Cole Miller vs. Steven Siler (Josh Hedges/UFC)
Prelim coverage begins at 5:30 p.m. Eastern
The UFC returns to Sydney, Australia, tonight for its second event on the FX cable network.
UFC on FX: Alves vs. Kampmann takes place at the Allphones Arena in Sydney, and HeavyMMA will bring you round-by-round and fight-by-fight live coverage of both the preliminary card fights and the main card. The preliminary card airs on Fuel TV at 6 p.m. Eastern. A planned Facebook fight on the UFC’s fan page at 5:30 p.m. did not air due to technical difficulties. But coverage of that fight will be included here if it is shown on the Fuel broadcast. The main card airs at 8 p.m. on FX.
Action on the preliminary card includes several Australian fighters, including Kyle Noke vs. newcomer Andrew Craig; Anthony Perosh vs. Nick Penner; and James Te Huna vs. Aaron Rosa. And in a featherweight fight that became heated during Thursday’s weigh-ins, Cole Miller takes on Steven Siler.
Oli Thompson vs. Shawn Jordan
Round 1: Jordan with a nice right against Thompson. Not much action, but Jordan has Thompson backing up. Jordan circles to the left and gets inside. But Thompson lands some big shots. Right hook from Jordan lands, and then a left uppercut. Jordan gets the fight to the ground, but Thompson with a beautiful kimura – but Jordan rolls right out of it and gets back to his feet. Thompson’s face is bloodied. Jordan really starts to pile it on with a minute left. But Thompson fires right back at him. Jordan backs away and the two fighters take a moment and high five each other before going back to work. Jordan with some good shots, followed by a closing two from Thompson as the round ends. It’s a fun first round that HeavyMMA will give to Jordan, 10-9.
Round 2: Jordan again circles to the left, but he lands a nice left of his own. The ref tells Thompson to be careful of the inadvertent head butts. Thompson tries a Superman punch, but it’s not there. Nice outside kick from Thompson, who then shoots for a takedown that isn’t there. Jordan brings another nice jab. He looks loose. They clinch up. Jordan lands a nice uppercut, but Thompson stays standing and fires back. Jordan goes low and looks for his next opening. It will be a right, then a left. Then a huge uppercut stuns Thompson. He grabs a clinch, then drills a knee – and that will do it.
Result: Shawn Jordan def. Oli Thompson, TKO, 1:07 Round 2
Mackens Semerzier vs. Daniel Pineda
Round 1: Semerzier circles outside. He throws an early kick and feints a jab. Pineda comes forward first and lands a combo that backs Semerzier up. They clinch with Semerzier’s back on the fence, but he switches it, then ducks under a big hook from Pineda. Semerzier lands a nice knee to the body, and after a scramble he lands another that just misses Pineda’s chin. Good left jab from Pineda is countered by a Semerzier kick that lands too low, right in the mommy-daddy parts. Pineda shakes it off, though, and is read to go quickly. Left hook quickly drops Semerzier. He quickly mounts. Semerzier is in big trouble, and Pineda gets an easy mounted triangle. He latches onto an arm, and Semerzier has no choice but to tap.
Result: Daniel Pineda def. Mackens Semerzier, submission (armbar), 2:05 Round 1
TJ Waldburger vs. Jake Hecht
Round 1: Hecht throws a couple early jab fakes. Waldburger comes with a kick and a left hook behind it. Then another, but Hecht counters nicely with an inside uppercut. They clinch up, and Waldburger gets an early takedown. Hecht tries to get out of it, but Waldburger has a gorgeous armbar. When Hecht tries to roll out again, Waldburger just cinches it up tighter and Hecht has to furiously tap.
