UFC on ESPN 31 play-by-play and live results

LAS VEGAS – MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 31 event, and you can join us for live play-by-play and official results.

UFC on ESPN 31 takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

In the main event, Rob Font (19-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) takes on former featherweight champion Jose Aldo (30-7 MMA, 12-6 UFC) at bantamweight. In the co-feature, Rafael Fiziev (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) meets Brad Riddell (10-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) at lightweight

Follow along with our round-by-round updates and official results beginning at approximately 7 p.m. ET for the prelims on ESPN and ESPN+ and 10 p.m. ET for the main card on ESPN and ESPN+.

To discuss the show, be sure to check out our UFC on ESPN 31 discussion thread. You can also get behind-the-scenes coverage and other event notes from on-site reporter John Morgan (@MMAJunkieJohn) on Twitter.

Enjoy the fights, everyone.

Vince Morales vs. Louis Smolka

Round 1 – Smolka gets the action started with a right hand that is blocked by Morales, who returns one of his own. Smolka kicks to the body and Morales returns with a punching combo to the body. Morales is quick with his hands upstairs as Smolka looks to land leg kicks. More punching exchanges follow as they move around the cage. Smolka catches a Muay Thai clinch to land knees to the body but a hard overhand right finds the mark by Morales to drop Smolka. A few follow-up punches and this one is over in the first round.

Result: Vince Morales def. Louis Smolka via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 2:02Recap: UFC on ESPN 31 video: Vince Morales becomes first to knock out Louis SmolkaPhotos: UFC on ESPN 31: Best photos from Las VegasRecords: Vince Morales (11-5 MMA, 3-3 UFC) vs. Louis Smolka (17-8 MMA, 8-8 UFC)Division: BantamweightBroadcast: ESPN/ESPN+Referee: Chris TognoniJudging: Derek Cleary, Rick Winter, Adalaide Byrd

Related Chris Gruetzemacher vs. Claudio Puelles

Round 1 – Gruetzemacher pressures early and Puelles checks his movement with a hard body kick. After another, Puelles shoots for a sloppy takedown but gets it after sticking with it. They settle in guard with Puelles on top and Gruetzemacher just holds to prevent strikes. Puelles is able to sneak a couple of punches in to the head and the body. Gruetzemacher opens his guard and attempts an armbar but it was a long shot and Puelles remains on top, pressing Gruetzemacher into the fence. Pulles is able to pull his opponent away from the fence and posture up to land strikes from full mount. Big punches land and Gruetzemacher is able to scramble back to guard momentarily. Puelles scrambles to side control for a second before standing up and landing a punch before the round ends. A strong opening round for Puelles, who takes it with an easy 10-9.

Round 2 – Puelles starts the round with a series of kicks to the head that land flush on Gruetzemacher. Another poor takedown attempt from Puelles follows but this time it is defended by Gruetzemacher, who ends up on top. Puelles does a good job at framing Gruetzemacher to keep him from getting comfortable on top and threatens with a triangle choke attempt. Gruetzemacher remains calm and eventually transitions to half guard, but they return to the feet as Puelles escapes. After a striking exchange, Puelles goes in for the clinch against the fence, but nothing comes of it. Back in space, Puelles throws a few more kicks and shoots for another takedown from distance. Gruetzemacher defends again, but they end up clinched against the fence. Puelles is able to land a nice elbow a few seconds before the round ends. Puelles takes this one too, 10-9.

Round 3 – The third round starts with striking from both men. They clinch in the center of the cage and a hard low blow by Gruetzemacher lands on Puelles, causing a pause in the action. No point is taken and the action resumes. Puelles lands a head kick but Gruetzemacher is starting to ramp up the intensity. Another clinch along the fence and both look to land short strikes before separating. A takedown attempt sees Gruetzemacher end up on top, but they don’t stay on the mat. In the clinch along the fence, Puelles keeps Gruetzemacher’s back against the cage. Gruetzemacher dumps Puelles and ends up on top, but Puelles instantly attacks a heel hook. Gruetzemacher stays calm and transitions to the back, but Puelles doesn’t stay there long and rolls through on another leg lock attempt. This time Puelles finds it and locks in the kneebar to get the tap. What a finish by Puelles in the third round.

