Career Averages - Miles Johns
Career Averages - Cody Gibson
Miles Johns
Cody Gibson
Miles Johns - Fight History
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles Johns | 0 | 28 of 54 | 51% | 33 of 61 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1:34 |
| Daniel Marcos | 0 | 27 of 47 | 57% | 42 of 69 | 3 of 4 | 75% | 1 | 0 | 3:59 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miles Johns | 0 | 8 of 20 | 40% | 13 of 25 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1:19 |
| Daniel Marcos | 0 | 12 of 21 | 57% | 25 of 35 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 1:36 | |
| 2 | Miles Johns | 0 | 20 of 34 | 58% | 20 of 36 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:15 |
| Daniel Marcos | 0 | 15 of 26 | 57% | 17 of 34 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 1 | 0 | 2:23 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles Johns | 28 of 54 | 51% | 21 of 45 | 3 of 5 | 4 of 4 | 28 of 49 | 0 of 5 | 0 of 0 |
| Daniel Marcos | 27 of 47 | 57% | 15 of 33 | 8 of 10 | 4 of 4 | 14 of 34 | 13 of 13 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miles Johns | 8 of 20 | 40% | 4 of 16 | 1 of 1 | 3 of 3 | 8 of 17 | 0 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
| Daniel Marcos | 12 of 21 | 57% | 5 of 13 | 5 of 6 | 2 of 2 | 3 of 12 | 9 of 9 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Miles Johns | 20 of 34 | 58% | 17 of 29 | 2 of 4 | 1 of 1 | 20 of 32 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Daniel Marcos | 15 of 26 | 57% | 10 of 20 | 3 of 4 | 2 of 2 | 11 of 22 | 4 of 4 | 0 of 0 |
Angelo picks Daniel Marcos because of his superior cardio and cleaner striking. He notes that Miles Johns will come out hot and win the first round, but will fade as the fight goes on, allowing Marcos to take over. He also mentions a potential bet on Miles Johns plus 3.5 rounds, as Johns is likely to win one round.
Big Brady sees this as a close fight, noting that Daniel Marcos has a nice record but he thought Marcos lost the Davey Grant fight. He mentions Miles Johns has a wrestling background and surprisingly good cardio lately, while Marcos has slowed down in past fights. He favors Marcos' distance striking but thinks Johns has more power and the fight goes to a split decision, leaning toward Johns due to the corrupt judges.
Cody picks Johns as a dog, citing his improved performance against Matsumoto and Marcos' inconsistency. He thinks Johns' wrestling and volume can earn him a decision.
Lucrative James does not provide a clear pick for this fight. He discusses Adrian Yanez vs Christian Quinones instead, which is not on the card. He mentions Miles Johns and Daniel Marcos only in passing, but does not give a prediction.
The host believes Marcos has a better all-around game and will pick Johns apart from distance, especially by chewing away at the lead leg. This should slow Johns down and allow Marcos to win on the scorecards in deep water.
Paul leans Johns but is passing due to uncertainty. He notes both fighters' inconsistency and the short-notice changes, but likes Johns at plus money.
The Guru picks Daniel Marcos over Miles Johns. He notes that Marcos has been competitive with top bantamweights like Davy Grant and Montel Jackson, while Johns is on a two-fight losing streak. He highlights Marcos's nasty knees up the middle as a key factor against the stationary Johns. He predicts a TKO finish, as Johns doesn't move enough to avoid Marcos's pressure.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles Johns | 0 | 83 of 184 | 45% | 89 of 191 | 5 of 8 | 62% | 0 | 0 | 3:12 |
| Jean Matsumoto | 0 | 95 of 233 | 40% | 109 of 249 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 2 | 1 | 0:56 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miles Johns | 0 | 22 of 42 | 52% | 23 of 43 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 1:42 |
| Jean Matsumoto | 0 | 16 of 49 | 32% | 20 of 54 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0:22 | |
| 2 | Miles Johns | 0 | 34 of 67 | 50% | 35 of 68 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 0:26 |
| Jean Matsumoto | 0 | 35 of 84 | 41% | 39 of 89 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 1 | 0:27 | |
| 3 | Miles Johns | 0 | 27 of 75 | 36% | 31 of 80 | 3 of 3 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 1:04 |
| Jean Matsumoto | 0 | 44 of 100 | 44% | 50 of 106 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:07 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles Johns | 83 of 184 | 45% | 70 of 170 | 12 of 13 | 1 of 1 | 78 of 175 | 5 of 8 | 0 of 1 |
| Jean Matsumoto | 95 of 233 | 40% | 49 of 160 | 27 of 38 | 19 of 35 | 87 of 224 | 8 of 9 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miles Johns | 22 of 42 | 52% | 17 of 37 | 5 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 20 of 37 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 1 |
| Jean Matsumoto | 16 of 49 | 32% | 8 of 29 | 5 of 9 | 3 of 11 | 15 of 48 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Miles Johns | 34 of 67 | 50% | 31 of 63 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 31 of 63 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 |
| Jean Matsumoto | 35 of 84 | 41% | 15 of 55 | 14 of 19 | 6 of 10 | 33 of 82 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Miles Johns | 27 of 75 | 36% | 22 of 70 | 4 of 4 | 1 of 1 | 27 of 75 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Jean Matsumoto | 44 of 100 | 44% | 26 of 76 | 8 of 10 | 10 of 14 | 39 of 94 | 5 of 6 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Matsumoto (-310); Johns (+250)
Round 1
A pair of bantamweights trying to bounce back from tough decision losses will come to blows next, with one of the two falling to the first losing streak of their career barring something bizarre. Johns (15-3, 1 NC; 6-3, 1 NC UFC) has not been the poster boy for high activity since coming to the organization in 2019, as this will be his first trip to the cage this year. His foe Matsumoto (16-1, 2-1 UFC) came up short to Rob Font in a “separate the wheat from the chaff” pairing, although some scoring it gave it to the 25-year-old Brazilian. Referee Herb Dean takes charge of the cage, paying close attention as the fighters decide against touching gloves.
They stay a safe distance from one another, with Matsumoto watching out for Johns’ anticipated blitzes. Johns rushes out behind a few punches, but they are out of range. When Matsumoto commits to a low kick, Johns wings a right hand over the top. He follows it with a few more up the middle, and keeps Matsumoto on his back foot with his surges. Johns dips and wings an overhand right, and his guard is raised well in time to defend against the counter. “Chapo” beats the once-beaten athlete to the punch literally and figuratively, clubbing him with his fists before crashing the pocket to shoot for a double. Lifting Matsumoto up in the air, Johns gingerly deposits his man down much kinder than a previous bantamweight tonight. Matsumoto hangs on with his right arm draped around Johns’ neck for a guillotine choke, and Johns is suddenly trapped as his head turns red and veins bulge. Johns does not appear overly concerned, and he slides his neck out before long.
Matsumoto is able to fight back to his feet, and he immediately faces cracking right and left hands from the Marathon MMA fighter. Matsumoto evades and tries to counter, but Johns is faster and putting his punches together. Matsumoto lets loose a body kick that does land, and Johns strikes him back immediately. Matsumoto zings a left hand that grazes the top of his foe’s head, and Johns appears to have to gather himself before winging responses. Matsumoto leaps forward with a flying knee, and Johns grabs him midair and slings him to the mat like a back of groceries. Matsumoto jumps back up to his feet with the fence behind him, and he frames off with an elbow. They both let their hands go, hooking their arms at the crook of the elbow. Matsumoto turns the tables on the American by shooting for a single, and Johns pushes—and not grabs—the fence to rebound. Matsumoto lets him have it with one last elbow before the round concludes.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Round 2
Matsumoto is the immediate aggressor to start the round, letting fly a head kick before Johns can shift into gear. Matsumoto chops the front leg of Johns and uses it to set punches up upstairs. Johns throws back, while avoiding the looping counters of his foe. Matsumoto works the body with both legs, trying to stay away from the counters that Johns commits to regularly. Nearly each time Matsumoto goes to a kick, Johns is ready with a right or left hook. This has decent effect, but he falls in love with his big power that he overswings with. Matsumoto strings together short but effective combinations, usually ending with a body shot.
Johns clubs his man behind the ear, sending Matsumoto staggering back, but Matsumoto is able to gain a full head of steam as he jumps at Johns with a flying knee. Once more, Johns times the jump to tackle Matsumoto to the floor. Matsumoto defends with a guillotine choke, using it to sit up and push Johns to the fence. Johns stands, and Matsumoto tags him with a few strikes before the reset. Matsumoto snaps out a left hand that gets Johns’ attention, and Johns bites down on his gumshield and hurls three hooks back at him. Johns tags his opponent with right hands, and a left hook scores just before Matsumoto goes for a body kick. Johns hurls his looping punches, snapping the head back when he lands, while Matsumoto is more than willing to stand in the pocket. A jump knee from Matsumoto drills Johns in the chest, and Johns grips hold of him and turns him to the wall. Matsumoto breaks free and tosses out a kick, and Johns responds with looping punches. Johns fakes a takedown shot that makes Matsumoto hit the deck, and he evades the follow-up strikes when the younger fighter gets up and chases after him.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Matsumoto
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Matsumoto
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Matsumoto
Round 3
The fight could be up for grabs in this last round, and Matsumoto knows this well by going back to attacking Johns’ lead leg. A low kick from Matsumoto trips Johns up, and Johns explodes back to his feet and drills Matsumoto in the face with a right hand. Johns connects with a calf kick that forces a stance switch, and Matsumoto backs off and rolls with a huge overhand right. Matsumoto’s jab pierces through the guard, and Johns’ hands are up to defend the worst of the additional blows. Johns leans on his own jab to rifle off a few one-twos, using straight strikes instead of the booming hooks from downtown. Meanwhile, Matsumoto does not waver from his approach of breaking down his opponent with body work to set up head shots. Johns sees this approach coming and tags him with two hooks, and he catches a body kick and sets it down before something can come of it. Johns puts fists on Matsumoto, and Matsumoto drives him back with a crisp uppercut.
Matsumoto intercepts his foe with a slapping low kick, and “Chapo” is struggling to put all of his weight on it. Matsumoto dances back and slips in a few more low kicks and a body kick, and now Johns briefly changes stances after absorbing the damage. Matsumoto circles all the way around, a 360-degree revolution, to settle again and kick at Johns’ legs. Johns fires off huge punches that knock Matsumoto back, including a power right hand as Matsumoto kicks at him. Johns swings for the bleachers, and Matsumoto is tough as nails but is forced to deal with a takedown shot after taking blows to the head. Matsumoto briefly clings to a guillotine, and Johns steps over to the side to get out of it. Matsumoto works his way back up with Johns behind him, and Johns trips him back out. This cycle nearly continues when Johns jams knees to the back of the younger fighter’s thigh, and all Matsumoto can offer is a handful of no-look back elbows. Matsumoto puts his back to the fence as he stands, his cheek leaking from absorbed strikes, and he pushes off with 15 seconds to spare. Johns opens up with two punches that miss, and Matsumoto pursues his own double as time expires. It could go either way here.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johns (29-28 Johns)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Matsumoto (29-28 Matsumoto)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Matsumoto (29-28 Matsumoto)
The Official Result
Jean Matsumoto def. Miles Johns via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Angelo picks Miles Johns as a dog, noting he is a strong wrestler with heavy hands and explosive speed. He thinks Matsumoto gets hit a lot and cuts easily, and in Las Vegas damage matters. Angelo likes the plus money on Johns and may bet the spread (+3.5) instead of the moneyline.
Big Brady picks Jean Matsumoto, criticizing Miles Johns for not using his wrestling and having low volume. He believes Matsumoto's higher volume and ability to mix in takedowns will be key. Brady expects Matsumoto to win by decision, though he notes the fight is not exciting.
Connor picks Matsumoto, describing him as a brute who sits down on his punches and forces opponents to prove they can handle his power. He notes that Johns struggles when opponents stay in his face and keep up the pace, as seen against Felipe Lima. Connor believes Matsumoto's pressure, boxing, and ability to cut off the cage will overwhelm Johns, though he acknowledges Johns hits hard and could land a big shot.
The host is a big fan of Matsumoto and thinks he can replicate what Philippe Lima did to Miles Johns. He expects Matsumoto to use a Muay Thai heavy approach, mix in takedowns, and chip away at Johns' lead leg, eventually winning on the scorecards.
The MMA Guru picks Jean Matsumoto, noting he arguably beat Rob Font and has multiple paths to victory. He criticizes Miles Johns as flat-footed and coiled up, which will allow Matsumoto to mix in grappling and striking. He predicts a decision win for Matsumoto, possibly 30-27.