Result: TJ Waldburger def. Jake Hecht, submission (armbar), 0:55 Round 1
Kyle Noke vs. Andrew Craig
Round 1: Noke with an early teep, then comes forward and lands a quick takedown. He pushes Craig up against the fence and starts to work some early ground-and-pound. Craig looks to get up, and Noke takes his back and sinks in a rear naked choke. It’s not tight enough, though, and he has to bail out of it. Noke stays on his back, though, and lands a good slam. He again goes for the RNC, but he’s not yet able to get under the chin. Craig defends and is able to roll over into guard. Craig looks for a triangle, then thinks about an armbar. But Noke lands a big elbow, then another. Craig finally gets up to his feet and we’ll re-set in the middle. Good front kick from Noke, who eats a left hook shortly after. 1-2 from Noke lands, and he then checks a kick from Craig. Craig brings some nice hooks that get Noke thinking a little. It’s a good 10-9 first round for Noke on the HeavyMMA card.
Round 2: We’ll see if Craig is a different fighter this round after the first-round Octagon jitters are out. Both fighters open with some leg kicks. Not much on any of them. Craig eats a teep a minute in. Craig has Noke backing up by using his reach and showing Noke he’s ready to throw some bombs. Noke gets back to the center and begins looking for jabs again. He looks for a single, and Noke eats a bunch of elbows in the process. Noke refuses to let go of the leg, and Craig is able to force him down and into half-guard. Craig works toward some ground and pound, but Noke gets back to full guard. Craig fends off a brief triangle attempt from Noke. Around the 55-second mark, Noke pushes out and Craig actually backs up and lets Noke back up. Noke immediately goes after him and lands a nice kick. But Noke hits the canvas after a possible slip and short shot from Craig. Craig will finish the round in half-guard. It’s a 10-9 round for Craig, the UFC newcomer who took this fight on short notice.
Round 3: Inside leg kick from Noke. Craig with a spinning kick to the body. Noke misses an axe kick. Good left lands from each guy. Two front kicks land from Noke, and he slips and hits his butt briefly – but bounces back up. Craig lands a right. Then a left and right. Good left from Noke. Noke shoots for a single, but it’s not there – and he eats some hammer fists in the process. Craig then rushes in for a takedown, but it’s not there, either. Noke misses with a left, then tries again for a takedown and it’s not going to come. Craig defends up against the fence as Noke continues to work for it. And finally, he gets it. Craig will wall walk to his feet pretty quickly, though. Craig clearly looks the fresher fighter halfway through the last round. A left from Craig lands. Craig bouncing around, and lands an inside right. Then he shoots for a double-leg takedown and gets it emphatically. Much more powerful than Craig’s takedown earlier – the kind of takedown that will sway judges. Noke tries to work back to his feet up along the fence, and Craig lands a few short shots. Noke looking for an armbar, but he can’t get it. He’s in guard and trying desperately to get back to his feet with 30 seconds left. But Noke gives his back and Craig lands some good shots from there. Craig’s going to finish the round in the dominant top position. Craig gets a 10-9 third on our card and should take the fight, 29-28.
Result: Andrew Craig def. Kyle Noke, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Cole Miller vs. Steven Siler
Round 1: No love lost, as they say, between these two. Miller looking to avenge his brother Micah’s TUF 14 loss to Siler. Siler opens with a right and a couple outside leg kicks, and Miller comes inside and clinches up. Good right from Siler as they break. Another nice leg kick from Siler, and then he catches a Miller kick and lands a good right that puts Miller on his back. So far, Miller’s reach advantage is not coming into play, and Siler lands a good kick to the head that is partially blocked. Then a right from Siler is followed by another outside leg kick. But Miller answers with his biggest shot yet, a good right on the heels of a left jab. They clinch and Siler pushes Miller to the cage briefly before they break with two minutes left. A big right from Miller is answered by a nice combination from Siler, who shows almost no effects from Miller’s strike. Miller tries to work inside, but Siler clinches him up briefly before they break. Another good right from Siler lands, and he lands another good combination that snaps Miller’s head back with a short uppercut. Miller shoots for a takedown at the end of the round, but Siler sinks in a guillotine – though not with enough time left to do anything with it. HeavyMMA gives Round 1 to Siler, the underdog, 10-9.
