UFC 173: Barao vs. Dillashaw · May 24, 2014 · Featherweight · Completed
Prev Fight UFC 173: Barao vs. Dillashaw Next Fight
Age 40
Height 5' 8"
Reach 67.0"
Weight 145 lbs.
Stance Orthodox
Age 36
Height 5' 9"
Reach 71.0"
Weight 135 lbs.
Stance Southpaw
Career Averages - Sam Sicilia
2.46 SLpM
33.0% Str. Acc.
3.55 SApM
59.0% Str. Def.
1.45 TD Avg
43.0% TD Acc.
70.0% TD Def.
0.9 Sub. Avg
Career Averages - Aaron Phillips
1.51 SLpM
53.0% Str. Acc.
3.66 SApM
43.0% Str. Def.
0.86 TD Avg
50.0% TD Acc.
44.0% TD Def.
0.6 Sub. Avg
Sam Sicilia - Fight History
LOSS vs Gavin Tucker
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Browne · Feb 19, 2017
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Gavin Tucker 0 10 of 87 11% 10 of 88 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:26
Sam Sicilia 0 55 of 163 33% 60 of 168 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:15
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Gavin Tucker 0 2 of 12 16% 2 of 12 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Sam Sicilia 0 18 of 47 38% 18 of 47 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Gavin Tucker 0 2 of 24 8% 2 of 24 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Sam Sicilia 0 22 of 60 36% 22 of 60 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Gavin Tucker 0 6 of 51 11% 6 of 52 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:26
Sam Sicilia 0 15 of 56 26% 20 of 61 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:15
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Gavin Tucker 10 of 87 11% 9 of 80 0 of 5 1 of 2 9 of 84 1 of 3 0 of 0
Sam Sicilia 55 of 163 33% 25 of 120 12 of 25 18 of 18 53 of 159 2 of 4 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Gavin Tucker 2 of 12 16% 1 of 9 0 of 2 1 of 1 2 of 12 0 of 0 0 of 0
Sam Sicilia 18 of 47 38% 7 of 34 4 of 6 7 of 7 17 of 46 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Gavin Tucker 2 of 24 8% 2 of 22 0 of 1 0 of 1 2 of 24 0 of 0 0 of 0
Sam Sicilia 22 of 60 36% 8 of 39 3 of 10 11 of 11 22 of 60 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Gavin Tucker 6 of 51 11% 6 of 49 0 of 2 0 of 0 5 of 48 1 of 3 0 of 0
Sam Sicilia 15 of 56 26% 10 of 47 5 of 9 0 of 0 14 of 53 1 of 3 0 of 0
Technical Submission (standing guillotine choke) R2 1:20 · UFC Fight Night: Poirier vs. Johnson · Sep 17, 2016
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Gabriel Benítez 1 39 of 101 38% 39 of 101 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:17
Sam Sicilia 0 19 of 70 27% 19 of 70 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Gabriel Benítez 0 28 of 76 36% 28 of 76 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Sam Sicilia 0 17 of 60 28% 17 of 60 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Gabriel Benítez 1 11 of 25 44% 11 of 25 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:17
Sam Sicilia 0 2 of 10 20% 2 of 10 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Gabriel Benítez 39 of 101 38% 21 of 75 4 of 9 14 of 17 31 of 91 2 of 3 6 of 7
Sam Sicilia 19 of 70 27% 12 of 61 4 of 6 3 of 3 18 of 65 1 of 5 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Gabriel Benítez 28 of 76 36% 11 of 54 4 of 6 13 of 16 26 of 73 2 of 3 0 of 0
Sam Sicilia 17 of 60 28% 11 of 53 4 of 5 2 of 2 16 of 55 1 of 5 0 of 0
2 Gabriel Benítez 11 of 25 44% 10 of 21 0 of 3 1 of 1 5 of 18 0 of 0 6 of 7
Sam Sicilia 2 of 10 20% 1 of 8 0 of 1 1 of 1 2 of 10 0 of 0 0 of 0
LOSS vs Dooho Choi
TKO (punches) R1 1:33 · UFC Fight Night: Henderson vs. Masvidal · Nov 28, 2015
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Dooho Choi 1 18 of 26 69% 18 of 26 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:06
Sam Sicilia 0 8 of 19 42% 8 of 19 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Dooho Choi 1 18 of 26 69% 18 of 26 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:06
Sam Sicilia 0 8 of 19 42% 8 of 19 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Dooho Choi 18 of 26 69% 17 of 25 1 of 1 0 of 0 13 of 20 1 of 1 4 of 5
Sam Sicilia 8 of 19 42% 6 of 16 0 of 1 2 of 2 8 of 19 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Dooho Choi 18 of 26 69% 17 of 25 1 of 1 0 of 0 13 of 20 1 of 1 4 of 5
Sam Sicilia 8 of 19 42% 6 of 16 0 of 1 2 of 2 8 of 19 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Doo Ho Choi vs. Sam Sicilia