Result: Claudio Puelles def. Chris Gruetzemacher via submission (kneebar) – Round 3, 3:25Recap: UFC on ESPN 31 video: Claudio Puelles taps Chris Gruetzemacher with late kneebarPhotos: UFC on ESPN 31: Best photos from Las VegasRecords: Chris Gruetzemacher (15-5 MMA, 3-4 UFC) vs. Claudio Puelles (11-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC)Division: LightweightBroadcast: ESPN/ESPN+Referee: Mark SmithJudging: Mike Bell, Rick Winter, Adalaide Byrd

Related William Knight vs. Alonzo Menifield

Round 1 – After a touch of gloves, Menifield opens with a right hand. Knight ducks under the second punch attempt for a takedown, but Menifield reverses and ends up on top in side control. Menifield stays heavy on top and holds the position, but ends up losing it and Knight scrambles to end up on the back of Menifield. Knight goes for a rear-naked choke attempt, but Menifield scrambles out and they end up clinched against the fence on the feet. Menifield doesn’t give Knight space and keeps the pressure high, eventually dropping down for a double leg. Knight stops it and threatens a guillotine choke to force Menifield to focus on defending. Menifield gets his head free and they break loose in the center of the cage. Menifield lands a hard punching combination and Knight returns with a kick. Knight misses with a wide left hand. Menifield lands a right but Knight clips Menifield with a hard punch and Menifield drops to the canvas. Knight swarms with more punches but Menifield is able to grab a leg and survive a wild moment before the round ends. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Knight.

Round 2 – Menifield opens with a combination that causes Knight to cover up. After resetting, Menifield lands a clean right hand that seems to stun Knight, but doesn’t follow up on it. Knight throws a kick to the body and Menifield offers a counter that just misses the mark. A spinning kick from Knight misses and Menifield lands a right a moment later. Knight goes to the spinning attacks again with a spinning back fist, but misses. Menifield looks to land punches and Knight spins with a kick. Nothing really lands cleanly here, but it was a wild exchange. A left jab from Menifield lands. Knight misses with a low kick and Menifield returns with a two-punch combo. Menifield jabs again and misses with a big overhand right. Knight attempts a hard kick and swarms with a punching combination as the round comes to a close, but Menifield escapes. Nice bounce-back round for Menifield, as MMA Junkie scores it 10-9 for him to tie it up.

Round 3 – They hug to begin the round and an exchange of punches from both just miss. Knight lands a nice leg kick early and Menifield returns fire with punches. They clinch in the center of the cage and Menifield moves his opponent to the fence. Menifield slowly begins to look for a takedown but Knight defends. They continue to jockey for position against the fence as Menifield looks for a takedown. Referee Herb Dean calls for more action as the position begins to stall. Menifield maintains his pressure against the cage, but another call for action comes from the referee. A few short punches from both are landed in the clinch, but there is no power behind them. Some space is created and Knight attempts a jumping knee. They’re separated and Knight pressures forward. A right hand from Menifield misses. Knight lands a left jab and misses with a right. Knight tries for one last left hand before the final horn. MMA Junkie scores the last round 10-9 for Menifield, giving him the nod 29-28 in the fight.

Result: William Knight def. Alonzo Menifield via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Recap:Photos: UFC on ESPN 31: Best photos from Las VegasRecords: William Knight (11-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) vs. Alonzo Menifield (11-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC)Division: Light heavyweightBroadcast: ESPN/ESPN+Referee: Herb DeanJudging: Derek Cleary, Junichiro Kamijo, Tony Weeks

Related Mallory Martin vs. Cheyanne Vlismas

Round 1 – A quick exchange gets us started as they quickly move around the cage with Vlismas circling on the outside. Martin mixes up punches to the body as Vlismas returns with punches of her own. Vlismas charges forward with a nice combination but her kick is caught by Martin to stop the progress. Another hard combo by Vlismas lands, ending with a right hand. Martin continues to pressure forward and lands a right seconds later. Vlismas quickly counters, though. A nice right hand lands from Vlismas after a leg kick misses. Martin jabs and is met by two punches from Vlismas. Martin puts together a pair of punches and Vlismas returns fire. More exchanges follow and they clinch, with both landing punches in close. They break apart and get back to trading punches until the round ends. A furious pace in the first round. MMA Junkie scores it 10-9 for Vlismas.