Zane picks Matsumoto, highlighting his fast hands, good mobility, and technical boxing. He notes that Johns is a wrestle-boxer who needs to get takedowns to succeed, but Matsumoto's pressure and power will make that difficult. Zane compares Matsumoto to a bantamweight Danny Yay or Josh Emmett, a reliable gatekeeper who is always dangerous.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Felipe Lima | 0 | 31 of 137 | 22% | 35 of 143 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 1 | 1:35 |
| Miles Johns | 0 | 55 of 134 | 41% | 60 of 140 | 2 of 5 | 40% | 1 | 0 | 2:55 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Felipe Lima | 0 | 12 of 43 | 27% | 12 of 43 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:29 |
| Miles Johns | 0 | 20 of 48 | 41% | 20 of 48 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:02 | |
| 2 | Felipe Lima | 0 | 15 of 61 | 24% | 18 of 65 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:34 |
| Miles Johns | 0 | 24 of 58 | 41% | 27 of 61 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:44 | |
| 3 | Felipe Lima | 0 | 4 of 33 | 12% | 5 of 35 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 0:32 |
| Miles Johns | 0 | 11 of 28 | 39% | 13 of 31 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 1 | 0 | 2:09 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Felipe Lima | 31 of 137 | 22% | 21 of 122 | 5 of 7 | 5 of 8 | 31 of 135 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Miles Johns | 55 of 134 | 41% | 43 of 112 | 7 of 10 | 5 of 12 | 52 of 126 | 3 of 5 | 0 of 3 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Felipe Lima | 12 of 43 | 27% | 9 of 39 | 2 of 2 | 1 of 2 | 12 of 43 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Miles Johns | 20 of 48 | 41% | 13 of 34 | 4 of 5 | 3 of 9 | 18 of 46 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Felipe Lima | 15 of 61 | 24% | 9 of 54 | 3 of 3 | 3 of 4 | 15 of 61 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Miles Johns | 24 of 58 | 41% | 21 of 52 | 2 of 4 | 1 of 2 | 24 of 56 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 1 | |
| 3 | Felipe Lima | 4 of 33 | 12% | 3 of 29 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 2 | 4 of 31 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Miles Johns | 11 of 28 | 39% | 9 of 26 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 10 of 24 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 2 |
Angelo picks Miles Johns despite acknowledging Felipe Lima is more talented. He trusts Johns' veteran savvy and wrestling, but is hesitant because Johns has a history of abandoning wrestling to sit on right hands. He notes Lima slowed in his last fight and that Johns could win if he actually wrestles. He emphasizes this is a pick, not a bet, and would only consider betting if Johns is a big underdog.
Big Brady picks Miles Johns as a big underdog, calling the line 'nonsense'. He thinks Johns is the better wrestler and can dictate where the fight goes, and notes Johns has elite defensive striking (69% defense). He believes Lima is overhyped and that his win over Naimov was aided by Naimov quitting. He expects a close fight and takes the plus money.
Cody picks Felipe Lima, citing his well-rounded skills, excellent grappling, and striking. He notes that Miles Johns has a wrestling advantage but has struggled with cardio and was caught for PEDs. Cody believes Lima's volume and scrambling will win the fight, though he doesn't love the line.
Connor also picks Lima, noting that Lima's game is built on the idea that he will bounce back from anything, and that Johns needs to convince opponents they can't tussle with him, which is hard against a confident young fighter like Lima. He acknowledges that Lima will get into trouble but thinks Johns' control is a veneer and that Lima's finishing ability gives him the edge.
Daniel Vreeland picks Felipe Lima, contingent on him pushing a high pace. He notes Miles Johns fights at a low output and Lima must stay in his face and not give him time to rest. Vreeland believes Lima's grappling and volume can overwhelm Johns, who dislikes high-paced fights. He warns that if Lima fights at a low pace, Johns will win.
Lima's more technical and aggressive striking approach, combined with defensive grappling, should allow him to land more damage and eke out a decision. However, the odds are considered too wide, and Miles Johns is a potential dog at +200, making this a hesitant pick.
Paul picks Felipe Lima, agreeing with Cody. He notes that Johns has a path via wrestling but Lima's superior striking and grappling should prevail. Paul is not confident enough to bet heavily but sees Lima as the likely winner.
The MMA Guru picks Felipe Lima, citing his speed, dynamic kicking, and more diverse striking compared to Miles Johns, who he describes as a boxer with limited combinations. He notes that Johns is moving up to featherweight for the first time and may not have the size advantage. He also mentions Lima's youth (26) and the momentum of Brazilian prospects. He predicts Lima will finish Johns inside the distance.
Zane picks Lima but is torn. He notes that Lima is a confident, opportunistic fighter who never gives up, similar to early Brandon Moreno, while Miles Johns is a wrestle-boxer with a dated style but hits hard. Zane points out that Johns has faded in fights and his wins have asterisks, while Lima's willingness to engage and recover could overwhelm Johns. However, Lima's lack of control is a concern.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles Johns | 0 | 36 of 119 | 30% | 36 of 119 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:07 |
| Douglas Silva de Andrade | 0 | 50 of 96 | 52% | 52 of 98 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:05 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miles Johns | 0 | 12 of 27 | 44% | 12 of 27 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:07 |
| Douglas Silva de Andrade | 0 | 7 of 15 | 46% | 8 of 16 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Miles Johns | 0 | 10 of 41 | 24% | 10 of 41 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Douglas Silva de Andrade | 0 | 25 of 45 | 55% | 25 of 45 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Miles Johns | 0 | 14 of 51 | 27% | 14 of 51 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Douglas Silva de Andrade | 0 | 18 of 36 | 50% | 19 of 37 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:05 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles Johns | 36 of 119 | 30% | 21 of 80 | 6 of 21 | 9 of 18 | 36 of 118 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Douglas Silva de Andrade | 50 of 96 | 52% | 37 of 82 | 6 of 7 | 7 of 7 | 50 of 96 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miles Johns | 12 of 27 | 44% | 7 of 16 | 1 of 4 | 4 of 7 | 12 of 27 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Douglas Silva de Andrade | 7 of 15 | 46% | 3 of 10 | 1 of 2 | 3 of 3 | 7 of 15 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Miles Johns | 10 of 41 | 24% | 4 of 24 | 4 of 13 | 2 of 4 | 10 of 41 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Douglas Silva de Andrade | 25 of 45 | 55% | 19 of 39 | 3 of 3 | 3 of 3 | 25 of 45 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Miles Johns | 14 of 51 | 27% | 10 of 40 | 1 of 4 | 3 of 7 | 14 of 50 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Douglas Silva de Andrade | 18 of 36 | 50% | 15 of 33 | 2 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 18 of 36 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Angelo picks Miles Johns, citing his youth, speed, and wrestling advantage. He notes Douglas is durable and a tough striker but is older and slowing down. He worries about Miles' cardio but believes his wrestling will be the difference. He mentions he has a moneyline bet on Miles.
Cody picks Miles Johns, citing his improved cardio and wrestling under Trey Ogden at Marathon MMA. He notes that Johns used to gas out but has shown better pacing in recent fights. Cody believes Johns can outwork Silva de Andrade by pressing him against the cage and using takedowns, especially since Silva de Andrade is 39 and cuts to 135, which may affect his durability. He expects a low-volume decision win for Johns.
Daniel Vreeland has a love-hate relationship with Miles Johns, noting his low output and tendency to back himself to the fence. He acknowledges Douglas Silva de Andrade's experience and durability but leans with Johns due to his physicality, youth, and confidence. He expects a low-output fight and sees Johns as the more physical younger guy.
Jacob picks Miles Johns but expects to be nervous during the fight. He recalls Miles gassing in the Cody Gibson fight and needing motivation. He thinks Douglas is a tough bowling ball and Miles may struggle with cardio again. He notes Miles should win but it will be close.
Johns has evolved and matured, allowing him to execute a game plan to wear on de Andrade's gas tank. By slowing him down early and evading his power, Johns will grind out a decision using clinching, takedowns, footwork, and output.
Paul picks Douglas Silva de Andrade as a dog, noting that he bets him almost every fight because he is always the underdog. He highlights Silva de Andrade's durability and power, and believes that judges are not rewarding wrestling control as much these days. Paul thinks Silva de Andrade can land the bigger shots and win, despite his low volume.
The MMA Guru picks Douglas Silva de Andrade, questioning whether Miles Johns can KO him. He notes Johns couldn't KO Cody Gibson and relies too much on overhands. He thinks Silva de Andrade has better wins (Cody Stamann, Sergey Morozov) and will make reads on Johns' power shots. He also mentions Silva de Andrade's competitive fights with Lerone Murphy and Nate Maness.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles Johns | 0 | 25 of 79 | 31% | 64 of 137 | 2 of 8 | 25% | 0 | 1 | 6:29 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 18 of 62 | 29% | 52 of 108 | 1 of 7 | 14% | 0 | 0 | 1:55 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miles Johns | 0 | 5 of 19 | 26% | 14 of 29 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 2:15 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 4 of 22 | 18% | 16 of 39 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:19 | |
| 2 | Miles Johns | 0 | 11 of 23 | 47% | 25 of 43 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 1 | 1:54 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 2 of 8 | 25% | 12 of 21 | 1 of 4 | 25% | 0 | 0 | 1:36 | |
| 3 | Miles Johns | 0 | 9 of 37 | 24% | 25 of 65 | 1 of 5 | 20% | 0 | 0 | 2:20 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 12 of 32 | 37% | 24 of 48 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles Johns | 25 of 79 | 31% | 18 of 66 | 5 of 9 | 2 of 4 | 20 of 72 | 4 of 6 | 1 of 1 |
| Cody Gibson | 18 of 62 | 29% | 9 of 39 | 4 of 17 | 5 of 6 | 16 of 60 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miles Johns | 5 of 19 | 26% | 3 of 14 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 3 | 4 of 17 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 4 of 22 | 18% | 3 of 15 | 0 of 5 | 1 of 2 | 3 of 21 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Miles Johns | 11 of 23 | 47% | 9 of 21 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 7 of 18 | 3 of 4 | 1 of 1 |
| Cody Gibson | 2 of 8 | 25% | 0 of 5 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 7 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Miles Johns | 9 of 37 | 24% | 6 of 31 | 3 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 9 of 37 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 12 of 32 | 37% | 6 of 19 | 3 of 10 | 3 of 3 | 12 of 32 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Johns (-148), Gibson (+124)
Round 1
Johns (13-2, 1 NC; 4-2, 1 NC UFC) was supposed to be coming into this fight with the struggling Gibson (19-9, 1-4 UFC) on a win streak, but a failed drug test after beating Dan Argueta erased the victory. In short order, this standard undercard bantamweight matchup turned to one with greater personal stakes with both. Referee Herb Dean will sort things out, watching over the two men that do not touch gloves. Gibson starts off swirling his hand around, and he walks into a thumping leg kick. Johns swarms into action with a clubbing right hand, and he backs off and circles to the side away from strikes that come his way. Johns ducks down to swat away a leg kick, and he dips down and eats a clean uppercut. Gibson flashes out several jabs and avoids a huge overhand right, and Johns shifts to the side to get away and reset. Gibson overloads on a right hand, and he follows Johns around and grabs hold of one of Johns’ legs to think about a takedown. Johns backs him off with body shots, and he resets and dodges the swinging punches coming his direction. Johns misses a right hook by a matter of centimeters, and Gibson ties him up against the fence and knees him in the dome. Johns scores an uppercut on the break, and Gibson chases after him and jumps away to dodge a right hand. Johns races forward, and his momentum tackles “The Renegade” to the canvas. Johns resides in top position, and Gibson is immediately active with his guard, looking for a butterfly hook, a submission setup or just throwing strikes from off his back. Gibson keeps Johns from landing anything of merit, and he brings up his right leg for a rubber guard momentarily before Johns pushes it aside. Gibson tries to roll over in pursuit of an armbar, and Johns is wise to it as he stays flat on top of his opponent. Johns hammers down an elbow, and when he looks to pass, Gibson turns around to stand up with the wall at his side. Johns tries to drag him back down, and with sheer force of will, he tosses Gibson back down. Johns holds onto him while landing short but heavy right hands, as Gibson works his way up. Gibson ducks away and throws a big knee, and Johns nearly reenacts Fedor vs. Arlovski by blasting Gibson with a right hand that sends him flying. Johns points at him, and Gibson looks surprised but is still with it as the horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Round 2
Gibson is the pressure fighter early, showing he has fully recovered from the concussive blow. He prods out a front kick and a few jabs, and Johns is well away from anything of note. Gibson drops down to grab a single, and Johns uppercuts him until he topples to the floor. Gibson grabs him from behind during a scramble, and Johns climbs back up while leaning against the cage. Gibson looks to trip or drag Johns down, but Johns escapes. Johns lands a powerful elbow that splits open a cut on Gibson’s cheek, and he crowds him and knocks him squirrely with another powerful uppercut. Johns continues to hammer his foe with uppercuts as Gibson shoots for a single, and Gibson manages to get the takedown despite absorbing the blows. Gibson follows a scrambling Johns until he takes his back, and he secures the body triangle. Gibson fishes for a choke, and Johns hand-fights and turns to flip Gibson over with a powerful reversal. Johns pins Gibson’s right arm with his knee and slugs him in the chops several times, and he keeps “The Renegade” pinned to the floor while landing shots. Johns wraps up a guillotine with one arm and lets it go to pummel Gibson with left hands until Gibson explodes back to his feet. Johns uses his full weight in an effort to wrench Gibson down, and he breaks and scores two uppercuts. Gibson resets and flicks out a jab, and Johns drills him in the lead leg with a kick and cracks him with two right hands. Gibson gathers his thoughts and leaps forward with a flying knee that skims off the dome, and Johns immediately drops down to take Gibson down with a double when Gibson lands. Gibson scrambles back upright, and Johns leans on him to land short shots until the bell.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Round 3
The two bantamweights clap hands as they reach the final round, and Johns sticks his jab out immediately while Gibson comes after him. Johns clubs him with three right hands and backs off with a jab, and Gibson slaps a high kick off his raised guard. Johns grapples to get hold of a single, tripping Gibson up and driving him to the fence. Gibson keeps his balance but is pressed against the wall, and Johns squeezes on him tight. Gibson manages to fight his way out of the clinch, and Johns comes up short with an uppercut on the way out. Gibson ducks down and into a few more uppercuts from “Chapo,” and he presses forward and watches a right hand slide off his cheek. They trade jabs, and change levels at the same time to no avail. Johns shoots for a single, pushing Gibson up against the wire, and he delivers a few knees to the thigh to keep busy. Dean asks for more work, and Johns connects with three clean shots that pound off Gibson’s head. Gibson breaks away, and he reaches out with a kick that is blocked. Johns rushes forward with a right hand as his lead leg is kicked, and Gibson fires off a body kick. When Gibson charges, Johns cracks him with an overhand right. Johns uses the power shot to frazzle Gibson just enough to change levels in pursuit of a single. Dean clasp for them to do more twice, and Gibson answers him by freaking away. They trade hands, and Johns doggedly goes after the single again. Lifting Gibson off the ground and slamming him down, Johns claims top position and fights off a kimura sweep. Gibson turns all the way over to stand up with less than 20 seconds left, and he walks into a right hand and pushes out a front kick. The fight ends with Johns landing one final right hand.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johns (30-27 Johns)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Johns (30-27 Johns)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johns (30-27 Johns)
The Official Result
Miles Johns def. Cody Gibson via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Angelo picks Miles Johns but is hesitant because he doesn't trust Johns to wrestle consistently. He notes that Johns has the tools to dominate but often abandons wrestling for power punches. He considers a small bet or parlay with another sketchy fighter, but is not fully confident.