Round 1
Choi strikes first with a straight right hand over the top, then ducks under a wide right hook from Sicilia and drubs him with another blistering counter. Sicilia’s legs go out from under him, but he climbs back to his feet to land a hard shot of his own. Choi waits until Sicilia gets into range and then rocks him with a clean uppercut. Sicilia barely dodges a flying knee and swings back at Choi, who resets and absolutely demolishes Sicilia with a right hook on the chin and a left to the temple. Sicilia drops to his side on the canvas, where Choi pounds out the American’s lights and his mouthguard until referee Greg Kleynjans stops the fight.

The Official Result
Doo Ho Choi def. Sam Sicilia via KO (Punches) R1 1:33
WIN vs Yaotzin Meza
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Mir vs. Duffee · Jul 15, 2015
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Sam Sicilia 0 12 of 41 29% 33 of 66 2 of 2 100% 4 0 8:28
Yaotzin Meza 0 18 of 37 48% 39 of 60 1 of 9 11% 1 0 1:30
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Sam Sicilia 0 3 of 8 37% 7 of 14 1 of 1 100% 2 0 3:58
Yaotzin Meza 0 1 of 3 33% 11 of 15 0 of 1 0% 1 0 0:27
2 Sam Sicilia 0 5 of 22 22% 8 of 25 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:59
Yaotzin Meza 0 11 of 24 45% 14 of 27 1 of 6 16% 0 0 0:23
3 Sam Sicilia 0 4 of 11 36% 18 of 27 1 of 1 100% 2 0 3:31
Yaotzin Meza 0 6 of 10 60% 14 of 18 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:40
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Sam Sicilia 12 of 41 29% 10 of 35 1 of 5 1 of 1 3 of 27 3 of 7 6 of 7
Yaotzin Meza 18 of 37 48% 10 of 25 3 of 3 5 of 9 16 of 35 2 of 2 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Sam Sicilia 3 of 8 37% 2 of 6 0 of 1 1 of 1 1 of 5 0 of 0 2 of 3
Yaotzin Meza 1 of 3 33% 0 of 2 0 of 0 1 of 1 1 of 3 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Sam Sicilia 5 of 22 22% 4 of 19 1 of 3 0 of 0 1 of 15 3 of 6 1 of 1
Yaotzin Meza 11 of 24 45% 5 of 14 3 of 3 3 of 7 9 of 22 2 of 2 0 of 0
3 Sam Sicilia 4 of 11 36% 4 of 10 0 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 7 0 of 1 3 of 3
Yaotzin Meza 6 of 10 60% 5 of 9 0 of 0 1 of 1 6 of 10 0 of 0 0 of 0
KO (punch) R1 3:26 · UFC on Fox: Gustafsson vs. Johnson · Jan 24, 2015
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Sam Sicilia 0 10 of 31 32% 11 of 32 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Akira Corassani 1 10 of 26 38% 12 of 28 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:25
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Sam Sicilia 0 10 of 31 32% 11 of 32 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Akira Corassani 1 10 of 26 38% 12 of 28 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:25
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Sam Sicilia 10 of 31 32% 5 of 22 1 of 4 4 of 5 10 of 30 0 of 1 0 of 0
Akira Corassani 10 of 26 38% 6 of 21 3 of 4 1 of 1 7 of 22 2 of 3 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Sam Sicilia 10 of 31 32% 5 of 22 1 of 4 4 of 5 10 of 30 0 of 1 0 of 0
Akira Corassani 10 of 26 38% 6 of 21 3 of 4 1 of 1 7 of 22 2 of 3 1 of 1
Submission (rear-naked choke) R2 1:38 · UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Nelson · Sep 20, 2014
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Katsunori Kikuno 0 32 of 78 41% 33 of 79 1 of 1 100% 1 0 0:48
Sam Sicilia 0 36 of 91 39% 37 of 92 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Katsunori Kikuno 0 27 of 67 40% 28 of 68 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:01
Sam Sicilia 0 32 of 81 39% 33 of 82 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Katsunori Kikuno 0 5 of 11 45% 5 of 11 1 of 1 100% 1 0 0:47
Sam Sicilia 0 4 of 10 40% 4 of 10 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Katsunori Kikuno 32 of 78 41% 20 of 60 3 of 8 9 of 10 30 of 74 2 of 4 0 of 0
Sam Sicilia 36 of 91 39% 18 of 64 7 of 12 11 of 15 27 of 79 9 of 12 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Katsunori Kikuno 27 of 67 40% 17 of 53 3 of 7 7 of 7 25 of 63 2 of 4 0 of 0
Sam Sicilia 32 of 81 39% 15 of 58 7 of 11 10 of 12 25 of 72 7 of 9 0 of 0
2 Katsunori Kikuno 5 of 11 45% 3 of 7 0 of 1 2 of 3 5 of 11 0 of 0 0 of 0
Sam Sicilia 4 of 10 40% 3 of 6 0 of 1 1 of 3 2 of 7 2 of 3 0 of 0
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC 173: Barao vs. Dillashaw · May 24, 2014