Round 2 – They touch gloves to start the second and pickup right where they left off in the first. Vlismas goes first with a combination but Martin is right there to return punches. Vlismas goes with a left kick followed by a right hand and Martin pressures, offering a left-hand jab. Vlismas throws a head kick followed by a couple of punches but Martin isn’t bothered and continues to move forward. A nice combination of punches land from Martin as Vlismas circles away. Moments later Vlismas lands a nice punching combo of her own. Martin returns to the body with a punch. After another exchange, Martin misses with a spinning back fist. Vlismas lands a clean right hand. Martin shoots for a takedown but Vlismas stops it and they end up clinched against the fence. Martin searches for a way to get her opponent to the canvas and lands a couple of knees in the process. They separate and get back to the punching exchanges. Vlismas tries a switch kick but it is blocked. One last intense exchange occurs before the round ends. MMA Junkie scores the second 10-9 for Vlismas.

Round 3 – They trade punches in the center of the cage to start the final round. Martin clinches and brings the action to the fence for a moment, but Vlismas breaks free. Martin goes to the body but Vlismas counters to the head with a punch. Vlismas throws a nice combo to the body first, followed by a right to the head. Martin grabs another clinch. Vlismas is audibly upset with the clinch and tries to convince her opponent to break loose and fight. Vlismas escapes and gets back to throwing combinations. Martin goes for another clinch but nothing comes of it. Vlismas continues to offer punches first and lands a nice right uppercut, followed by another fast combination. Martin is getting tagged now, but continues to move forward. Vlismas lands another left followed by a right. Another clean combo follows. Vlismas swarms until the round ends. MMA Junkie scores the last round for Vlismas, giving her the fight 30-27.

Result: Cheyanne Vlismas def. Mallory Martin via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)Recap:Photos: UFC on ESPN 31: Best photos from Las VegasRecords: Mallory Martin (7-5 MMA, 1-3 UFC) vs. Cheyanne Vlismas (7-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC)Division: Women’s strawweightBroadcast: ESPN/ESPN+Referee: Chris TognoniJudging: Derek Cleary, Sal D’Amato, Dave Hagen

Related Bryan Barberena vs. Darian Weeks

Round 1 – A touch of gloves and Weeks opens with a kick to the body. Barberena returns with a kick of his own. A kick from Weeks is caught by Barberena. Weeks controls the center of the cage and an exchange of punches occurs. Weeks clinches Barberena and is able to bring the fight to the canvas. Barberena gets back to his feet quickly and is able to break free moments later. Barberena lands an outside leg kick followed by a hard inside kick moments later. He goes back to the same strike again and it’s just as effective. Weeks eats a third inside leg kick and offers a pair of punches after. Weeks initiates another clinch but Barberena is able to reverse the position against the fence and look for his own takedown. Weeks defends well and puts Barberena back against the fence before they separate. A front kick lands from Weeks and he shoots for another takedown, but is unsuccessful. Barberena lands another nice inside leg kick and the round comes to a close. MMA Junkie scores the first round 10-9 for Barberena.

Round 2 – Barberena opens the second aggressively with a combination but Weeks changes levels for a body lock and gets a takedown. Barberena goes for an armbar, but Weeks defends. As Barberena returns to his feet, Weeks meets him with a pair of punches. A nice elbow ends a combination from Barberena. Weeks lands a nice inside leg kick. Barberena answers with a right hand and then shakes off a clinch. Weeks lands a left jab but Barberena returns fire. They continue to exchange in the center of the cage, but the punches from both just miss their mark. Weeks goes for a body kick that is parried by Barberena and a fast exchange of punches follows. Weeks looks for another takedown but Barberena is able to remain standing. Back in the center, they go right back to trading punches. Barberena starts mixing punches to the body and the round comes to a close after one more hard exchange. MMA Junkie scores the second round for Barberena 10-9.