Big Brady picks Cody Gibson, citing Gibson's volume, durability, and cardio advantage. He notes Miles Johns is on short notice and has questionable cardio and durability (both losses inside the distance). He expects Johns to have early success but Gibson to take over and finish him in the third round by knockout.
Cody picks Gibson, citing his forward pressure and wrestling. He notes that Johns has cardio issues and was likely on steroids in his last win. Cody believes Gibson's volume and aggression will earn him rounds, especially if Johns fades. He also likes the over 2.5 rounds.
Daniel Vreeland leans toward Miles Johns, citing his athleticism and one-punch power. He acknowledges Gibson's high output but worries about Gibson's durability and tendency to slow down. He thinks Johns can land a big shot or grind out a win, but he is not confident enough to bet the favorite.
Johns is quick, explosive, and has multiple ways to win: wrestling, power, movement. He slows down late but has improved his cardio. Gibson is a veteran boxer with good footwork but can be taken down and ground out. Johns' speed and variety should be too much, but confidence is not high. Expect a decision win for Johns.
Paul agrees, emphasizing that takedowns may not be scored highly by judges, as seen in recent fights. He thinks Gibson's volume will be the deciding factor. Paul also notes Gibson's toughness and recent Fight of the Night bonus.
The MMA Guru picks Cody Gibson as an underdog over Miles Johns. He believes Johns is breakable under pressure and that Gibson's size and pace will break him. He notes Gibson's height and reach advantage, and thinks knees in the clinch will be key. He predicts a third-round TKO for Gibson.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Argueta | 0 | 33 of 85 | 38% | 38 of 95 | 2 of 6 | 33% | 2 | 0 | 3:55 |
| Miles Johns | 0 | 43 of 92 | 46% | 52 of 104 | 2 of 6 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 4:39 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dan Argueta | 0 | 3 of 14 | 21% | 8 of 21 | 1 of 4 | 25% | 1 | 0 | 2:14 |
| Miles Johns | 0 | 8 of 21 | 38% | 8 of 23 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:49 | |
| 2 | Dan Argueta | 0 | 16 of 32 | 50% | 16 of 35 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 1:21 |
| Miles Johns | 0 | 14 of 28 | 50% | 23 of 38 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 1:50 | |
| 3 | Dan Argueta | 0 | 14 of 39 | 35% | 14 of 39 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:20 |
| Miles Johns | 0 | 21 of 43 | 48% | 21 of 43 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 2:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Argueta | 33 of 85 | 38% | 20 of 67 | 8 of 12 | 5 of 6 | 22 of 70 | 5 of 8 | 6 of 7 |
| Miles Johns | 43 of 92 | 46% | 32 of 77 | 5 of 9 | 6 of 6 | 40 of 84 | 2 of 3 | 1 of 5 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dan Argueta | 3 of 14 | 21% | 1 of 10 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 2 | 3 of 13 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Miles Johns | 8 of 21 | 38% | 8 of 21 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 8 of 19 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 2 | |
| 2 | Dan Argueta | 16 of 32 | 50% | 10 of 24 | 3 of 5 | 3 of 3 | 10 of 24 | 5 of 7 | 1 of 1 |
| Miles Johns | 14 of 28 | 50% | 10 of 22 | 3 of 5 | 1 of 1 | 12 of 24 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 1 | |
| 3 | Dan Argueta | 14 of 39 | 35% | 9 of 33 | 4 of 5 | 1 of 1 | 9 of 33 | 0 of 0 | 5 of 6 |
| Miles Johns | 21 of 43 | 48% | 14 of 34 | 2 of 4 | 5 of 5 | 20 of 41 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 |
Angelo trusts Argueta's wrestling-first game plan and believes Johns' takedown defense is inflated because he hasn't faced a dedicated wrestler. He expects Argueta to stay on the hips and outwork Johns. Pretty confident pick.
Big Brady picks Miles Johns as an underdog, calling the fight close and likely to go to decision. He likes Johns' defensive wrestling and striking defense, and notes Johns has power and out-lands opponents despite low volume. He thinks Argueta may have wrestling success later as Johns slows down, but believes Johns can win at least two rounds. He prefers the plus money.
Cody picks Dan Argueta, impressed by his toughness and grappling. He notes Argueta's strong wrestling and submission threats, while Johns has cardio issues and slows down. He believes Argueta's pressure and pace will overwhelm Johns in later rounds.
Daniel picks Argueta but without strong conviction. He thinks Johns has been a letdown in the UFC, with low output and a tendency to break under pressure. He questions whether Argueta can push the pace needed to break Johns, but believes Argueta's hunger and takedown volume might be enough. He acknowledges the line is close to accurate and is not betting it.
Lucrative James likes Miles Johns at the line, calling it an overcorrection. He thinks Johns can defend takedowns early and has power on the feet. He notes Johns is a good wrestler himself and could get takedowns. He sees the fight as close, possibly a pick'em, but favors Johns.
The host picks Argueta at minus 170, calling it a gift line. He praises Argueta's wrestling, cardio, and pressure, expecting him to wear on Johns and pull away late. He notes Johns' wins are over lower-level opponents and that Argueta is superior in grappling and pace. He predicts a decision win for Argueta after a close first round.
Paul picks Argueta but prefers live betting. He worries about Argueta's low volume and Johns's 92% takedown defense. He thinks Johns may win early rounds but Argueta's cardio advantage could take over. He is interested in Argueta by submission or round 3 prop.
The MMA Guru picks Dan Argueta, criticizing Miles Johns' weak strength of schedule, noting his opponents include Kevin Natividad and Anderson dos Santos. He praises Argueta's training at Jackson Wink MMA, his judo background, and his toughness in taking Damon Jackson to a close decision. He believes Argueta is a gradually improving fighter with good hips and strength, while Johns has plateaued. He expects Argueta to win via grappling and pressure.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles Johns | 0 | 39 of 131 | 29% | 47 of 139 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:05 |
| Vince Morales | 0 | 38 of 103 | 36% | 45 of 110 | 1 of 12 | 8% | 0 | 0 | 2:08 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miles Johns | 0 | 8 of 32 | 25% | 8 of 32 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Vince Morales | 0 | 10 of 26 | 38% | 10 of 26 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:02 | |
| 2 | Miles Johns | 0 | 11 of 43 | 25% | 13 of 45 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:02 |
| Vince Morales | 0 | 13 of 32 | 40% | 13 of 32 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 0:35 | |
| 3 | Miles Johns | 0 | 20 of 56 | 35% | 26 of 62 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:03 |
| Vince Morales | 0 | 15 of 45 | 33% | 22 of 52 | 0 of 8 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1:31 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles Johns | 39 of 131 | 29% | 28 of 112 | 9 of 15 | 2 of 4 | 36 of 127 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 |
| Vince Morales | 38 of 103 | 36% | 28 of 92 | 4 of 5 | 6 of 6 | 38 of 102 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miles Johns | 8 of 32 | 25% | 6 of 27 | 1 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 8 of 32 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Vince Morales | 10 of 26 | 38% | 7 of 23 | 1 of 1 | 2 of 2 | 10 of 25 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Miles Johns | 11 of 43 | 25% | 6 of 35 | 5 of 7 | 0 of 1 | 9 of 41 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Vince Morales | 13 of 32 | 40% | 8 of 27 | 2 of 2 | 3 of 3 | 13 of 32 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Miles Johns | 20 of 56 | 35% | 16 of 50 | 3 of 5 | 1 of 1 | 19 of 54 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Vince Morales | 15 of 45 | 33% | 13 of 42 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 15 of 45 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Johns (-165), Morales (+140)
Round 1
The bantamweight ride continues with two more heavy-handed and fast-paced competitors, as Morales (11-6, 3-4 UFC) throws down with recent Glory MMA trainee Johns (12-2, 3-2 UFC). Referee Chris Tognoni steels himself for the action, whether it lasts 15 seconds or 15 minutes, and the two would rather battle it out than touch gloves – the bad blood appears to be high, as the commission had to separate them ahead of the introductions. Now that the fight is on, the two 135ers do not engage, with over 30 seconds elapsing before either man throws a single strike. Johns reaches out with a straight left hand and a leg kick, and Morales responds with a left hab. Johns pushes him back with a jab of his own, and he doubles up on it while Morales is measuring his range. The two collide with heavy blows at the same time, but neither man budges an inch. The inactivity continues as they are not willing to commit on their strikes, and any power punches go well away from their intended targets. Johns steps in with a quick calf kick, and Morales takes a funny step back after absorbing it. A quick jab from “Chapo” makes Morales backpedal, but it is one-and-done until Morales gets his gumption to toss out a single low kick. Johns loads up on a right hand, but Morales ducks it in the nick of time. Johns pokes out with a jab, and he slides back as Morales whips a left hook towards him. Morales attempts to get his own jab doing, snapping it out a few times and ducking when Johns throws a right hand that would have knocked down a building. Johns crashes forward suddenly to snag a single, and Morales hops back and yanks his leg out. Johns loads up on another massive overhand right, and he does not find the target with that but gets off a clean left hook. The activity spikes, relative to the other action, when Johns scores a few left hands before the bell.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Round 2
Johns lords over the center of the cage when the round begins, and neither man is willing to throw anything effective. The two jab at one another, and Johns’ mouth begins to bleed. Johns thumps the lead calf with his shin, and he pushes out a jab that makes Morales blink a few times. As Morales marches forward, he throws hard, and Johns dips down and grabs hold of a single. “Vandetta” wriggles the leg out and races away, resetting in the middle of the Octagon and preparing to throw. As Morales comes forward, he walks into one of Johns’ outstretched fingers, and Tognoni recognizes this and pauses the bout. To give Morales additional time to recover, Tognoni calls in the doctor to check on the condition of Morales’ eye, and Morales explains that he is good to go and holds no ill will towards his opponent. After about 90 seconds, the two get back to business, the jabs come from the fighters at the restart. Johns walks his man down and swats out several jabs, and he releases several booming hooks that all miss one after the other. Morales circles out and into a low kick, but he shows no concern and reaches out with a front kick to the sternum. Morales catches a low kick and swipes out with a right hand, but Johns replies with a swiping right hand on the way out. Johns blocks a high kick and eats a jab, and he charges with a small barrage that bounce off the guard. Johns glances a right hand over the top, and he finds himself eating a kick to the belly for his work. “Chapo” loads up on another right hand, following it with a high crotch single-leg but not succeeding with it. Morales defends with elbows to the side of the head, and this distracts him enough for Johns to elevate him and slam him down one second before time expires.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Morales
Round 3
Jabs are exchanged to start off the final round of what has been a tepid and tentative affair. The striking accuracy totals of both bantamweights are likely extremely low, especially in the significant strike category. Johns ducks in for a single without setting it up, and he lifts Morales’ left leg up in the air and chases him from one side of the cage to the other. Morales trips to the floor, and he bounces right back up without a care in the world. On the reset, Morales picks and pokes with a jab, and Johns sits down with a calf kick that lands with an audible thud. Morales replies with a slapping body kick, but the bantamweights are largely targeting one another with single strikes. Johns misses with a right hand, Morales is similarly inaccurate, and they return to their jab-centric approach. Morales chains a jab into a right hand, and Johns gives chase and swarms him with winging but missing punches. “Chapo” attempts another single, and this is nowhere near secure as Morales springs away. Morales makes him pay for this attempt with another body kick, and Johns blitzes him with a single-leg takedown effort. “Vandetta” keeps himself from hitting the mat once more, and he plants a front kick on the torso while Johns swings at air. They alternate with jabs, and the follow-up strikes from both fighters miss the mark again and again. Johns fires off huge overhand rights, but the evasiveness of Morales keeps him safe from harm. Johns attacks with one final takedown, and he bullies Morales to the wall and holds him there until the fight comes to a merciful end. The judges will have their hands full evaluating this lackluster contest.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Morales (29-28 Johns)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Morales (29-28 Johns)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Morales (29-28 Morales)