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Sam Sicilia 0 37 of 68 54% 95 of 129 5 of 8 62% 1 1 10:12
Aaron Phillips 0 18 of 40 45% 109 of 137 0 of 0 --- 1 1 1:08
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Sam Sicilia 0 16 of 36 44% 23 of 43 1 of 3 33% 0 0 2:14
Aaron Phillips 0 9 of 27 33% 25 of 44 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:01
2 Sam Sicilia 0 8 of 12 66% 19 of 23 1 of 1 100% 1 1 3:31
Aaron Phillips 0 7 of 9 77% 44 of 48 0 of 0 --- 0 1 1:05
3 Sam Sicilia 0 13 of 20 65% 53 of 63 3 of 4 75% 0 0 4:27
Aaron Phillips 0 2 of 4 50% 40 of 45 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:02
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Sam Sicilia 37 of 68 54% 28 of 53 8 of 13 1 of 2 12 of 31 4 of 6 21 of 31
Aaron Phillips 18 of 40 45% 5 of 23 12 of 14 1 of 3 9 of 26 3 of 6 6 of 8
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Sam Sicilia 16 of 36 44% 11 of 27 4 of 7 1 of 2 9 of 23 3 of 5 4 of 8
Aaron Phillips 9 of 27 33% 2 of 16 6 of 8 1 of 3 7 of 22 2 of 5 0 of 0
2 Sam Sicilia 8 of 12 66% 8 of 12 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 1 0 of 0 7 of 11
Aaron Phillips 7 of 9 77% 2 of 4 5 of 5 0 of 0 1 of 2 0 of 0 6 of 7
3 Sam Sicilia 13 of 20 65% 9 of 14 4 of 6 0 of 0 2 of 7 1 of 1 10 of 12
Aaron Phillips 2 of 4 50% 1 of 3 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 2 1 of 1 0 of 1
LOSS vs Cole Miller
Submission (rear-naked choke) R2 1:54 · UFC Fight Night: Rockhold vs. Philippou · Jan 15, 2014
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Cole Miller 1 38 of 91 41% 38 of 91 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:24
Sam Sicilia 0 14 of 56 25% 14 of 56 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Cole Miller 0 24 of 62 38% 24 of 62 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Sam Sicilia 0 8 of 45 17% 8 of 45 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Cole Miller 1 14 of 29 48% 14 of 29 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:24
Sam Sicilia 0 6 of 11 54% 6 of 11 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Cole Miller 38 of 91 41% 27 of 74 4 of 10 7 of 7 37 of 88 0 of 2 1 of 1
Sam Sicilia 14 of 56 25% 5 of 47 5 of 5 4 of 4 14 of 56 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Cole Miller 24 of 62 38% 16 of 49 2 of 7 6 of 6 24 of 62 0 of 0 0 of 0
Sam Sicilia 8 of 45 17% 4 of 41 1 of 1 3 of 3 8 of 45 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Cole Miller 14 of 29 48% 11 of 25 2 of 3 1 of 1 13 of 26 0 of 2 1 of 1
Sam Sicilia 6 of 11 54% 1 of 6 4 of 4 1 of 1 6 of 11 0 of 0 0 of 0
Aaron Phillips - Fight History
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Holloway vs. Allen · Apr 15, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Gastón Bolaños 0 17 of 39 43% 79 of 104 3 of 5 60% 1 0 6:01
Aaron Phillips 0 63 of 127 49% 69 of 135 0 of 0 --- 0 1 1:36
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Gastón Bolaños 0 10 of 26 38% 10 of 26 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Aaron Phillips 0 22 of 52 42% 22 of 52 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Gastón Bolaños 0 5 of 9 55% 31 of 36 2 of 2 100% 1 0 3:05
Aaron Phillips 0 25 of 46 54% 25 of 46 0 of 0 --- 0 1 0:40
3 Gastón Bolaños 0 2 of 4 50% 38 of 42 1 of 3 33% 0 0 2:56
Aaron Phillips 0 16 of 29 55% 22 of 37 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:56
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Gastón Bolaños 17 of 39 43% 7 of 22 9 of 13 1 of 4 16 of 37 1 of 2 0 of 0
Aaron Phillips 63 of 127 49% 32 of 82 7 of 14 24 of 31 43 of 93 0 of 0 20 of 34
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Gastón Bolaños 10 of 26 38% 2 of 12 7 of 11 1 of 3 9 of 25 1 of 1 0 of 0
Aaron Phillips 22 of 52 42% 9 of 30 2 of 6 11 of 16 22 of 52 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Gastón Bolaños 5 of 9 55% 3 of 6 2 of 2 0 of 1 5 of 8 0 of 1 0 of 0
Aaron Phillips 25 of 46 54% 11 of 28 3 of 6 11 of 12 12 of 27 0 of 0 13 of 19
3 Gastón Bolaños 2 of 4 50% 2 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 0
Aaron Phillips 16 of 29 55% 12 of 24 2 of 2 2 of 3 9 of 14 0 of 0 7 of 15
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Gaston Bolanos vs. Aaron Phillips
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Bolanos (-190), Phillips (+160)