Round 3 – The fighters hug before the round begins. Weeks lands a knee in close as Barberena tried to land a punch. Weeks looks to clinch and presses Barberena against the cage. Barberena lands a knee to the body as Weeks tries to improve his position. Barberena is able to break free and immediately offers a couple of punches on the exit. Barberena goes back to punching combinations including strikes to the body as Weeks covers. A nice left hand gets through from Barberena as Weeks tries to land punches of his own. Barberena gets the better of another exchange, but Weeks refuses to move away. Weeks looks to land a kick but Barberena presses forward through it and unloads a series of punches. Weeks dips down and completes a nice takedown but Barberena gets right back up. A hard punch from Barberena finds the mark before the fight ends. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Barberena, who takes the fight 30-27.

Result: Bryan Barberena def. Darian Weeks via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Recap:Photos: UFC on ESPN 31: Best photos from Las VegasRecords: Bryan Barberena (16-8 MMA, 7-6 UFC) vs. Darian Weeks (5-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC)Division: WelterweightBroadcast: ESPN/ESPN+Referee: Herb DeanJudging: Mike Bell, Junichiro Kamijo, Tony Weeks

Related Manel Kape vs. Zhalgas Zhumagulov

Round 1 – Kape darts across the cage with a flying knee and they’re off to exchanging quickly. Zhumagulov isn’t backing down and throws combinations of his own. A nice punch from Kape gets through. Zhumagulov lands a clean right to knock Kape backward. Kape gathers himself and continues to look for openings. The pace slows for a moment but Zhumagulov continues to press forward. Kape lands a hard right and Zhumagulov tried to close the distance. Another lightning-fast exchange occurs in the center of the cage. Zhumagulov goes to an outside leg kick. Kape counters with punches as Zhumagulov tries to close the distance. Kape lands an outside leg kick of his own followed by a right hand that drops Zhumagulov. Kape starts to pour on the pressure as Zhumagulov is against the fence and unleashes an insane combination of unanswered punches. Zhumagulov finally falls to the canvas and the fight is over. What a finish.

Result: Manel Kape def. Zhalgas Zhumagulov via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:02Recap: UFC on ESPN 31 video: Manel Kape flurries for TKO, declares himself ‘best flyweight in the world’Photos: UFC on ESPN 31: Best photos from Las VegasRecords: Manel Kape (17-6 MMA, 2-2 UFC) vs. Zhalgas Zhumagulov (14-6 MMA, 1-3 UFC)Division: FlyweightBroadcast: ESPN/ESPN+Referee: Keith PetersonJudging: Derek Cleary, Sal D’Amato, Dave Hagen

Related Maki Pitolo vs. Dusko Todorovic

Round 1 – A touch of gloves and Pitolo starts by pumping out a left jab. Pitolo follows with a calf kick and Todorovic looks for a takedown that is defended. Todorovic lands a pair of kicks. Pitolo lands a nice punching combination upstairs, followed by a clean right hand. Todorovic shoots for a takedown, but Pitolo jumps on a deep guillotine attempt with Todorovic’s legs wrapped up. Todorovic punches to the body and is able to get out of the choke. Working from full guard, Todorovic lands a couple of punches and elbows from the top. Todorovic advanced to half guard while landing punches and even trapped Pitolo’s right arm with his left leg. Todorovic moved to full mount and then the back as Pitolo starts covered up. Hard punches are raining down now from Todorovic and Pitolo can’t move anywhere. Referee Mark Smith saw enough and called a stop to the fight.

Result: Dusko Todorovic def. Maki Pitolo via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:34Recap:Photos: UFC on ESPN 31: Best photos from Las VegasRecords: Maki Pitolo (13-9 MMA, 1-5 UFC) vs. Dusko Todorovic (11-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC)Division: MiddleweightBroadcast: ESPN/ESPN+Referee: Mark SmithJudging: Mike Bell, Dave Hagen, Junichiro Kamijo

Related Mickey Gall vs. Alex Morono

Round 1 – The fight starts with Morono controlling the center of the cage as both fighters feel each other out. A few feints from both ad Morono lands the fight strike, a right hand. Gall lands a left jab and Morono returns fire with a leg kick. Gall lands a nice leg kick. Gall lands on the body and Morono responds with a combination to the head. An exchange of jabs follows. A stiff left hand from Morono lands flush, dropping Gall. Morono closes in and takes top position as Gall looks to threaten leg submissions. Morono stays heavy and eventually makes his way into Gall’s guard, but it’s short-lived as Gall gets back to his feet. They exchange strikes before the round ends. MMA Junkie scores the first round 10-9 for Morono.