The Official Result
Miles Johns def. Vince Morales via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Castañeda | 0 | 34 of 85 | 40% | 34 of 85 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Miles Johns | 1 | 58 of 147 | 39% | 68 of 159 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1:45 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Castañeda | 0 | 11 of 27 | 40% | 11 of 27 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Miles Johns | 0 | 16 of 48 | 33% | 16 of 48 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | John Castañeda | 0 | 17 of 44 | 38% | 17 of 44 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Miles Johns | 0 | 25 of 68 | 36% | 33 of 76 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 1:12 | |
| 3 | John Castañeda | 0 | 6 of 14 | 42% | 6 of 14 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Miles Johns | 1 | 17 of 31 | 54% | 19 of 35 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0:33 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Castañeda | 34 of 85 | 40% | 27 of 76 | 6 of 8 | 1 of 1 | 33 of 83 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Miles Johns | 58 of 147 | 39% | 40 of 113 | 6 of 11 | 12 of 23 | 47 of 129 | 7 of 11 | 4 of 7 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Castañeda | 11 of 27 | 40% | 8 of 24 | 2 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 11 of 27 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Miles Johns | 16 of 48 | 33% | 7 of 30 | 2 of 3 | 7 of 15 | 16 of 48 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | John Castañeda | 17 of 44 | 38% | 13 of 38 | 4 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 17 of 43 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Miles Johns | 25 of 68 | 36% | 19 of 56 | 2 of 5 | 4 of 7 | 21 of 62 | 2 of 4 | 2 of 2 | |
| 3 | John Castañeda | 6 of 14 | 42% | 6 of 14 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 5 of 13 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Miles Johns | 17 of 31 | 54% | 14 of 27 | 2 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 10 of 19 | 5 of 7 | 2 of 5 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogRound 1
The prelims conclude with a bantamweight battle as Fortis MMA standout Johns (12-1, 3-1 UFC) takes on longtime Combate Americas vet Castaneda (18-5, 1-1 UFC). Without wasting any more time, the fighters meet in the middle and touch gloves as referee Mike Beltran keeps a watchful eye. Castaneda swings a head kick that misses the mark by a wide margin, and Johns is holding on to a healthy distance as he circles against the outer edge of the cage. Johns blocks a high kick, but he does not throw much more back than a jab. Castaneda continues throwing his kick up on high, and it does not succeed again. Johns remains elusive but is not swinging much of his own, and he suddenly bursts forward with a left-right combo. Castaneda walks forward and gets his head snapped back with a right hook, and Johns takes a step back to avoid a possible counter. “Sexi Mexi” has a kick slap off Johns’ leg, and Johns is waiting with an overhand right counter that brushes off his chin. Castaneda reaches out with his fingers outstretched, and one grazes the eyeball of his opponent to force a brief stoppage. Johns clears his eye and they resume, as Castaneda gives chase but cannot land much on his defensive foe. Johns blocks a head kick and absorbs a low kick, and he misses with a left hand. The accuracy rate and volume this round are quite low, as both men are largely content to swing with single strikes. Johns looks for an uppercut counter, and he bumps into Castaneda’s chin but does not land flush. A right hand from “Chapo” drills into Castaneda’s jaw, but he wears it well and does not take much more than a step back. Castaneda connects with a loud body kick, stepping back just in the nick of time to avoid a looping punch from the Fortis MMA fighter. They feint and fake at one another, and three head kicks from Castaneda are all blocked right before the round concludes.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Castaneda
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Round 2
The second frame begins with a glove touch, and Castaneda opens up with a kick that pounds square into Johns’ cup. Johns tries to say he is good to go, but Beltran gives him more time to recover. When they begin again, Johns is there with a big right hand. Castaneda kicks low again but this one is legal, and Johns suddenly burst into activity as he swarms his man with a barrage of punches. Castaneda shakes them off, but Johns is fired up and throwing with bad intentions. “Sexi Mexi” blocks and dodges many of the strikes, and he marches Johns down and gets punched in the stomach. Johns catches a head kick right on the side of his head, and he shakes it off somehow and tries to suck Castaneda into a brawl. Johns sets a trap to lure Castaneda in and bomb him with hooks, but Castaneda does not fall for it and keeps pressuring Johns around the cage. Castaneda lands a right hand on the side of the head, and Johns’ face looks far less confident than the previous round. Castaneda keeps bullying Johns back, and even though not all of his strikes land, he is constantly forcing the Fortis fighter to fight off his back foot. Castaneda clips Johns with a right hand, and Johns staggers back and may have remained upright thanks to the fence behind him. Castaneda charges at him, lands again and pushes Johns to the ground. Castaneda willingly climbs into the guard, slowly working with ground-and-pound all while he passes to half guard. Johns turns to his side and gets elbowed on the side of the head, and with a surge of adrenaline, he kicks Castaneda off of him and powers back to his feet. Johns loads up on a big right hand, but his target is several feet away. Castaneda wades into the danger zone to let loose with a head kick, and several more punches as Johns is predominantly aiming with a home-run shot. The second round ends with Johns winging a right hand that clatters off the guard.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Castaneda
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Castaneda
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Castaneda
Round 3
Castaneda opens the final round the aggressor, forcing Johns to back away as he avoids punches that loom. Castaneda scores a low kick, and he ducks a huge punch from Johns. Castaneda dodges and weaves, cracking Johns with a right hand and staying safe from the reckless, wide hooks coming back at him. Johns wobbles back, and Castaneda lays into him with a knee and a body shot. Johns throws a punch so hard he spins around, and Castaneda charges. With “Sexi Mexi” laying into his tired foe with a couple punches, a powerful knee and an uppercut, Johns’ legs give way beneath him and he falls to the floor.
Castaneda pounces, landing in three-quarter mount while he hooks up an arm-triangle choke. Johns defends off his back by hooking his arm beneath his knee, but his arm grows weary and he retracts it. “Chapo” considers tapping out, but he goes out on his shield, with the arm-triangle choke sending him off to dreamland.
Beltran notices that Johns’ is fast asleep and intervenes, and Castaneda is now the first fighter to ever submit Johns.
The Official Result
John Castaneda def. Miles Johns R3 1:38 via Technical Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke)
Angelo picks Miles Johns for his power and wrestling. He notes Johns has heavy hands and explosive takedowns, coming off two knockout wins. Castañeda is a fun, high-pressure fighter with fast hands and takedowns but lacks power. Angelo believes Johns' power and wrestling will match Castañeda's pressure and secure the win.
Cody agrees with Paul, noting that Johns' volume is low and he can be edged out. He thinks Castañeda is a live underdog because Johns' style leaves room for an upset. He is leaning Castañeda but not ready to pull the trigger fully.
Daniel Levi picks Miles Johns, citing his athleticism, speed, and higher pace. He notes Johns has five-round experience and has beaten tough guys like Adrian Yanez. Levi thinks Castañeda is a step behind athletically and often fights on his back foot. He expects Johns to push the pace and win a decision, though he acknowledges Castañeda's technical skills and the possibility of an upset.
Lock of the Night picks Johns, citing his wrestling advantage and improving striking. He notes that Castañeda is the better technical striker but Johns can initiate takedowns and control the fight. He likes Johns by decision at +130.
Paul sees Castañeda as a live underdog. He notes that Miles Johns has low volume and can make mental mistakes. He thinks Castañeda has decent power and cardio, and if Johns makes a mistake, Castañeda can capitalize. He is leaning towards Castañeda but not fully committed.
The MMA Guru picks Miles Johns, citing his momentum and power advantage. He references Johns' wins over Anderson dos Santos and Kevin Natividad, and notes Castañeda was schooled by Nathaniel Wood. He predicts a 29-28 decision with Johns winning the first two rounds due to power, and Castañeda possibly taking the third.
Cody Gibson - Fight History
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 3 of 3 | 100% | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Aoriqileng | 1 | 5 of 8 | 62% | 6 of 9 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:04 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cody Gibson | 0 | 3 of 3 | 100% | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Aoriqileng | 1 | 5 of 8 | 62% | 6 of 9 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:04 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Gibson | 3 of 3 | 100% | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Aoriqileng | 5 of 8 | 62% | 5 of 7 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 6 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cody Gibson | 3 of 3 | 100% | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Aoriqileng | 5 of 8 | 62% | 5 of 7 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 6 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gibson (-160); Aori (+130)
Round 1
Previously on the main card, this bantamweight battle between two men below .500 in the promotion has slid down into the prelims. A win will be crucial for either man here, with backs likely against the wall. Gibson (21-11, 3-6 UFC) is a ways away from evening things out, while Aori (25-12, 1 NC; 3-4, 1 NC UFC) could hit that precious midpoint win rate by prevailing. The third man in the Octagon for the two athletes will be referee Mitch Cadlick. A fist bump is shared.
Gibson opens up with a massive right hand to say hello, skimming the side of the Chinese fighter’s cheek. When he offers a leg kick behind it, Aori says “two can play that game” and launches back a missile of a right that jacks Gibson cleanly on the jaw.
Gibson takes a step back to gather his thoughts, his cheek already swelling up from the one blow absorbed, and he walks face-first into another when pitching a naked leg kick. This one nearly shuts the lights out and puts Gibson down for the count.
“The Mongolian Murderer” leaps on top to batter Gibson with ground strikes, and Cadlick watches on to see how Gibson is defending himself. Gibson’s hands are not where Cadlick thinks they should be to intelligently defend himself, and the Donkey Kong-esque hammerfists do the job and force Cadlick to wave the fight off. The defeated “Renegade” sits up and issues a protest, his cheek growing in size by the second, and his cries fall on deaf ears as the fight is over and he has lost. Aori runs over to his team to embrace them, and he dons a glorious hat that is a brilliant shade of blue. When it comes time for the post-fight interview, the promotion drops the ball completely by bringing in his coach, Eddie Cha, as the translator. Cha is, unfortunately, a Korean man who promptly explains that he cannot speak Chinese.