Round 1
Returning to the cage from a 34-month absence in hopes of finally attaining his first UFC win, Phillips (12-4, 0-3 UFC) is back in action. He takes on promotional newcomer Bolanos (6-3, 0-0 UFC) at bantamweight, who had previously only competed in the Bellator cage before now. Sparks may fly, and referee Nick Berens is ready for it. The two men touch ‘em up, eager to impress and fire up the crowd. Instead of engaging, however, Phillips just chases Bolanos around and lobs a single high kick at him after about 30 seconds. Bolanos steps in with a straight right hand as Phillips chambers another kick, and Bolanos gets into a rhythm of kicking the lead leg. Phillips responds with a head kick, and Bolanos knocks him back after catching the leg in the air. Bolanos switches stances as he kicks from both legs, and Phillips punches his way into an engagement. Bolanos pushes him back with a knee to the body, and he has his lead leg kicked hard. “The Dreamkiller” sits down on three low kicks in a row, and the third makes Phillips pick his leg up. The other kicks from Bolanos are just out of range, and he ducks back when Phillips lunges at him with a few punches. Bolanos splits the guard with a right hand, and he stings Phillips with a second. Bolanos finds the target with another straight right down the pipe, and Phillips cannot seem to stop it. Bolanos fires off a clean one-two, and Phillips grabs him from behind the neck and slings him to his knees emphatically. Bolanos springs back up and gets back to action with low kicks, and the crowd starts wooing. They trade tit-for-tat strikes with little impact, and come together and clash their knees. Phillips whiffs on a big left hook, and Bolanos loads up on a pair of body kicks. Phillips just misses with a spinning kick, and Bolanos walks him down while continuing to sling kicks. Bolanos kicks Phillips’ leg out, and Phillips hops up and backpedals as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bolanos
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Bolanos
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Bolanos

