Career Averages - Jaqueline Amorim
Career Averages - Cory McKenna
Jaqueline Amorim - Fight History
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Amorim (-120); Lookboonmee (+105)
Round 1
Lookboonmee (10-4; 7-3 UFC) and Amorim (10-2; 4-2 UFC) go to work in matching orthodox stances under the watchful eye of referee Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro. The Brazilian walks the foe to the fence, where she closes the distance in a hurry and takes underhooks, looking to drag the muay thai standout to the canvas. Lookboonmee is wise to it, however, and refuses to be taken down, then spinning Amorim against the cage. Amorim turns, nearly turning her back all the way to her opponent, before hauling her down with a brief kneebar attempt. She can’t get it, but ends up on top in the ensuing scramble. A little past the halfway point of the round, Amorim slides into side control at the base of the fence. Lookboonmee fights off a kimura attempt, but Amorim keeps the two-on-one and isolates Lookboonmee’s left arm in an armbar.
Lookboonmee is gritty, and Amorim is forced to adjust the angle twice before Lookboonmee finally taps.
Referee “Shaolin” is there in a flash to prevent any needless damage, and Jaqueline Amorim has kicked things off in Macau with a slick first-round submission.
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The Official Result
Jaqueline Amorim def. Loma Lookboonmee R1 4:04 via Submission (Armbar)
AJ favors Lookboonmee because she is more proven to come back from adversity and push a pace. He notes Amorim's jiu-jitsu is very good but she tends to fall apart as fights go on, with sloppy wrestling and nonexistent striking when fatigued. Lookboonmee has a legitimate Muay Thai skillset and is defensively sound against grappling, though AJ acknowledges she could end up in bad spots. He ultimately leans Lookboonmee to win two out of three rounds via striking and defensive wrestling.
AJ picks Loma Lookboonmee as an underdog, citing her defensive grappling and proven cardio. He notes that Amorim gasses after round one and has poor striking, while Lookboonmee is a decision merchant with eight decision wins. AJ expects Lookboonmee to survive early grappling threats and take over in rounds two and three, winning a decision.
AJ picks Lookboonmee because Amorim has elite grappling but poor cardio and loses decisions when she can't submit. Lookboonmee has good takedown defense (68%), superior striking, and cardio to outwork Amorim in rounds 2 and 3. He expects a decision win for Lookboonmee, noting she is a decision merchant and Amorim fades late.
Angelo picks Loma because she is busy, has good footwork, and is the much better striker. He notes that Jaqueline is submission or bust and if she doesn't find a finish early, she has nothing else to offer. He also mentions that over 2.5 rounds is the safest bet.
Angelo leans toward Loma Lookboonmee, noting that Jaqueline Amorim is 'sub or bust' and has poor takedowns. He believes Loma can avoid the ground and use her Muay Thai to win a decision, but he is not confident in either fighter scoring well for DraftKings.
Angelo picks Loma Lookboonmee despite her size disadvantage, trusting her submission defense and overall skill. He notes that Loma is tiny but tough and well-rounded, and if she can defend the first few takedowns, she can frustrate Amorim and win a decision. He acknowledges the risk of being taken down and submitted, but believes Loma is the better fighter skill-for-skill.
Big Brady picks Jaqueline Amorim by first-round submission, citing her world-class jiu-jitsu and ability to submit black belts. He notes her cardio and striking are poor, but believes she has 5-7 minutes to find a submission before gassing. He thinks Lookboonmee is too small and will be taken down and put in bad spots early.
Cody picks Amorim, citing her wrestling and BJJ advantage. He notes that Lookboonmee is a Thai fighter who may be past her prime and has been taken down frequently. Amorim's path is to get takedowns and control position. Cody admits this is his least confident play on the card, as Lookboonmee could keep it standing and out-strike her.
Connor picks Jaqueline Amorim because Loma's style exposes her to takedowns, and she knows enough grappling to get in trouble but not enough to beat a grappler like Amorim. Amorim got tired against Inoue, but Loma lacks the size and scrambling threat to steal the fight late.