The Official Result
Qileng Aori def. Cody Gibson R1 0:21 via TKO (Punches)
Angelo picks Cody Gibson, citing his length, striking, and takedown ability. He expects Gibson to use a similar game plan as against Anne Hallegren, with multiple takedowns and control time. He notes Aori Qileng's vulnerability to takedowns, as seen against Raul Rosas.
Big Brady sees a clear grappling edge for Gibson, noting Qileng's poor takedown defense. He compares it to Gibson's win over Chad Anheliger where he controlled the fight with takedowns. He questions Gibson's fight IQ and cardio but picks him by decision.
Cody picks Gibson, citing his size, wrestling background, and durability. He notes Gibson has never been knocked out and has high volume. Qileng lacks power and has poor takedown defense. Cody expects Gibson to outwork Qileng and win by decision or late stoppage.
Connor picks Gibson, noting his improved boxing and technical proficiency. He points out that Gibson works hard on the technical side and showed sharp combinations against Blackshear. However, Connor notes Gibson's tendency to overpush and tire, which could be a problem against Aoriqileng's durability. He still favors Gibson's more purposeful game.
James sees Gibson's wrestling as a clear path to victory, but worries about his age (38) and Qileng's improvements in takedown defense. He expects Gibson to grind out a decision with takedowns and top control, though Qileng's striking could be dangerous if the fight stays on the feet.
The host believes Gibson is a better striker and wrestler than Qileng. As long as Gibson can muzzle Qileng's aggressive style, he should mix the martial arts well and win on the scorecards.
Paul picks Gibson, agreeing with Cody. He notes Qileng's low volume and questionable takedown defense. Gibson's wrestling and pressure will be key. Paul sees Gibson winning about 70% of the time and thinks the line is fair.
The MMA Guru picks Cody Gibson over Aori Qileng. He likes Gibson's pressure and volume, noting Qileng has been walked down before. He believes Gibson will throw twice as many shots and win a decision if neither finishes. He admits neither has great wins but trusts Gibson's output.
Zane picks Gibson, citing his more functional game and ability to bank early momentum. He notes that Gibson's boxing has improved and he fights with purpose, while Aoriqileng is a scrappy but less purposeful fighter. Zane worries about Gibson's tendency to fade in round three, but believes he will build a two-round lead before tiring.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Da'Mon Blackshear | 0 | 13 of 39 | 33% | 46 of 74 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 3 | 1 | 3:32 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 45 of 71 | 63% | 53 of 82 | 1 of 5 | 20% | 0 | 0 | 2:42 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Da'Mon Blackshear | 0 | 6 of 16 | 37% | 9 of 21 | 0 of 0 | --- | 2 | 0 | 1:11 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 30 of 43 | 69% | 37 of 52 | 0 of 4 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 2:13 | |
| 2 | Da'Mon Blackshear | 0 | 7 of 23 | 30% | 37 of 53 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 1 | 1 | 2:21 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 15 of 28 | 53% | 16 of 30 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:29 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Da'Mon Blackshear | 13 of 39 | 33% | 11 of 35 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 11 of 37 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 45 of 71 | 63% | 23 of 47 | 12 of 14 | 10 of 10 | 31 of 53 | 14 of 18 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Da'Mon Blackshear | 6 of 16 | 37% | 5 of 14 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 5 of 15 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 30 of 43 | 69% | 16 of 27 | 9 of 11 | 5 of 5 | 21 of 30 | 9 of 13 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Da'Mon Blackshear | 7 of 23 | 30% | 6 of 21 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 6 of 22 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 15 of 28 | 53% | 7 of 20 | 3 of 3 | 5 of 5 | 10 of 23 | 5 of 5 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Blackshear (-455), Gibson (+350)
Round 1
Despite their middling records with the promotion, the UFC elected to slot this bantamweight tilt between Blackshear (15-7-1, 3-3-1 UFC) and Gibson (21-10, 3-5 UFC) over names like Spann…and others. Grappling could be the difference maker in this contest, and it commences without the fighters touching gloves. Referee Chris Tognoni stands back and stands by. Gibson loads up on a big right hand to start up, and when it is blocked, Blackshear responds in kind. Blackshear surges forward with body shots and a power right hand, and Gibson replies with an identical flurry that knocks Blackshear to the fencing. Gibson looks for a level change, energetically attacking a single and lifting Blackshear’s leg up. Blackshear frees himself, and Gibson marches him down and pummels him in the ribs several times. Blackshear turtles up, perhaps still compromised from body blows, and Gibson is on him not giving him a moment to breathe. Gibson drills Blackshear with a few more body shots and drops down in pursuit of a double. Blackshear defends with a guillotine choke, using the stalling time to recover. Gibson drives a few knees to the body before breaking off, and he plods forward whipping a kick to the lead leg. When Blackshear scores as left hand, Gibson is in his face with a combination. Blackshear backs him away with a few kicks, and simultaneous kicks results in both men toppling to the mat. They spring back up, and Gibson stabs out a jab and shoots for a single. Blackshear backs to the wall and grips a guillotine choke, pulling guard for it but not completing it. Gibson adjusts himself and lowers Blackshear all the way to the floor, and Blackshear fastens his arm around the chin but does not appear to be threatening in this position. Gibson stays calm in the position, and when he sits up, Blackshear transitions to a power guillotine where he imposes his body weight. Blackshear releases the sub to take side control, and Gibson throws his legs up and briefly snares Blackshear in an inverted triangle choke. Blackshear fights out of it and isolates an arm, and he abandons it to wrap up a brabo choke in a north-south position. Gibson hand-fights well enough to defend the efforts, and he retaliates with an armbar that surprises Blackshear but does not get him. The spirited round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Round 2
Replays show that right at the tail end of the round, Blackshear rips a nasty elbow that opened a cut on Gibson’s face. The two get back to business, and Blackshear is immediately giving chase with leaping strikes. Gibson walks into a right hand and is stunned, and Blackshear keeps swinging with bad intentions. Gibson throws back, working the body until he tries to hit a takedown, and Blackshear shuts it down and pushes him away. Gibson strings four punches together, wrapping them around the guard and punctuating the combo with a slapping leg kick. Blackshear fakes a kick and slashes an elbow up top, and Gibson steps in with his fists flying. The two engage in a clinch battle where they slug another with uppercuts, and Gibson gets tired of punching and scoops “Da Monster” up and dumps him to the mat. Blackshear keeps his back to the wire, and he hits a switch to flip Gibson to his back. Blackshear finds himself in side control, keeping tightly pressed to “The Renegade” having opened Gibson up again. Blackshear isolates Gibson’s right arm, and he elbows Gibson in the thigh several times with the sharp part of his elbow. Gripping the two-on-one wrist lock, Blackshear alternates between trying to pull on that arm and elbowing his opponent wherever he can. Blackshear grinds the elbow on Gibson’s increasingly bloodied face, and he stays heavy to disallow Gibson from any bucking or twisting. Blackshear hooks Gibson’s left arm between his legs and traps his foe’s right arm under him as well to set up a crucifix position, where he hammers the California native with elbows.
Blackshear finds the kimura again, and he grabs it while seated on top of Gibson’s face in a dominating move. The new Kill Cliff FC convert cranks the limb behind Gibson’s back, giving it all he has until Gibson has no choice but to say “Matte” and tap out.
Remarkable! Back-to-back kimura wins in the Octagon is definitely a rarity in company history, and it will be interesting to determine how many times this has ever happened in UFC history. Blackshear lifts his UFC record above .500 while giving “The Renegade” something to be disappointed about.
The Official Result
Da'Mon Blackshear def. Cody Gibson R2 4:09 via Submission (Kimura)
Angelo picks Da'Mon Blackshear over Cody Gibson. He believes Blackshear's striking is far superior and that he will 'smoke Cody on the feet.' However, he notes that Cody is durable and may look to wrestle. Angelo is confident Blackshear wins but chooses not to bet due to the risk of big favorites losing this year.
Big Brady picks Da'Mon Blackshear, calling him underrated with good striking and slick grappling (BJJ black belt). He notes that Cody Gibson often looks to take fights to the ground, which could put him in bad positions against Blackshear, who has submitted opponents via guillotine before. Brady expects a ground battle where Blackshear's superior grappling leads to a submission win, likely in the second round.
Cody picks Christian Rodriguez, citing Andre Fili's decline and Rodriguez's youth. He notes Fili's recent close decisions and losses, and believes Rodriguez can stuff takedowns and win on the feet. He is wary of Rodriguez's tendency to struggle against experienced fighters but thinks Fili is past his prime.
Connor agrees with Zane, emphasizing that Blackshear is one of the best scramblers in the bantamweight division and that Gibson's style will inevitably lead to grappling exchanges where Blackshear has the advantage. He notes that Gibson is fun and courageous but lacks the athleticism to keep up with Blackshear's scrambling.
Daniel does not make a clear pick for this fight. He discusses the matchup briefly but does not state a preference or bet.
The host believes Blackshear's grappling advantage and power striking approach will keep Gibson on the defensive, leading to Blackshear grinding out a win on the scorecards.
Paul also picks Rodriguez, noting Fili's inconsistency and Rodriguez's ability to stuff takedowns. He points out that Fili's recent wins have been split decisions and he could be on a losing streak. He believes Rodriguez's volume and wrestling defense will be enough.
The MMA Guru picks Da'Mon Blackshear, calling him underrated and noting his good fight with Mario Bautista. He mentions Blackshear's takedown defense clinic against Brett Johns and his recent submission win over Cody Stamann with a 50k bonus. He criticizes Cody Gibson for lacking finishing ability and not impressing against Miles Johns. He predicts a first or second-round finish for Blackshear.