Round 2 – Gall starts the round with a jab to the body and a right hook a second later. Both trade strikes in the center of the cage. Another hard exchange of right hands soon follows. Morono steps in with a two-punch combination. Gall lands a pair of hard hooks and begins to press forward. Morono does well to avoid serious damage in the moment. A superman punch is attempted by Morono but Gall is ready to avoid it. Circling around Morono, Gall offers up the left jab and Morono answers with punches of his own. Another exchange of wide punches from both. A nice left jab lands from Morono as Gall started to throw a punch of his own. Gall attempts a takedown but Morono sprawls beautifully. Morono lands a left hook moments before the round ends. MMA Junkie scores the second round for Morono 10-9.

Round 3 – They touch gloves and get back to trading punches in the center of the cage. Morono finds the mark with a left hand to get Gall’s attention. Morono is just a little bit quicker in the exchanges. Gall attempts a jumping knee but it doesn’t find a home. He follows it up with a left jab a few seconds later. Morono evades a combination and returns two punches of his own. Gall lands a nice right hand. An inside leg kick starts a nice combination by Morono that ends with a punch upstairs. Gall presses forward with punches, but Morono continues to circle away and lands a clean punch. Gall is able to grab a hold of Morono against the fence and tries for an elbow but Morono gets away. Gall seems to be going for it, but Morono’s defense is solid. A spinning backfist from Morono lands. Gall continues to walk Morono down, but is unable to land anything of substance before the fight ends. MMA Junkie scores the final round 10-9 for Morono, giving him the fight 30-27.

Result: Alex Morono def. Mickey Gall via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Recap:Photos: UFC on ESPN 31: Best photos from Las VegasRecords: Mickey Gall (7-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) vs. Alex Morono (21-7 MMA, 10-4 UFC)Division: WelterweightBroadcast: ESPN/ESPN+Referee: Chris TognoniJudging: Derek Cleary, Sal D’Amato, Adalaide Byrd

Related Brendan Allen vs. Chris Curtis

Round 1 – Allen gets the action started with a right head kick. Curtis lands a combination of punches in response seconds later. Allen gets a hold of Curtis and lifts him up for a slam. Curtis is able to gather himself and get back to his feet in space. Allen lands a quick outside leg kick. Curtis charges forward with a combination of punches. Allen looks for a jab but is countered by Curtis, who charges forward with another combination a moment later. A body shot finds the mark from Curtis and Allen responds with a hard kick to the body. They exchange kicks with Allen going to the body again. Curtis lands a right hook and a nice combination a moment later. Allen looks to clinch but decides to drop down on go all out for a heel hook attempt. Curtis defends well and ends up on top until the round finishes. MMA Junkie scores the close round a 10-9 for Curtis.

Round 2 – Allen opens with a kick to the body. Curtis responds with a nice combination of punches. Allen looks to land a pair of kicks but both are parried by Curtis. A kick to the body from Allen is met by two punches from Curtis. After a hard exchange, Curtis lands to the body and then rocks Allen with a clean right hand to the head. He swarms as Allen does his best to cover up. Curtis keeps the pressure high and lands a knee to send Allen to the canvas. Herb Dean pulls Curtis away and this one is over.

Result: Chris Curtis def. Brendan Allen via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 1:58Recap: UFC on ESPN 31 video: Chris Curtis shocks Brendan Allen for upset TKOPhotos: UFC on ESPN 31: Best photos from Las VegasRecords: Brendan Allen (17-5 MMA, 5-2 UFC) vs. Chris Curtis (28-8 MMA, 2-0 UFC)Division: MiddleweightBroadcast: ESPN/ESPN+Referee: Herb DeanJudging: Mike Bell, Junichiro Kamijo, Tony Weeks