Round 2
The fighters clap hands to get things going in the second round, and Bolanos starts off with a few kicks. Instead of getting into the pace of the last round, he changes things up and shoots for a takedown. Phillips bowls him over and pushes Bolanos to his back, where he moves to half guard. Berens asks them to work while Bolanos motions to him that he is being held down. Bolanos hacks with elbows from his back, and they land to the back of the head. Bolanos explodes back to his feet and lances Phillips with a handful of straight punches. Phillips knocks him back with a pair of hooks, and Bolanos surges back into action with a combination of punches and kicks. Phillips blitzes forward, tripping Bolanos down, and he lands right in mount. Phillips sits up to drop down punches, but the bucking Bolanos nearly escapes before he can do anything with it. Phillips lowers himself down and presses his full body weight on his opponent, and he looks to set up an arm-triangle choke. As he is in full mount working on a submission, Berens inexplicably asks Phillips to improve his position. Bolanos turns to his knees to break out of the arm-triangle setup, and he gives up his back. Phillips is keen to take it, as he secures the body lock around the waist and tightens it. Phillips threatens with a rear-naked choke, Bolanos tugs the gloves to get out of it as Berens warns him. Bolanos pulls off the fence with his toes, breaking out of the body triangle and working his way back to his feet. Bolanos lords over Phillips on his back, wailing on him with leg kicks until diving down with a monster right forearm. Bolanos beats on him until Phillips simply stands back up, and Bolanos is on him with a combination ending with a high kick. Phillips is slightly staggered from the strikes, and he blocks a spinning back elbow as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Phillips
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Phillips
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Phillips

Round 3
The fighters hug it out to start off the final frame, and Bolanos looks to get his striking going early. Bolanos nearly sneaks a head kick around the guard, and he chains punches into kicks while Phillips walks him down. Phillips blocks a right hand and shoots in for a single-leg takedown, and Bolanos defends with the cage at his back. Berens asks the two to work as they are tied up against the fence, and Phillips tries to trip him up and elects to drag him down. Phillips rolls through to snag an armbar, and he falls to his back in pursuit of a triangle choke. Bolanos shakes out of it and opens up with some ground strikes. Phillips pushes off to make Bolanos stand back up, but Bolanos lords over him and hammers him with left hands before hopping over to pass guard on the other side. Phillips wall-walks his way up, and he is met with several punches and a spinning back elbow. Phillips grins at him and tags Bolanos with a left hook, and he walks Bolanos down and ducks another spinning back elbow. Phillips takes his back and drags him to the mat from behind, and he secures the body lock instantly. Phillips works the body with punches while hunting for a choke, but it cannot materialize as Bolanos is wise to it. Phillips lets the body triangle go so that he can shift into mount, but he instead fastens an arm-triangle choke that freezes Bolanos. “The Dreamkiller” works his way out of the choke try, but Phillips rides out back control until the horn sounds. Scores could be all over the map, and based on the decision in the last fight, anything goes in Kansas City tonight.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Phillips (29-28 Phillips)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Phillips (29-28 Phillips)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Phillips (29-28 Phillips)

The Official Result
Gaston Bolanos def. Aaron Phillips via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 9, 2023 (6 days before fight)
Gastón Bolaños

Angelo picks Gastón Bolaños as the showcase fighter, noting his solid Muay Thai background and spinning back elbow finishes. He acknowledges variables: Bolaños lost 2 of his last 3 in Bellator, and Phillips hasn't fought in years. He expects a finish and is considering betting under 2.5 rounds or 'does not go the distance' prop, but no moneyline bet due to uncertainty.

under 2.5 rounds or does not go the distance prop considered
"the pick's gonna be Gaston for sure but probably no money line bet for me because of the variables"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Apr 11, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Gastón Bolaños

Big Brady picks Gastón Bolaños to win by first-round knockout. He highlights Bolaños' striking power, including a spinning back elbow, and notes his solid takedown defense. He is concerned about Bolaños' grappling but believes he will keep the fight standing. He also mentions Bolaños' training at AKA and the long layoff for Phillips.

first round knockout
"I'm gonna say he knocks out Aaron Phillips and I'm gonna say he does it in the first or second round"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Apr 12, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Gastón Bolaños

Cody is uncertain due to Phillips' three-year layoff. He thinks Bolaños has elite striking but questions his grappling. He picks Bolaños by knockout but calls it a pass.

