouche down again. The champ stayed on top of her opponent and nullified Carmouche's attempts of putting together a late comeback.
Shevchenko ended with 7+ minutes of top control and a 4:1 significant strike differential ratio. Pure dominance from the champ.
Result: Valentina Shevchenko def. Liz Carmouche via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
That wasn't the most of entertaining fights and it was quite a disappointment to be honest.
However, what mattered for Shevchenko was that she got the job done and did so by exerting her technical superiority. 'Bullet' is still the champion and we don't see anyone taking that belt off of her anytime soon.
