Sean Strickland vs. Jack Marshman (187.5: Missed Weight)

Round 1
Returning from a major motorcycle accident that kept him out of action for just over two years, Strickland (20-3, 7-3 UFC) makes his return to the promotion against hard-hitting Welshman Marshman (23-9, 3-4 UFC). Drawing the assignment for this catchweight bout – Marshman eclipsed the 186-pound limit by a pound and a half – is referee Keith Peterson, who will tolerate no nonsense in the cage tonight. They touch gloves, and Marshman throws out a leg kick to start things off. Strickland walks the Welshman down, and starts landing a series of one-twos to get Marshman to retreat. Marshman returns fire with a leg kick and an overhand right, but Strickland completely ignores it as he plods forward. Strickland slaps at the lead leg of his opponent, and he reaches in with a left hand and ducks back to avoid the looping shot from the Welshman. Marshman gets jabbed in the face, and Strickland follows it with a crisp one-two. Marshman tries to bomb him with some big shots, and Strickland rolls with then and fires back. Strickland checks a leg kick, and he starts to work a long left jab. Marshman commits to power strikes, but none are landing flush as Strickland’s are straighter and quicker in and out. Strickland sticks him with a right hand, and Marshman nearly gives him one back but it does not have full steam on it. Strickland gets off a right hand, and then a one-two makes Marshman back off to gather his thoughts. Strickland nails him with a leg kick, and Marshman responds with one of his own but he takes a jab at the end of it. Strickland marches forward with long strikes, unconcerned with Marshman’s wide shots. Strickland checks another leg kick, and he makes Marshman reach at him by staying just the end of his punches. A jab to a right hand stings Marshman, and Strickland follows it with a lengthy combination that pins Marshman to the cage. The Welshman defends himself but eats a plethora of shots, and he circles away as he cannot put strikes to get to get Strickland off of him. Marshman paws with a leg kick, and Strickland boots him in the chest. When Strickland puts his leg down, Marshman clocks him with a huge right hook, stunning “Tarzan” with his biggest shot of the round. Strickland gathers his thoughts and walks his man down until the horn ends the round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Strickland
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Strickland
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Strickland

Round 2
The two middleweights touch gloves, and Strickland starts off where he left off by putting Marshman on his back foot with long punches. Strickland clicks a left hand off the brow, and Marshman starts to follow the work of his opponent by reaching out with a few long left hands to the head and body. Marshman targets the body again, and he flicks out a jab. Strickland uses a double jab to pop Marshman on the chops, and a right hand comes around to catch Marshman on the jaw. Strickland disrupts Marshman’s winging shots with jabs, and occasionally he will reach with his right after landing the left for a very effective one-two that bloodies up the Welshman. Strickland’s accuracy is sky high as he is working Marshman over with his jab and sporadic kicks, and Marshman makes him pay with a combination by ripping the body with a left hand. Marshman jabs to the body a few times, and Strickland cracks him with a few stiff left hands that make Marshman try to shake it out. The Welshman gets his bearings about him, and when he swings and misses, Strickland nails him with another one-two. Strickland blocks a few jabs to the midsection and tattoos Marshman’s face with his own jabs, and they are starting to damage the nose as Marshman begins to check it. Marshman swings and misses with a leg kick, and Strickland is loose and sticks and moves him. Marshman is active trying to line up a big right hand, but Strickland dances out of the way. The two come together to land a few heavy shots, and Marshman is winding up with a right hand but is just out of range. Two left hands from Marshman find their mark, and Strickland pushes him off with a front kick. He pushes out another to the torso, and a right hand breaks up the leaping flurry from Marshman as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Strickland
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Strickland
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Strickland

Round 3
One final glove touch checks in the last round, and Strickland races forward as he flicks out a few jabs and a right hand that folds the nose of his opponent. Marshman double jabs his way in to the body, and he tries again but Strickland sees it coming and paws it away. Marshman goes after the same combination, and Strickland laughs at him and tells him to stand in the center of the cage and fight. Marshman obliges, and the two start trading wildly in a brawl. Strickland is able to get the better of the exchanges by being quicker to the punch, but a few Marshman shots have marked up Strickland’s face. Marshman swings and misses, and Strickland goads him on by saying “Come on, Jack.” Both men start trading heavy leather, and Strickland is telling Marshman to throw with “full power.” Marshman tries to unload with heavy shots, but Strickland sticks him with a right hand and evades the follow-up. Strickland nails Marshman with some huge punches, and he shouts “Why won’t you fall?” Strickland keeps landing virtually at-will, and Marshman stands right in front of him and slugs right back. Strickland clips him with a right hand, and Marshman’s wobble. Strickland is fired up and telling Marshman to give it everything he has, and he cracks Marshman in the head. Marshman stands strong and Strickland tells him to fall down, but instead Marshman races in with a few punches. The Welshman puts together a chain of punches, and Strickland dodges most of them but a few get in. Strickland tells Marshman that he will give him a chance to win, if Marshman goes hard. They stand in front of each other and start brawling recklessly and wildly, and Strickland spins with a back kick. The two trade and land, all while Strickland urges Marshman to empty his gas tank in one final slugfest. They swing right to the final bell, and then embrace after a hard-fought but tactical battle.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Strickland (30-27 Strickland)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Strickland (30-27 Strickland)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Strickland (30-27 Strickland)

The Official Result
Sean Strickland def. Jack Marshman via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27. 30-27)

Jack Marshman vs. Edmen Shahbazyan

Round 1
The next fight is a middleweight bout between Jack Marshman and Edmen Shahbazyan. The referee is Marc Goddard. Shahbazyan takes the center of the Octagon and lands a low kick right away. He lands a straight right. Body kick by Shahbazyan. He changes levels and shoots for a single leg takedown and completes it. Shahbazyan is landing some vicious ground and pound right now.
Shahbazyan moves into side control and then transitions to the back. He has Marshman flattened out and gets the rear-naked choke
. That was quick!

The Official Result
Edmen Shahbazyan def. Jack Marshman via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) R1, 1:12