Zane picks Blackshear because he is a significantly better athlete and scrambler than Gibson. He notes that Gibson's high-energy style leads to him fading, and that Blackshear excels in scrambles, which is where the fight will likely go. He also points out that Gibson is underpowered and that Blackshear's only losses come to fighters who can survive his scrambles and out-strike him.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 11 of 19 | 57% | 59 of 77 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Chad Anheliger | 0 | 16 of 34 | 47% | 59 of 93 | 5 of 6 | 83% | 2 | 0 | 12:25 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cody Gibson | 0 | 5 of 9 | 55% | 13 of 19 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Chad Anheliger | 0 | 4 of 16 | 25% | 23 of 35 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 3:37 | |
| 2 | Cody Gibson | 0 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 9 of 14 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Chad Anheliger | 0 | 9 of 11 | 81% | 27 of 40 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 1 | 0 | 4:39 | |
| 3 | Cody Gibson | 0 | 6 of 9 | 66% | 37 of 44 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Chad Anheliger | 0 | 3 of 7 | 42% | 9 of 18 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 4:09 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Gibson | 11 of 19 | 57% | 8 of 16 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 3 | 11 of 19 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Chad Anheliger | 16 of 34 | 47% | 15 of 28 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 4 | 6 of 22 | 0 of 0 | 10 of 12 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cody Gibson | 5 of 9 | 55% | 3 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 9 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Chad Anheliger | 4 of 16 | 25% | 3 of 12 | 0 of 1 | 1 of 3 | 4 of 15 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | |
| 2 | Cody Gibson | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Chad Anheliger | 9 of 11 | 81% | 9 of 11 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 9 of 10 | |
| 3 | Cody Gibson | 6 of 9 | 66% | 5 of 8 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 6 of 9 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Chad Anheliger | 3 of 7 | 42% | 3 of 5 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 1 | 2 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gibson (-198), Anheliger (+164)
Round 1
Sticking with the theme of Canada vs. the World, Anheliger (13-7, 2-2 UFC) reps his home nation against Tachi Palace Fights vet Gibson (20-10, 2-5 UFC). A whole eight (or nine, depending on Caio Machado) of the 13 matchups remaining on the lineup will feature a Canuck against a foreign adversary, and so far, Canada is 1-0 tonight. Looking to keep things rolling with a win from “The Monster,” the fans are fired up on the early prelims. Referee Jerin Valel draws the charge for this bantamweight clash, and the combatants touch ‘em up to get started. Anheliger takes to the center of the cage and parries a front kick, and he eventually gives back an inaccurate calf kick. Gibson sticks and moves, walking into a right hand and responding with a low kick. Anheliger wings a right hand over the top, stunning “The Renegade” for a moment. Anheliger slips a counter and tries to get past his opponent’s longer jab, and he fires off a low kick that lands with a thud and not a slap. Gibson jabs his way into a clinch, where he lifts Anheliger in the air and slams him down to his knees. Anheliger scoots towards the fence, and Gibson slides a hook in and stretches Anheliger out. Anheliger tries to kick off the fencing, and Gibson responds by setting up an arm-triangle choke. Anheliger uses several heel kicks to the kidney to irritate his opponent and prevent him from passing guard, although Gibson is in half guard looking for that arm-triangle, and he uses it to move to mount. Anheliger turns over to give up his back, scrambling madly, but Gibson is a dog with a bone and he does not let go. Anheliger manages to work to his feet again, and Gibson quickly mat returns him down to his knees. Anheliger tries to roll through, and Gibson follows him every step of the way. Even when Anheliger walks of the fence, he puts himself into submission danger as Gibson sells out for a guillotine choke. Gibson rolls the Canadian over with a one-arm guillotine, and he leans on the side in hopes of completing the sub without fastening it. Gibson is pushed off the chest of his adversary, threatening with a brabo choke as he transitions from one submission to the next. Anheliger survives the choke until the bell.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Round 2
Anheliger practically races out of his corner to resume combat, but he pulls back and does not throw. Gibson swings first, and when Anheliger counters, Gibson ducks under and hits an easy takedown. Gibson lands in half guard, where he is quick to use shoulder pressure with an arm-triangle before sliding to full mount like a hot knife through poutine. Gibson allows Anheliger to turn and twist so he can beat on him and flatten him out, and Gibson punches his way into a rear-naked choke setup. The forearm is on the chin and not under it, and he adjusts his grip and slashes down with a ferocious elbow that slashes open the Canadian’s forehead. Gibson maintains a body lock while threatening with a sub or battering Anheliger with strikes, and Anheliger is completely nullified and having to hang on for dear life. Gibson drops down three particularly powerful elbows, and he takes advantage of the new 12-6 elbow rule removal by hammering Anheliger with one. Gibson grabs hold of an arm-triangle choke, and he only releases it to shift over to the side. Gibson slides back to mount just so he can lock on the arm-triangle choke, and he jumps back to the side. Anheliger defends by grabbing his own leg, using it to create just enough space to sit up and then work his way to the fence. Gibson hangs on from behind, looping a hook between his foe’s legs so he can try to drag Anheliger back down. Gibson succeeds in wrenching Anheliger to the mat, and he hovers over his opponent until he decides to move to the side and grab an arm-triangle. “The Renegade” lets it go when seeing openings for strikes, and he drops down nasty ground-and-pound to make Anheliger think twice about his life decisions leading up to today. Gibson holds with a body triangle and punches his man on the side of the head until time expires.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Gibson
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Round 3
Anheliger does not appear deflated despite two tough rounds against him, instead surging out of his corner and tossing aside a front kick. Anheliger lances out a left hand that shakes Gibson up, and he gets the crowd excited by landing cleanly on the Californian. Gibson desperately shoots for a takedown, and even when he lands on his back, a scramble and sweep allows him to spin Anheliger to his back. Gibson lords over his opponent, not settling in any one position while starting to open up with body shots. Anheliger has nothing to offer off his back, and precious seconds peel off the clock while Gibson methodically beats on him like a drum. Anheliger turns to his side and leans against the wall to stand up, and he pulls himself upright and draws a warning from Valel for fence grabbing. It does not slow Anheliger, but Gibson remains tightly wrapped around his waist. Gibson settles for grinding on and controlling the Canadian, and he stifles a counter throw to wrestle Anheliger to his knees. Anheliger’s attempts to escape are thwarted one after the other, and Gibson gets a hook in on the outside. Anheliger counters by cranking on the leg, and the crowd likes it until Gibson establishes a body lock around the waist. Gibson briefly threatens with an arm-triangle choke again, but Anheliger is able to fight it off. Gibson postures up with seconds to spare, landing swinging punches until the final horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gibson (30-26 Gibson)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Gibson (30-27 Gibson)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Gibson (30-27 Gibson)
The Official Result
Cody Gibson def. Chad Anheliger via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Angelo picks Cody Gibson because he thinks Gibson can control the striking range and sneak in a few takedowns. He notes Chad Anheliger was taken down four times in his last fight but still won, and suggests a plus 3.5 round spread bet on Chad as a dog. He sees this as a close fight that could be 29-28 type, so the spread is appealing.
Big Brady picks Cody Gibson to win by second-round submission. He notes Gibson's size and reach advantages, and that Anheliger has poor takedown defense (42%) and has been submitted six times. Brady expects Gibson to mix in takedowns and eventually work to a submission, citing that Jose Johnson outgrappled Anheliger in his last fight.
Cody picks Cody Gibson, citing his size, reach, wrestling, and experience. He notes that Anheliger is smaller and older, and relies on grit but lacks the physical tools to compete with Gibson. He believes Gibson's striking and wrestling will be too much, and that Anheliger's path to victory is limited.
Daniel Vreeland picks Cody Gibson, citing his physicality and size advantage over Chad Anheliger, who is notably smaller (5'4" reach). He respects Anheliger's skills and toughness but believes Gibson's physicality will bully him. Vreeland notes that Anheliger has not been finished in the UFC but expects Gibson to out-hustle him and win a decision.
Gibson is a much better and more experienced version of Anheliger, utilizing solid boxing and slick combination striking, and his wrestling should be the X-factor, keeping Anheliger on the defensive and allowing Gibson to win on the scorecards.
Paul agrees, noting Gibson's size advantage and higher level of competition. He believes Anheliger's grit won't be enough against a bigger, more skilled opponent. He expects Gibson to win a competitive decision or late stoppage.
The Guru picks Cody Gibson over Chad Anheliger, expecting a high-paced fight. He believes Gibson's size and reach advantage (seven inches) will be decisive, and he sees Gibson as more physically imposing. He predicts a decision win, not a finish.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 2 of 12 | 16% | 2 of 13 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:05 |
| Brian Kelleher | 0 | 13 of 24 | 54% | 18 of 30 | 2 of 5 | 40% | 1 | 0 | 2:38 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cody Gibson | 0 | 2 of 12 | 16% | 2 of 13 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:05 |
| Brian Kelleher | 0 | 13 of 24 | 54% | 18 of 30 | 2 of 5 | 40% | 1 | 0 | 2:38 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Gibson | 2 of 12 | 16% | 0 of 8 | 0 of 1 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 12 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Brian Kelleher | 13 of 24 | 54% | 9 of 19 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 10 of 18 | 3 of 5 | 0 of 1 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cody Gibson | 2 of 12 | 16% | 0 of 8 | 0 of 1 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 12 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Brian Kelleher | 13 of 24 | 54% | 9 of 19 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 10 of 18 | 3 of 5 | 0 of 1 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gibson (-205), Kelleher (+170)
Round 1
Rounding out the rocky prelims is an aging 135er with a .500 record in the promotion against a fellow fighter over the age of 35 a loss away from reaching the dreaded “Sinosic Line.” Gibson (19-10, 1-5 UFC) is not the only fighter to sport this record of 1-5 with the potential to go 1-6 tonight, but more on that later. He battles the hyper-aggressive Kelleher (24-15, 8-8 UFC), and this one has the potential of ending in the blink of an eye. Referee Kerry Hatley is ready for whatever happens next, and that is a touch of gloves. Kelleher immediately goes on the offensive with a leg kick and a front kick. Gibson gives him back an overhand right to make Kelleher take a funny step back, and he connects with two more punches that make Kelleher turn away and have to recover. Kelleher gets back to the middle of the cage and kicks a few more times, and he is reached with a front kick by “The Renegade.” Gibson connects with a calf kick, and he misses with a one-two. Kelleher races forward swinging fists, and Gibson grabs hold of him and manages to take his back standing to wrench him down to a knee. Kelleher pops back up, but the second effort for Gibson succeeds. Kelleher tries to set up a guillotine choke, and Gibson frees himself and assumes top position. Kelleher fights his way back to his feet in a hurry, and Gibson grinds on him as he looks for a mat return. Gibson succeeds in putting Kelleher down for a second, only for “Boom” to explode to his feet again. Kelleher hand-fights to spin out but eats a knee on the break. Gibson races after him with an uppercut and a slashing elbow, and he pushes Kelleher to the fence. Kelleher welcomes him with a knee, and Gibson gives him a few back. Kelleher turns eats an elbow that drops him to a knee, but Kelleher recovers and pursues a takedown. Gibson turns him away and attacks for his own takedown, leading to Kelleher jumping guard for a guillotine choke.
“The Renegade” breaks out of the choke and moves into half guard, where he almost instantly locks down an arm-triangle choke. Kelleher is stuck in a precarious position, and when he tries to fight out of it, he finds that Gibson is an immovable stone on his body. Kelleher surrenders before going out,
and tonight has its first finish. Gibson earns his first victory since his first stint in the promotion in 2014, and he is elated to get his hand raised in the Octagon for the second time.
The Official Result
Cody Gibson def. Brian Kelleher R1 3:58 via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke)
Angelo picks Cody Gibson because he is the more focused fighter with length and cardio, while Brian Kelleher is past his prime and on a three-fight skid. However, he is not confident at the favorite price and notes that Kelleher's losses have been to top competition. He considers an inside the distance/decision no action bet on Gibson.
Cody picks Gibson, citing his size advantage (5'10" reach vs 5'6"), durability, and volume. He notes Kelleher's age (38), neck injury, and recent inactivity. He thinks Gibson can outwork Kelleher and that Kelleher's path to victory via guillotine is unlikely. He calls both fighters 'expired milk' but leans Gibson.
Daniel Vreeland reluctantly picks Brian Kelleher, despite initially favoring Cody Gibson. He notes Gibson's tendency to fade in fights, citing the Ray Borg and Brad Katona fights where Gibson was winning early but fell apart. Vreeland believes Kelleher can survive early and take over late, possibly by submission or TKO.
Gibson is a favorite at -185. He has a 4-inch height and 7-inch reach advantage, which he can use to keep Kelleher at bay with his boxing and kicks. Kelleher is on a three-fight losing streak and approaching 38, showing signs of decline. Gibson needs to be wary of Kelleher's guillotine, but he should be able to dictate the pace and win a decision.
Paul also picks Gibson, agreeing that wrestling will be negated and that Gibson's volume will be key. He notes Gibson's close fight with Brad Katona where he landed 164 significant strikes. He thinks Kelleher's guillotine is a threat but not enough to overcome Gibson's output.