"I guess I'll pick Gaston Bolanos Gaston Bolanos by knockout but it's like I don't know this one seems like as big of a pass for me as as humanly possible"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Apr 13, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Gastón Bolaños

Connor agrees, noting that Phillips is a disaster with no ability to control the fight. He emphasizes that Phillips is not physically strong and that Bolaños' physicality and power will be too much. He also mentions that Phillips' low kick vulnerability is a key factor.

"Yeah, it's just hard to imagine Phillips not getting hurt really bad."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean picked Apr 11, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Gastón Bolaños

Bolaños has superior striking power and speed, and Phillips has poor striking defense. However, Bolaños is one-dimensional and making his UFC debut. Phillips has a BJJ black belt and could submit him if it goes to the ground. The price is steep, but Bolaños should land a knockout. The under 2.5 rounds is a better bet.

Under 2.5 rounds
"The spot that I'm looking at most in this matchup is actually the under two and a half."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Apr 12, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Gastón Bolaños

Paul notes Bolaños' striking credentials but doubts his takedown defense. He thinks Phillips is a striker too, so it should be a stand-up fight. He leans Bolaños but has low confidence.

"I would say I belong us is the pick how high do we put them this week how high do we rate them this week I'm not fully certain quite yet"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Apr 11, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Gastón Bolaños

The MMA Guru picks Gastón Bolaños, citing his dangerous striking pedigree and spinning attacks. He notes Phillips' inactivity and 0-3 UFC record, and believes Bolaños can stuff takedowns and land a knockout. He acknowledges the line is accurate but not a steal.

"I am going to take the kickboxer and Gaston Bolanos"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Apr 13, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Gastón Bolaños

Zane picks Bolaños because Phillips is a complete mess with no defensive discipline, poor wrestling, and a stance that makes him very vulnerable to low kicks. He notes that Bolaños is a great athlete with power and speed, and that Phillips' reckless style will lead to him getting hurt.

"I think he's probably going to crush Phillips' legs, especially at range."
LOSS vs Jack Shore
Submission (rear-naked choke) R2 2:29 · UFC on ESPN: Kattar vs. Ige · Jul 16, 2020
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jack Shore 0 29 of 45 64% 42 of 59 3 of 8 37% 1 0 5:25
Aaron Phillips 0 6 of 15 40% 7 of 16 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:05
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jack Shore 0 22 of 35 62% 26 of 40 2 of 7 28% 0 0 3:43
Aaron Phillips 0 3 of 8 37% 4 of 9 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:05
2 Jack Shore 0 7 of 10 70% 16 of 19 1 of 1 100% 1 0 1:42
Aaron Phillips 0 3 of 7 42% 3 of 7 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jack Shore 29 of 45 64% 19 of 32 5 of 6 5 of 7 7 of 14 6 of 6 16 of 25
Aaron Phillips 6 of 15 40% 1 of 9 5 of 6 0 of 0 5 of 14 1 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jack Shore 22 of 35 62% 16 of 26 3 of 4 3 of 5 3 of 9 6 of 6 13 of 20
Aaron Phillips 3 of 8 37% 0 of 5 3 of 3 0 of 0 2 of 7 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Jack Shore 7 of 10 70% 3 of 6 2 of 2 2 of 2 4 of 5 0 of 0 3 of 5
Aaron Phillips 3 of 7 42% 1 of 4 2 of 3 0 of 0 3 of 7 0 of 0 0 of 0
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jul 13, 2020 (3 days before fight)
Jack Shore

Big Brady picks Jack Shore, calling him a beast and very high on him. He believes Shore can take Phillips down easily and dominate on the ground. He predicts a third-round submission, as Phillips has never been finished but hasn't faced anyone like Shore. He says Shore will be a known name soon.

"I like Jack Shore quite a bit I'm very high on this guy he is very very good"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Jul 14, 2020 (2 days before fight)
Jack Shore

Daniel Levi picks Jack Shore by submission, noting that Shore is a Welsh phenom who doesn't waste time and knows his strengths. He believes Shore will take the fight to the ground and finish quickly, as Aaron Phillips has historically struggled to stuff takedowns.

by submission
"I'm going Jack shore by submission here"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jul 12, 2020 (4 days before fight)
Jack Shore