Related Clay Guida vs. Leonardo Santos

Round 1 – Guida starts by bouncing around the cage in his trademark fashion. Santos lands a leg kick for the first strike of the fight. Another outside kick from Santos causes Guida to reset his feet. Santos lands a nice kick to the body of Guida which prompted Santos to swarm with punches. Santos unleashed a bunch of unanswered punches as referee Keith Peterson watched closely. Guida attempted to grab a leg to stop Santos’ swarm. Santos landed a clean knee to drop Guida to the canvas, but Guida somehow still held on, despite losing his mouthpiece. Peterson allowed the action to continue despite more strikes from Santos and eventually, Guida got back to his feet. Santos emptied the tank and took a few moments to gather himself while Guida began to pressure. A moment later, Guida lifted Santos up for a slam and ended up on top in guard. Guida landed a few elbows from the top before the round ended. In what would have been a 10-8 for Santos, Guida’s work saved a point. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Santos.

Round 2 – Guida sensed Santos was tired and quickly pressured at the start of the round. Guida is able to stop Santos’ movement and get a takedown, ending up on his back. A rear-naked choke is locked in by Guida and Santos is forced to tap. What a wild ride Guida took us on in that one.

Result: Clay Guida def. Leonardo Santos via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 1:21Recap: UFC on ESPN 31 video: Clay Guida pulls off epic comeback, becomes first to submit Leonardo SantosPhotos: UFC on ESPN 31: Best photos from Las VegasRecords: Clay Guida (37-21 MMA, 17-15 UFC) vs. Leonardo Santos (18-5-1 MMA, 7-2-1 UFC)Division: LightweightBroadcast: ESPN/ESPN+Referee: Keith PetersonJudging: Derek Cleary, Sal D’Amato, Dave Hagen

Related Jimmy Crute vs. Jamahal Hill

Round 1 – Crute starts off with a leg kick, followed by another to the body. Hill stayed just out of range and cracked Crute with a hard right hand. It was a flash knockdown and Crute got back to his feet. However, just a couple of seconds later, Hill landed another crushing right hand just as Crute began to throw a strike of his own, resulting in Crute crashing to the canvas. One follow-up punch later and referee Mark Smith saw enough. A near-flawless performance from Hill here with a fast knockout finish.

Result: Jamahal Hill def. Jimmy Crute via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 0:48Recap: UFC on ESPN 31 video: Jamahal Hill KOs Jimmy Crute in 48 seconds, calls out Paulo CostaPhotos: UFC on ESPN 31: Best photos from Las VegasRecords: Jimmy Crute (12-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) vs. Jamahal Hill (9-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC)Division: Light heavyweightBroadcast: ESPN/ESPN+Referee: Mark SmithJudging:

Related Rafael Fiziev vs. Brad Riddell

Round 1 – They touch gloves and begin feeling each other out. Riddell starts off with an inside leg kick. Fiziev lands a kick of his own to the body a moment later. Riddell goes to the body with a kick. Fiziev misses with a spinning kick of his own. They exchange punches upstairs before Fiziev goes to the body with a hard kick. The tempo starts to turn up a bit as they exchange punches. Riddell goes to the body with a punch and just misses with an overhand right. Fiziev kicks to the body. Riddell charges forward with a combo that is met with a hard counter right hand from Fiziev. They exchange hard kicks to the body, but Fiziev’s seems to land with more impact. Riddell lands a very nice combination of punches before the round ends. A very close one, but MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Riddell.

Round 2 – Riddell starts with a kick to the body as Fiziev looks to land a right hand. Riddell lands with a left. Fiziev starts a combination of punches and Riddell tries to answer. Fiziev goes first in another exchange, but Riddell answers with punches of his own. Fiziev stings with a quick left jab and Riddell just misses with counters. They trade punches in the center of the cage. Blood starts to flow from a cut over Riddell’s left eye. Another hard exchange from both. Riddell attempts a big right hand but misses and grabs a hold of Fiziev to clinch. They separate briefly and Fiziev clinches after a strike of his own. Back in space again, they continue to trade punches. Fiziev lands a left hand and Riddell finds home for a leg kick. Fiziev scores with a combination before the round ends. Another close round, and MMA Junkie scores this one for Fiziev, 10-9.

