Mario Bautista vs. Benito Lopez (138.5: Missed Weight)
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Bautista (-295), Lopez (+245)

Round 1
For the first time on this fight card thus far, a competitor will come in with a winning UFC record. As it turns out, both Bautista (10-2, 4-2 UFC) and Lopez (10-1, 2-1 UFC) celebrate win percentages over. 500 in the Octagon, but that could change for the heavier Lopez should he lose. This 138.5-pound affair, courtesy of the weight miss from Lopez – who will be making his first appearance since 2019 – will receive oversight from referee Chris Tognoni. “Golden Boy” offers an apologetic glove touch, one in which Bautista accepts. Lopez gets right to it, with a punch up high and kick down low. Bautista walks into a body kick so that he can land one that lands with an audible thud, and the two fighters trade quick kicks in rapid succession. Bautista hammers a low kick that forces Lopez to lift his leg up, and Bautista lands another. Bautista paws out his foot on the chest, and he chips at the calf and scores a shovel uppercut as Lopez comes in. Lopez has a high kick blocked, but his low kick is not. Bautista answers this with three more, and Lopez is already wearing it less than 90 seconds in. Lopez preemptively lifts up his left leg when the kicks aim at it, but Bautista continues to harp on it with rapping shots. Bautista strings three punches together to the body to back Lopez up against the wall, and Lopez rebounds only to eat a few more on the inside. Bautista slams his fit into the body, and he mixes things up perfectly with a double that scoops Lopez off the ground and slams him down hard to the mat. Bautista drops down elbows as he passes to half guard without issue, and Lopez attempts to scramble and looks for a leglock to keep Bautista honest. Bautista steps through them and blasts his foe with a standing-to-ground elbow, and he lowers himself into the half guard position again. “Golden Boy” attempts to use his knee to push off and get Bautista off of him, and he elbows Bautista three times in the jaw before Bautista slices over to three-quarter mount. Bautista moves to mount, only for Lopez to buck him to the side and off. The MMA Lab fighter hops right back to mount, and he locks down an arm-triangle choke and transitions in the blink of an eye to a straight armlock.
Bautista elbows the top of the head to open a cut, and he shifts to a reverse triangle with an armbar too. Lopez turns over and nearly frees himself, but Bautista follows him and secures it completely. His calf is crushing the windpipe while he torques on the arm, and Lopez has no choice but to surrender from the double threat. Tognoni sees the tap and immediately breaks them up, as a second longer and Lopez might have either snapped or gone out.
What an ultra-impressive performance for Bautista, who beat Lopez every step of the way in less than five minutes.

The Official Result
Mario Bautista def. Benito Lopez R1 4:54 via Submission (Reverse Triangle Armbar)

Benito Lopez vs. Vince Morales

Round 1
Lopez goes high with a kick early, but Morales is able to block it. Lopez is changing levels with his kicks in the initial exchanges. Lopez has landed several stinging low kicks thus far. Morales has not been able to get inside with his punching combinations as of yet. Lopez, meanwhile, continues to find success with kicks to the legs and body. Morales’ lead leg is already starting to redden as a result. A spinning back kick lands to the midsection for Lopez, who follows with another hard low kick. Out of nowhere, Morales drops Lopez with a massive overhand right. He dives into Lopez’s guard. Lopez seems to have recovered, and Morales allows his foe to stand. Morales lands a low kick of his own as time winds down. Lopez misses a flying knee as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-10
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Morales
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Morales

Round 2
Lopez is going back to the well with low kicks early in the frame. Lopez flashes a jab and Morales charges forward with punches. Lopez backs Morales up and lands a jab to the body. Morales tags Lopez with a jab, and he shakes it off. Lopez lands an inside low kick and moves out of range. An overhand right lands for Morales, but it’s not as clean as the one in the opening frame. Morales counters a low kick with a nice punching combination. Morales again is able to get inside following a low kick and he lands several punches before Lopez circles away. A pair of outside low kicks land for Lopez. Morales pressures and makes Lopez stumble with a right hand. Lopez blocks a right hand from Morales. Lopez missing a spinning back kick just before the horn.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Morales
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Lopez
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lopez

Round 3
Morales jabs to the body. Morales catches a kick and lands a combination. Lopez continues to work the leg kicks. A four-punch combination has Lopez on retreat, and Morales swarms. Lopez throws a flying knee. It doesn’t land but it backs up Morales. Morales swarms again with a punching combination, working the body and head effectively. Lopez spins his man around with a heavy low kick. Lopez with a snapping inside low kick. Morales blitzes behind his right hand and once again lands punches inside. Lopez answers with another low kick, and we’re at 2:00 to go. Morales connects with a one two, and moments later he tags Lopez with a combination while countering a low kick. Lopez comes right back with a hard low kick. Lopez lands another low kick. Morales finds the range on a jab. A right hand from Morales backs up Lopez.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Morales (30-28 Morales)
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Morales (29-28 Morales)
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Morales (29-28 Morales)

The Official Result
Benito Lopez def. Vince Morales via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00