The MMA Guru picks Cody Gibson despite previously saying he'd never pick him again. He notes Gibson might be able to hurt Kelleher, who is 37 and has been inactive with multiple neck surgeries. He points to Kelleher's recent first-round losses to Umar Nurmagomedov, Cody Garbrandt, and Mario Bautista, and questions his dedication. Gibson's close fight with Miles Johns is seen as a positive.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles Johns | 0 | 25 of 79 | 31% | 64 of 137 | 2 of 8 | 25% | 0 | 1 | 6:29 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 18 of 62 | 29% | 52 of 108 | 1 of 7 | 14% | 0 | 0 | 1:55 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miles Johns | 0 | 5 of 19 | 26% | 14 of 29 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 2:15 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 4 of 22 | 18% | 16 of 39 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:19 | |
| 2 | Miles Johns | 0 | 11 of 23 | 47% | 25 of 43 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 1 | 1:54 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 2 of 8 | 25% | 12 of 21 | 1 of 4 | 25% | 0 | 0 | 1:36 | |
| 3 | Miles Johns | 0 | 9 of 37 | 24% | 25 of 65 | 1 of 5 | 20% | 0 | 0 | 2:20 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 12 of 32 | 37% | 24 of 48 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles Johns | 25 of 79 | 31% | 18 of 66 | 5 of 9 | 2 of 4 | 20 of 72 | 4 of 6 | 1 of 1 |
| Cody Gibson | 18 of 62 | 29% | 9 of 39 | 4 of 17 | 5 of 6 | 16 of 60 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miles Johns | 5 of 19 | 26% | 3 of 14 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 3 | 4 of 17 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 4 of 22 | 18% | 3 of 15 | 0 of 5 | 1 of 2 | 3 of 21 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Miles Johns | 11 of 23 | 47% | 9 of 21 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 7 of 18 | 3 of 4 | 1 of 1 |
| Cody Gibson | 2 of 8 | 25% | 0 of 5 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 7 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Miles Johns | 9 of 37 | 24% | 6 of 31 | 3 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 9 of 37 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 12 of 32 | 37% | 6 of 19 | 3 of 10 | 3 of 3 | 12 of 32 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Johns (-148), Gibson (+124)
Round 1
Johns (13-2, 1 NC; 4-2, 1 NC UFC) was supposed to be coming into this fight with the struggling Gibson (19-9, 1-4 UFC) on a win streak, but a failed drug test after beating Dan Argueta erased the victory. In short order, this standard undercard bantamweight matchup turned to one with greater personal stakes with both. Referee Herb Dean will sort things out, watching over the two men that do not touch gloves. Gibson starts off swirling his hand around, and he walks into a thumping leg kick. Johns swarms into action with a clubbing right hand, and he backs off and circles to the side away from strikes that come his way. Johns ducks down to swat away a leg kick, and he dips down and eats a clean uppercut. Gibson flashes out several jabs and avoids a huge overhand right, and Johns shifts to the side to get away and reset. Gibson overloads on a right hand, and he follows Johns around and grabs hold of one of Johns’ legs to think about a takedown. Johns backs him off with body shots, and he resets and dodges the swinging punches coming his direction. Johns misses a right hook by a matter of centimeters, and Gibson ties him up against the fence and knees him in the dome. Johns scores an uppercut on the break, and Gibson chases after him and jumps away to dodge a right hand. Johns races forward, and his momentum tackles “The Renegade” to the canvas. Johns resides in top position, and Gibson is immediately active with his guard, looking for a butterfly hook, a submission setup or just throwing strikes from off his back. Gibson keeps Johns from landing anything of merit, and he brings up his right leg for a rubber guard momentarily before Johns pushes it aside. Gibson tries to roll over in pursuit of an armbar, and Johns is wise to it as he stays flat on top of his opponent. Johns hammers down an elbow, and when he looks to pass, Gibson turns around to stand up with the wall at his side. Johns tries to drag him back down, and with sheer force of will, he tosses Gibson back down. Johns holds onto him while landing short but heavy right hands, as Gibson works his way up. Gibson ducks away and throws a big knee, and Johns nearly reenacts Fedor vs. Arlovski by blasting Gibson with a right hand that sends him flying. Johns points at him, and Gibson looks surprised but is still with it as the horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Round 2
Gibson is the pressure fighter early, showing he has fully recovered from the concussive blow. He prods out a front kick and a few jabs, and Johns is well away from anything of note. Gibson drops down to grab a single, and Johns uppercuts him until he topples to the floor. Gibson grabs him from behind during a scramble, and Johns climbs back up while leaning against the cage. Gibson looks to trip or drag Johns down, but Johns escapes. Johns lands a powerful elbow that splits open a cut on Gibson’s cheek, and he crowds him and knocks him squirrely with another powerful uppercut. Johns continues to hammer his foe with uppercuts as Gibson shoots for a single, and Gibson manages to get the takedown despite absorbing the blows. Gibson follows a scrambling Johns until he takes his back, and he secures the body triangle. Gibson fishes for a choke, and Johns hand-fights and turns to flip Gibson over with a powerful reversal. Johns pins Gibson’s right arm with his knee and slugs him in the chops several times, and he keeps “The Renegade” pinned to the floor while landing shots. Johns wraps up a guillotine with one arm and lets it go to pummel Gibson with left hands until Gibson explodes back to his feet. Johns uses his full weight in an effort to wrench Gibson down, and he breaks and scores two uppercuts. Gibson resets and flicks out a jab, and Johns drills him in the lead leg with a kick and cracks him with two right hands. Gibson gathers his thoughts and leaps forward with a flying knee that skims off the dome, and Johns immediately drops down to take Gibson down with a double when Gibson lands. Gibson scrambles back upright, and Johns leans on him to land short shots until the bell.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Round 3
The two bantamweights clap hands as they reach the final round, and Johns sticks his jab out immediately while Gibson comes after him. Johns clubs him with three right hands and backs off with a jab, and Gibson slaps a high kick off his raised guard. Johns grapples to get hold of a single, tripping Gibson up and driving him to the fence. Gibson keeps his balance but is pressed against the wall, and Johns squeezes on him tight. Gibson manages to fight his way out of the clinch, and Johns comes up short with an uppercut on the way out. Gibson ducks down and into a few more uppercuts from “Chapo,” and he presses forward and watches a right hand slide off his cheek. They trade jabs, and change levels at the same time to no avail. Johns shoots for a single, pushing Gibson up against the wire, and he delivers a few knees to the thigh to keep busy. Dean asks for more work, and Johns connects with three clean shots that pound off Gibson’s head. Gibson breaks away, and he reaches out with a kick that is blocked. Johns rushes forward with a right hand as his lead leg is kicked, and Gibson fires off a body kick. When Gibson charges, Johns cracks him with an overhand right. Johns uses the power shot to frazzle Gibson just enough to change levels in pursuit of a single. Dean clasp for them to do more twice, and Gibson answers him by freaking away. They trade hands, and Johns doggedly goes after the single again. Lifting Gibson off the ground and slamming him down, Johns claims top position and fights off a kimura sweep. Gibson turns all the way over to stand up with less than 20 seconds left, and he walks into a right hand and pushes out a front kick. The fight ends with Johns landing one final right hand.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johns (30-27 Johns)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Johns (30-27 Johns)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johns (30-27 Johns)
The Official Result
Miles Johns def. Cody Gibson via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Angelo picks Miles Johns but is hesitant because he doesn't trust Johns to wrestle consistently. He notes that Johns has the tools to dominate but often abandons wrestling for power punches. He considers a small bet or parlay with another sketchy fighter, but is not fully confident.
Big Brady picks Cody Gibson, citing Gibson's volume, durability, and cardio advantage. He notes Miles Johns is on short notice and has questionable cardio and durability (both losses inside the distance). He expects Johns to have early success but Gibson to take over and finish him in the third round by knockout.
Cody picks Gibson, citing his forward pressure and wrestling. He notes that Johns has cardio issues and was likely on steroids in his last win. Cody believes Gibson's volume and aggression will earn him rounds, especially if Johns fades. He also likes the over 2.5 rounds.
Daniel Vreeland leans toward Miles Johns, citing his athleticism and one-punch power. He acknowledges Gibson's high output but worries about Gibson's durability and tendency to slow down. He thinks Johns can land a big shot or grind out a win, but he is not confident enough to bet the favorite.
Johns is quick, explosive, and has multiple ways to win: wrestling, power, movement. He slows down late but has improved his cardio. Gibson is a veteran boxer with good footwork but can be taken down and ground out. Johns' speed and variety should be too much, but confidence is not high. Expect a decision win for Johns.
Paul agrees, emphasizing that takedowns may not be scored highly by judges, as seen in recent fights. He thinks Gibson's volume will be the deciding factor. Paul also notes Gibson's toughness and recent Fight of the Night bonus.
The MMA Guru picks Cody Gibson as an underdog over Miles Johns. He believes Johns is breakable under pressure and that Gibson's size and pace will break him. He notes Gibson's height and reach advantage, and thinks knees in the clinch will be key. He predicts a third-round TKO for Gibson.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brad Katona | 0 | 160 of 311 | 51% | 173 of 327 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 164 of 268 | 61% | 169 of 273 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brad Katona | 0 | 36 of 87 | 41% | 39 of 91 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 49 of 85 | 57% | 49 of 85 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Brad Katona | 0 | 58 of 108 | 53% | 59 of 111 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 64 of 94 | 68% | 66 of 96 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Brad Katona | 0 | 66 of 116 | 56% | 75 of 125 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 51 of 89 | 57% | 54 of 92 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brad Katona | 160 of 311 | 51% | 116 of 254 | 25 of 37 | 19 of 20 | 127 of 262 | 33 of 49 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 164 of 268 | 61% | 130 of 228 | 22 of 27 | 12 of 13 | 134 of 233 | 30 of 35 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brad Katona | 36 of 87 | 41% | 22 of 70 | 5 of 7 | 9 of 10 | 29 of 76 | 7 of 11 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 49 of 85 | 57% | 39 of 73 | 6 of 7 | 4 of 5 | 42 of 78 | 7 of 7 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Brad Katona | 58 of 108 | 53% | 45 of 91 | 6 of 10 | 7 of 7 | 47 of 89 | 11 of 19 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 64 of 94 | 68% | 47 of 76 | 12 of 13 | 5 of 5 | 52 of 79 | 12 of 15 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Brad Katona | 66 of 116 | 56% | 49 of 93 | 14 of 20 | 3 of 3 | 51 of 97 | 15 of 19 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 51 of 89 | 57% | 44 of 79 | 4 of 7 | 3 of 3 | 40 of 76 | 11 of 13 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Katona (-168), Gibson (+142)
Round 1
There could be some history in the making for this bantamweight battle that will kick off the ESPN portion of the prelim card. The first of two victors of Season 31 of TUF will be crowned, with the first coming at 135 pounds. Both men are UFC veterans, but Katona (12-2, 2-2 UFC) is the one who could break new ground by becoming the first two-time TUF winner ever. Of note, his opponent, Gibson (19-8, 1-3 UFC), faced future champ and UFC 292 headliner Aljamain Sterling in his promotional debut back in 2014, where he ultimately dropped a decision. The “six-figure contract” and bragging rights will be awarded to the winner, in a matchup that will be governed by referee Marc Goddard. The former show teammates do not decide to clap hands, and instead they rush out towards one another to strike. They do just that, one after the other, until they end up swinging at the same time and ending up in a clinch. Gibson pushes off and lands a pair of hooks, and Katona knocks him back with a counter. Gibson connects with a clean right hand, and Katona shakes it off and gets off a jab. Katona comes up hitting nothing but air when he looses hooks, and Gibson attempts to reach him with a front kick and fails. Katona sticks his man with a left, and Gibson ducks down to get off a body kick. Katona retaliates with a leg kick, and Gibson dips and strikes while avoiding offense that wings towards him. Both fighters are amped up and trading shots, and Gibson pushes out two jabs and dings Katona with a left hand. Gibson trips on his way in, and this allows Katona the briefest amount of time to shake it off. Gibson clubs his man with a right, and Katona stands firm and bashes him with a solid left hook. Gibson is not remotely concerned as he meanders forward, and he swings himself into a clinch. Gibson absorbs a right hand and misses with a second, and Katona counters with a left that marks up Gibson’s eye. Gibson continues to surge forward, hurling offense and making Katona have to match his pace. “The Renegade” mixes things up with a chopping kick, and he shrugs off anything that Katona lands on him to throw his own heavy blows. The two tie up, but nothing comes up it other than a right hand from Gibson on the break. Gibson tries to follow it, and he ends up lobbing strikes that are way off the mark. Katona strings together several low kicks, and they both work the body. The furiously paced round ends with a sharp left from Katona.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Round 2
The bantamweights come back to the middle to start off the round, and Katona is the first to spring into action with a combination of fists. Katona then switches to a leg kick, and he rips a left to the body and nails Gibson with a right over the top. Gibson steels himself and throws back with gravitas, drawing a takedown attempt out of the Canadian. Gibson drills his man with an uppercut, and he pressures forward until they tie up and trade additional uppercuts. Katona does not register a leg kick, and he pops Gibson with a jab. Gibson does the same with his own jab and a follow-up right hand, and the two are taking turns to smack the other around. Katona flicks out a jab, and Gibson counters him with an uppercut and a body shot. Gibson walks face-first into a left hand, and he fires off a right hook and then goes to the body. Gibson again eats a few strikes, and the two start fighting in a phone booth and lay into each other. Gibson slings a right hand that bounces off the temple, and Katona smiles and delivers a right hand on the chin and a clean left shortly thereafter. Gibson lands a leg kick, gets up close to land a body shot, and then backs off when Katona scores with two hooks. Gibson overswings with a left hand, and Katona tags him a few times while he is recoiling. Katona suddenly goes up high with a kick, and frowns when it is blocked. Gibson misses the mark with a huge uppercut, and a few right hands from Gibson have developed some swelling around Katona’s left eye. Gibson targets it with a clubbing right and an elbow, and Katona tries to tie him up for a moment but ends up eating a few clinch strikes before releasing. Katona sits down on a right hand, timing it perfectly as Gibson ducked right into it, and Gibson powers forward to clinch up and recover. Katona jumps at him with a knee, and he fires off a short salvo of strikes that knock Gibson back again. Katona keeps Gibson honest with pawing jabs and a right hand, and Gibson appears to be fading. Katona lines up a right hand down the middle, and the horn blares.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Katona
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Katona
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Katona
Round 3
Gibson waves to the crowd to get them fired up, and the audience reacts positively. Going into the last round, it could be all tied up, and they treat things as such as they get right after it. Gibson walks through the fast fists that fly at his face so that he can drive a right hand home, and Katona reels but comes back. Katona slides to the side and avoids the huge hooks, and he starts peppering Gibson with jabs. When Gibson changes this up to let go with his own jabs, Katona lets him have it with big punches. Gibson parries a jump knee and a kick to the body, and he drills Katona with a right hand down the pipe. Katona backpedals and eats another one like a plate of poutine, and the two let the other have it. This results in them coming together for a brief clinch, and Katona pushes him back and lets fly a high kick that slaps into the shoulder. Katona kicks with his other leg, and he books Gibson in the calf when he speedily moves. Gibson takes a punch to give one back, and he stings Katona with a right hook. Gibson plants two uppercuts on the chin, and he slides back and pops Katona with a clean right. Katona ignores a leg kick, and he knees the body and sneaks in a short right. Katona loads up and connects with a right, and he digs a few punches to the body and might have hurt Gibson. A few left hands force Gibson to cover his eye, and it is swelling badly. Gibson backs up to the wall as Katona lays into him, until Gibson decides to activate and sling fire back at him. Katona staggers back and then rushes back into action, and the two proceed to give it everything they have in an absolutely terrific brawl. Katona lands, Gibson gets him back, Katona stings him and Gibson shakes Katona up. This back-and-forth trading ends only when they tie up to catch their breath. Gibson pushes off and then sprints at Katona, who is backing away to try to let time expire. Gibson reaches him and blasts him with a few punches, and this all-action thriller comes to a close – unless there is an unexpected “sudden victory” round in the event of a draw. No matter who gets their hand raised, this is an instant “Fight of the Night” frontrunner as well as a scrap that might earn “Fight of the Year” consideration when it is all said and done. The two bantamweights embrace, having put on a display reminiscent of Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Katona (29-28 Katona)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Katona (29-28 Katona)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Katona (29-28 Katona)
The Official Result
Brad Katona def. Cody Gibson via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Cody expects Katona to win by decision regardless of opponent. He notes Gibson is the better fighter but has a knee injury, and if Rico wins, Katona still wins. He sees Katona as a talented favorite.