Round 3 – Between rounds, the cageside doctor took a look at the cut over Riddell’s eye before the fight resumed. The fighters hug in the center of the cage and get right back to the high-paced action. Riddell changes levels and gets a takedown, but Fiziev was able to quickly work back to his feet and get away. Inside leg kick from Riddell finds the mark, but Fiziev lands a left hook at the end of a combination in return. Riddell looks for another takedown but Fiziev brushes it off and they exchange hard strikes. Out of nowhere, Fiziev unleashes a wheel kick that landed flush on the chin of Riddell, freezing him in place. Herb Dean rushed in to stop any further strikes and Riddell fell to the canvas. Incredible finishing blow by Fiziev.

Result: Rafael Fiziev def. Brad Riddell via TKO (spinning wheel kick) – Round 3, 2:20Recap: UFC on ESPN 31 video: Rafael Fiziev’s slick wheel kick leads to TKO of Brad RiddellPhotos: UFC on ESPN 31: Best photos from Las VegasRecords: Rafael Fiziev (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) vs. Brad Riddell (10-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC)Division: LightweightBroadcast: ESPN/ESPN+Referee: Herb DeanJudging:

Related Rob Font vs. Jose Aldo

Round 1 – The main event kicks off with a touch of gloves. Font charges forward with punches early as Aldo tries to get a read on his opponent. Font lands a nice combination as Aldo circles away on the outside. After an exchange of punches, Font shoots for a takedown and ends up on Aldo’s back against the fence. They jockey for position for a moment but Aldo breaks free. Once back in space they exchange punches. Font works behind a left jab and mixes in a kick to the body. Remaining aggressive, Font continues to go first with punches as Aldo tries to time a counter strike. The left jab continues from Font as Aldo circles. Aldo then rips a hard punch to the body. They continue to exchange punches. Aldo lands a clean right hand out of nowhere to wobble Font. Aldo closes in as Font goes to the canvas but the round comes to an end before a finish could come. Aldo steals the round with the close-call. MMA Junkie scores it 10-9 for Aldo.

Round 2 – They touch gloves and get back to the punching exchanges in the center of the cage. Font still firing first with his left hand and puts together a nice combination that Aldo eats. Font offers a kick and a punch to the body, but it’s Aldo who is starting to move forward a bit now. Moments later, Aldo fires off a hard right hand to knock Font back. Aldo tries to follow up again but Font is able to circle out of danger. Back to the left jab, Font keeps with his offense despite getting hurt. A hard exchange of right hands occurs. Aldo rips a punch to the body and Font responds with a leg kick. Aldo lands a nice two-punch combo. Font goes for a takedown but is shaken off by Aldo, who goes back to the body with punches. Aldo checks a kick from Font and lands a punch in return. The round comes to a close and MMA Junkie scores the second round 10-9 for Aldo.

Round 3 – A fast pace to start the third round with hard exchanges of punches and kicks. Aldo lands an outside leg kick and begins to move forward more aggressively than before in this fight. Font shoots for a takedown but Aldo reverses and ends up on top in half guard in the center of the cage. Aldo transitions to side control and lands a nice short elbow. Font gets back to guard a moment later and begins to work for an armbar, but Aldo is wise to it. Font works his way back to the feet and they go right back to trading punches on the feet. Font’s left jab finds the mark a couple of times but Aldo lands a sweeping leg kick to take Font off his feet. Aldo allows him to get back up and the exchanges continue until the round concludes. MMA Junkie scores the third 10-9 for Aldo.

Round 4 – Aldo’s right eye is clearly swollen to start the round. They get right back to the exchanges but it’s Aldo who lands flush with a clean combination of punches, causing Font to back away in pain. Aldo lands again and ends up on top of Font, who is clearly hurt. Aldo works from half guard, but Font is holding on well and getting time to recover in this position. Aldo eventually gets to mount, but only for a split-second as Font gets back to full guard. Font gets his feet on the hips and begins to land elbows from his back. Aldo steps over into mount again for a moment but Font quickly gets back to half guard. The round ends with Aldo on top, and the shutout continues as Aldo takes it 10-9.

Round 5 –

Result:Recap:Photos:Records: Rob Font (19-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) vs. Jose Aldo (30-7 MMA, 12-6 UFC)Division: BantamweightBroadcast: ESPN/ESPN+Referee:Judging:

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