Round 2: Faked front kick from Miller, and after a short clinch, Siler comes forward with several big combinations that back Miller up. Siler stays patient, but winds up fending off a clinch from Miller. Miller looking for a trip takedown, but Siler defends for now. Miller does get the fight to the ground, but Siler is right back up. They clinch up again and Miller looking for some Thai knees. Siler lands three straight jabs, and then a 1-2. Good uppercut from Miller, but Siler stays in, and Miller answers with another right. Miller comes forward with a good combo, as Miller lands a bevy of punches. Both fighters duck under punches, and Siler comes with a body shot. Miller answers with some more good strikes, but Siler comes right back at him. Another good body shot from Siler, and then another 1-2 pushes Miller back. Miller’s corner yells to him to not let Siler steal the round. They clinch and Miller looks to land a knee. But they break and Siler lands some good strikes, then looks for a takedown. They break apart, and that’s how the round will end. It’s a very close second round and could go either way, or could be a 10-10. But HeavyMMA will give the slight nod to Siler in Round 2, 10-9.
Round 3: Good right from Siler. Then a good left from Miller. Good body kick from Miller. Body shot from Siler, then a big right follows it. The ref tells the fighters to work and “don’t leave it up to the judges.” Both fighters look a little fatigued. Nice left from Miller, and he follows it with a front kick. Siler comes forward and Miller gets a brief Thai plum. But after they clinch, they break apart and go back to the middle. Nice left jab from Miller. Again they clinch, and Miller pushes Siler’s back to the cage. He looks for a takedown with a minute left, and he gets it and into full mount. Siler’s bleeding from his nose, and Miller lands some good shots from up top. Miller looks for a submission. But the clock’s working against him. Miller won’t finish the fight, but he gets a 10-9 round on the HeavyMMA card. But Heavy has the fight for Siler, 29-28. It’s very close and looks like a classic split decision coming up.
Result: Steven Siler def. Cole Miller, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Anthony Perosh vs. Nick Penner
Round 1: Perosh takes the center of the cage to open. Good right from Perosh 40 seconds in. Good Penner left hand lands. He’s a southpaw, and that one was nice. But he’s got a very big mouse under his left eye from Perosh’s earlier right hand. Perosh with a nice trip takedown, and he starts to go to work on the ground-and-pound – but Penner sweeps out of it and gets back to his feet. Perosh walking Penner down a little, and they clinch up halfway through the round. As they break the clinch a minute later, Perosh lands a solid kick. Perosh goes for a single and gets it, falling easily into half-guard. Perosh with good short elbows from on top. He stops Penner’s sweep attempt and passes right into mount. He starts raining down punches as Penner looks for a miracle defense. Penner is bleeding badly. Perosh goes for a choke, but can’t get it. Penner trying to defend, and the ref keeps telling him to defend. And with literally a second before the horn, the ref reaches in and stops it. Penner is not saved by the bell.
Result: Anthony Perosh def. Nick Penner, TKO (strikes), 4:59 Round 1
James Te Huna vs. Aaron Rosa
Round 1: Te Huna with a light leg kick. Then one to the body. Rosa fires off a couple jabs. But Te Huna comes with a nice combination, then clinches up with Rosa’s back along the cage. Nice combo from Te Huna on the break. He rocks Rosa, and then rocks him again Rosa is cut, and Te Huna is landing mammoth shots on the inside. Just huge power in the clinch. Rosa breaks off, but Te Huna is landing big shots and the ref is going to shut it down. Just a huge TKO victory for Te Huna in front of his home fans.
Result: James Te Huna def. Aaron Rosa, TKO (strikes), 2:08 Round 1
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UFC on FX: Alves vs. Kampmann Preliminary Card Live Blog