Jack Shore is a highly touted prospect with a 12-0 amateur record and 12-0 pro record, showing elite grappling and submission skills. He completely dominated his UFC debut against Nohelin Hernandez, landing few strikes but securing a submission in the third round. His opponent Aaron Phillips is a short-notice replacement who has lost both of his previous UFC fights. The Guru expects Shore to get an easy submission in the first two rounds, likely a rear-naked choke.

submission in first two rounds, rear-naked choke
"I could cheat Jack Shaw just going in there and getting an easy submission in the first two rounds I expect that to happen Jack Shaw by submission in the first two rounds probably really naked choke because he likes …"
LOSS vs Matt Hobar
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Henderson vs. dos Anjos · Aug 23, 2014
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Matt Hobar 0 38 of 54 70% 230 of 279 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Aaron Phillips 0 63 of 100 63% 120 of 172 6 of 9 66% 0 0 12:54
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Matt Hobar 0 9 of 16 56% 83 of 106 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Aaron Phillips 0 21 of 31 67% 37 of 56 1 of 1 100% 0 0 4:26
2 Matt Hobar 0 22 of 27 81% 64 of 73 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Aaron Phillips 0 27 of 42 64% 44 of 62 2 of 4 50% 0 0 3:51
3 Matt Hobar 0 7 of 11 63% 83 of 100 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Aaron Phillips 0 15 of 27 55% 39 of 54 3 of 4 75% 0 0 4:37
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Matt Hobar 38 of 54 70% 23 of 39 12 of 12 3 of 3 14 of 25 17 of 18 7 of 11
Aaron Phillips 63 of 100 63% 51 of 85 8 of 11 4 of 4 6 of 15 21 of 28 36 of 57
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Matt Hobar 9 of 16 56% 6 of 13 1 of 1 2 of 2 2 of 6 1 of 1 6 of 9
Aaron Phillips 21 of 31 67% 17 of 27 4 of 4 0 of 0 1 of 2 5 of 6 15 of 23
2 Matt Hobar 22 of 27 81% 14 of 19 7 of 7 1 of 1 11 of 15 10 of 10 1 of 2
Aaron Phillips 27 of 42 64% 21 of 33 3 of 6 3 of 3 4 of 10 10 of 13 13 of 19
3 Matt Hobar 7 of 11 63% 3 of 7 4 of 4 0 of 0 1 of 4 6 of 7 0 of 0
Aaron Phillips 15 of 27 55% 13 of 25 1 of 1 1 of 1 1 of 3 6 of 9 8 of 15
LOSS vs Sam Sicilia
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC 173: Barao vs. Dillashaw · May 24, 2014
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Sam Sicilia 0 37 of 68 54% 95 of 129 5 of 8 62% 1 1 10:12
Aaron Phillips 0 18 of 40 45% 109 of 137 0 of 0 --- 1 1 1:08
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Sam Sicilia 0 16 of 36 44% 23 of 43 1 of 3 33% 0 0 2:14
Aaron Phillips 0 9 of 27 33% 25 of 44 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:01
2 Sam Sicilia 0 8 of 12 66% 19 of 23 1 of 1 100% 1 1 3:31
Aaron Phillips 0 7 of 9 77% 44 of 48 0 of 0 --- 0 1 1:05
3 Sam Sicilia 0 13 of 20 65% 53 of 63 3 of 4 75% 0 0 4:27
Aaron Phillips 0 2 of 4 50% 40 of 45 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:02
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Sam Sicilia 37 of 68 54% 28 of 53 8 of 13 1 of 2 12 of 31 4 of 6 21 of 31
Aaron Phillips 18 of 40 45% 5 of 23 12 of 14 1 of 3 9 of 26 3 of 6 6 of 8
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Sam Sicilia 16 of 36 44% 11 of 27 4 of 7 1 of 2 9 of 23 3 of 5 4 of 8
Aaron Phillips 9 of 27 33% 2 of 16 6 of 8 1 of 3 7 of 22 2 of 5 0 of 0
2 Sam Sicilia 8 of 12 66% 8 of 12 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 1 0 of 0 7 of 11
Aaron Phillips 7 of 9 77% 2 of 4 5 of 5 0 of 0 1 of 2 0 of 0 6 of 7
3 Sam Sicilia 13 of 20 65% 9 of 14 4 of 6 0 of 0 2 of 7 1 of 1 10 of 12
Aaron Phillips 2 of 4 50% 1 of 3 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 2 1 of 1 0 of 1