Daniel Levi leans toward Brad Katona, believing he should be favored but is not confident. He notes that Katona fights close decisions and that Gibson has a seven-inch reach advantage and is four inches taller. Levi thinks Gibson is live at plus money, especially if he can keep the fight standing and use his reach. He mentions that Gibson had a knee injury on The Ultimate Fighter and wants more information on that.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas Silva de Andrade | 1 | 39 of 131 | 29% | 45 of 137 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 1 | 1:16 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 30 of 137 | 21% | 30 of 137 | 0 of 5 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:16 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Douglas Silva de Andrade | 0 | 13 of 45 | 28% | 13 of 45 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:05 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 10 of 49 | 20% | 10 of 49 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:07 | |
| 2 | Douglas Silva de Andrade | 1 | 12 of 30 | 40% | 15 of 33 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:43 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 9 of 37 | 24% | 9 of 37 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Douglas Silva de Andrade | 0 | 14 of 56 | 25% | 17 of 59 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 1 | 0:28 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 11 of 51 | 21% | 11 of 51 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:09 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas Silva de Andrade | 39 of 131 | 29% | 16 of 99 | 5 of 10 | 18 of 22 | 36 of 124 | 0 of 3 | 3 of 4 |
| Cody Gibson | 30 of 137 | 21% | 23 of 124 | 4 of 9 | 3 of 4 | 27 of 134 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Douglas Silva de Andrade | 13 of 45 | 28% | 2 of 28 | 2 of 5 | 9 of 12 | 13 of 43 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 10 of 49 | 20% | 6 of 42 | 3 of 6 | 1 of 1 | 8 of 47 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Douglas Silva de Andrade | 12 of 30 | 40% | 7 of 24 | 1 of 1 | 4 of 5 | 9 of 25 | 0 of 1 | 3 of 4 |
| Cody Gibson | 9 of 37 | 24% | 8 of 34 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 1 | 8 of 36 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Douglas Silva de Andrade | 14 of 56 | 25% | 7 of 47 | 2 of 4 | 5 of 5 | 14 of 56 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 11 of 51 | 21% | 9 of 48 | 0 of 1 | 2 of 2 | 11 of 51 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogRound 1
Andrade puts a few hard kicks on the inside of Gibson’s lead leg, then thuds an overhand right off his forearm. Gibson grabs for a takedown, gets spun around and leg-kicked again after just avoiding an uppercut. Gibson scores with a right hook, whiffs on a huge left-handed follow-up. The leg kicks keep coming from Andrade, and now “D’Silva” mixes in a hard right hand to the gut. Gibson swipes his man’s face with a sweeping left hook. Andrade is coming up short with his punches inside the final minute, and now he takes a big overhand right to the chin. The Brazilian tries for a takedown against the fence and gets turned around. The overhand right from Gibson has opened up a cut on the left eye of Andrade, who is leaking blood down his face as the round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Gibson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Gibson
Jeff Sherwood scores the round 10-9 Gibson
Round 2
The cut beneath Andrade’s eye is reopened just seconds into the period, and Gibson chases after him with jabs and more overhand rights, trying to worsen the damage. Andrade still has plenty of power behind his punches, and Gibson runs straight into a right hand that lands on the temple. Gibson is dropped to his back, and Andrade tries to capitalize by pouncing and hunting for a choke. Gibson turns toward the fence, posts and stands up, where he cracks Andrade with a right hand that forces that Brazilian to back off midway through the round. Gibson keeps the shorter man out of range with jabs, while Andrade picks at him with leg kicks. With 90 seconds on the clock, Andrade zaps Gibson with a hard left hook. This time, Gibson stays upright and continues circling the outside, switching between stances. Gibson’s offense has dropped off, and it’s Andrade pushing the action late in the round.
Sherdog Scores
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Andrade
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Andrade
Jeff Sherwood scores the round 10-9 Andrade
Round 3
Gibson presses forward to start the final round and gets countered by an Andrade left hand. “The Renegade” keeps coming at Andrade with jabs and now eats an uppercut. Andrade sprawls all over a shot from Gibson, who resets and tries a single-leg on the second effort. Gibson gets the takedown and a wild scramble ensues, and after twice exchanging positions, Andrade winds up on top. It doesn’t last long, and the bantamweights are back on their feet with 2:40 remaining in the final round. Gibson uses leg kicks to pick at Andrade, who looks to counter off his back foot with single punches. Andrade pushes back Gibson’s head with a straight right hand. The Brazilian is exhausted, stumbling backward around the cage on unsteady legs. Gibson keeps walking him down, lands a body kick and sticks his jab in Andrade’s face. Gibson scores the last good offense of the fight, catching an aggressive Andrade with a cracking left hook.
Sherdog Scores
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Gibson (29-28 Gibson)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Gibson (29-28 Gibson)
Jeff Sherwood scores the round 10-9 Andrade (29-28 Andrade)
The Result
Douglas Silva de Andrade def. Cody Gibson via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manvel Gamburyan | 0 | 11 of 52 | 21% | 20 of 63 | 2 of 6 | 33% | 1 | 0 | 1:32 |
| Cody Gibson | 1 | 49 of 118 | 41% | 61 of 131 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 2:43 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manvel Gamburyan | 0 | 7 of 27 | 25% | 8 of 30 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 0:32 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 29 of 75 | 38% | 32 of 78 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:46 | |
| 2 | Manvel Gamburyan | 0 | 4 of 25 | 16% | 12 of 33 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 1 | 0 | 1:00 |
| Cody Gibson | 1 | 20 of 43 | 46% | 29 of 53 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 1:57 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manvel Gamburyan | 11 of 52 | 21% | 5 of 43 | 2 of 4 | 4 of 5 | 8 of 43 | 3 of 8 | 0 of 1 |
| Cody Gibson | 49 of 118 | 41% | 35 of 103 | 11 of 12 | 3 of 3 | 28 of 86 | 17 of 25 | 4 of 7 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manvel Gamburyan | 7 of 27 | 25% | 2 of 21 | 2 of 2 | 3 of 4 | 5 of 24 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 29 of 75 | 38% | 22 of 67 | 6 of 7 | 1 of 1 | 18 of 61 | 11 of 14 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Manvel Gamburyan | 4 of 25 | 16% | 3 of 22 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 3 of 19 | 1 of 5 | 0 of 1 |
| Cody Gibson | 20 of 43 | 46% | 13 of 36 | 5 of 5 | 2 of 2 | 10 of 25 | 6 of 11 | 4 of 7 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogRound 1
Gibson circles the outside and pumps his jab in the shorter man’s face, while Gamburyan stakes out the center and shoots for a long takedown behind a missed overhand right. Gibson tags “The Anvil” with a hook on the way up, and now the bantamweights come back to the middle of the cage. Gamburyan looks to tie up again and gets tossed to the ground, then pressed against the fence when he stands. A knee from Gamburyan catches Gibson on the cup, but Gibson quickly tells referee Chris Tognoni that he’s good to continue. Gamburyan lands a hard leg kick, gets pushed backward with a Gibson straight right. Another low kick lands for Gamburyan, this time answered by Gibson, who follows up with another right hook and a double jab. Gamburyan is sporting damage now, a wide cut under his left eye which only gets worse as Gibson sticks another right hand. Gamburyan backs up to the fence and covers up, allowing Gibson to score with a pair of knees. Gamburyan powers into a takedown with about one minute remaining. He passes to side control but gets overpowered by Gibson, who reverses and then stands to deck Gamburyan with some standing elbows and body shots at the end of the round.
Sherdog Scores
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Gibson
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Gibson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Gibson
Round 2
Gibson covers up and deflects heavy shots from Gamburyan, who traps his opponent near the fence and tries to take off Gibson’s head with right hooks and uppercuts. Gibson steps forward and throws an inside leg kick that lands square on Gamburyan’s cup. Gamburyan shouts and grimaces as he walks around the cage, but after a break, he’s ready to continue. Almost as soon as the fight resumes, Gibson drops Gamburyan with a whipping overhand right. Gibson tries to polish off his kneeling opponent, but Gamburyan scrambles back to his feet and shoves Gibson against the fence. Gibson reverses to take the outside position and trips Gamburyan to the ground. Gamburyan stands, still trapped against the cage, and Gibson makes him pay with two or three big right hands to the gut. Gibson again trips him to the mat, where Gamburyan puts a hand down to avoid knees to the head. Gamburyan is back up and seems to have recovered with half the round to go. Gibson slows his pace and goes back to jabbing at Gamburyan, then puts the former featherweight on the fence. Gamburyan changes levels and hits a takedown with 70 seconds on the clock, then pulls guard to squeeze a guillotine choke at the 20-second mark. Gibson’s right arm is trapped by Gamburyan’s legs, and with no way to escape, he’s forced to tap with just seconds left in the round.
The Official Result
Manny Gamburyan def. Cody Gibson via Submission (Guillotine Choke) R2 4:56
Expert Picks (7)
Angelo picks Miles Johns but is hesitant because he doesn't trust Johns to wrestle consistently. He notes that Johns has the tools to dominate but often abandons wrestling for power punches. He considers a small bet or parlay with another sketchy fighter, but is not fully confident.
Big Brady picks Cody Gibson, citing Gibson's volume, durability, and cardio advantage. He notes Miles Johns is on short notice and has questionable cardio and durability (both losses inside the distance). He expects Johns to have early success but Gibson to take over and finish him in the third round by knockout.
Cody picks Gibson, citing his forward pressure and wrestling. He notes that Johns has cardio issues and was likely on steroids in his last win. Cody believes Gibson's volume and aggression will earn him rounds, especially if Johns fades. He also likes the over 2.5 rounds.
Daniel Vreeland leans toward Miles Johns, citing his athleticism and one-punch power. He acknowledges Gibson's high output but worries about Gibson's durability and tendency to slow down. He thinks Johns can land a big shot or grind out a win, but he is not confident enough to bet the favorite.
Johns is quick, explosive, and has multiple ways to win: wrestling, power, movement. He slows down late but has improved his cardio. Gibson is a veteran boxer with good footwork but can be taken down and ground out. Johns' speed and variety should be too much, but confidence is not high. Expect a decision win for Johns.
Paul agrees, emphasizing that takedowns may not be scored highly by judges, as seen in recent fights. He thinks Gibson's volume will be the deciding factor. Paul also notes Gibson's toughness and recent Fight of the Night bonus.
The MMA Guru picks Cody Gibson as an underdog over Miles Johns. He believes Johns is breakable under pressure and that Gibson's size and pace will break him. He notes Gibson's height and reach advantage, and thinks knees in the clinch will be key. He predicts a third-round TKO for Gibson.
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