Jacob picks Loma because Jaqueline has shown she cannot maintain her pace beyond the first round against competent fighters. He notes that Loma trains at Bangta with the Hickman brothers and knows jiu-jitsu, so even if taken down, she can stay safe. He also mentions that Loma has offensive wrestling and nasty Muay Thai.
Lucrative James picks Jaqueline Amorim, citing her superior BJJ and grappling, which should exploit Loma Lookboonmee's mistakes on the ground. He notes Loma is a Muay Thai striker but makes too many grappling errors, and Amorim's black belt level should lead to a submission. He acknowledges Amorim's poor last performance but believes she has the style to win.
The host leans with Lookboonmee, believing she can stop Amorim's takedowns and keep the fight in the striking realm. He notes Lookboonmee's improved grappling defense and Muay Thai clinch work, while Amorim's wrestling is still developing. He expects Lookboonmee to land more damage en route to a decision victory.
The host believes in the striker Loma Lookboonmee, expecting her to stop most takedowns and avoid finishing positions from Amorim, then dominate on the feet to win a decision. He notes the fight is near pick'em odds due to the striker vs grappler dynamic.
Paul picks Lookboonmee, noting her speed and striking advantage. He believes she can stay on the back foot and out-land Amorim in a greasy decision. However, he acknowledges that if Amorim gets takedowns, she could win. Paul is not confident and does not plan to bet this fight.
The Guru sees this as a striker vs grappler matchup. He believes Amorim's path is to close distance with wild power shots and get takedowns, where she has solid grappling and submission threats. He notes Loma's striking and clinch are good but she may struggle to keep range, and Amorim's takedowns could be enough. However, he admits this was the hardest fight to pick and it could go either way.
The Guru favors Loma Lookboonmee due to her elite Muay Thai striking and ability to manage distance. He believes Loma's takedown defense will neutralize Jaqueline's grappling, and that Loma's volume and sharp striking will win her a decision. He notes Jaqueline's struggles when she can't get takedowns, as seen in her loss to Sam Hughes.
The MMA Guru is leaning towards Loma Lookboonmee but is not confident. He notes that Lookboonmee hasn't faced many grapplers in the UFC, while Amorim is an elite BJJ world champion. However, he believes Lookboonmee's takedown defense is decent and she can keep the fight standing, where she is the much better technical striker with high volume Muay Thai. He acknowledges Amorim could submit her if she gets the fight to the ground, but he's not sure Amorim can do that.
Zane picks Jaqueline Amorim because she is a serious jiu-jitsu player who can dominate on the mat. Loma's wrestling improvements may put her in worse positions, and she lacks power to keep Amorim scared. Zane notes the odds have moved closer but feels the opener was more accurate.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaqueline Amorim | 0 | 26 of 62 | 41% | 48 of 88 | 2 of 6 | 33% | 1 | 1 | 1:43 |
| Mizuki Inoue | 1 | 62 of 103 | 60% | 150 of 203 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 | 1 | 7:28 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaqueline Amorim | 0 | 12 of 31 | 38% | 16 of 36 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 1:27 |
| Mizuki Inoue | 0 | 15 of 32 | 46% | 34 of 53 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 1:07 | |
| 2 | Jaqueline Amorim | 0 | 4 of 8 | 50% | 12 of 19 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 1 | 0:16 |
| Mizuki Inoue | 0 | 12 of 18 | 66% | 36 of 47 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 2:52 | |
| 3 | Jaqueline Amorim | 0 | 10 of 23 | 43% | 20 of 33 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Mizuki Inoue | 1 | 35 of 53 | 66% | 80 of 103 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 3:29 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaqueline Amorim | 26 of 62 | 41% | 19 of 44 | 3 of 13 | 4 of 5 | 18 of 54 | 3 of 3 | 5 of 5 |
| Mizuki Inoue | 62 of 103 | 60% | 54 of 93 | 8 of 10 | 0 of 0 | 20 of 52 | 14 of 17 | 28 of 34 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaqueline Amorim | 12 of 31 | 38% | 8 of 17 | 0 of 9 | 4 of 5 | 7 of 26 | 0 of 0 | 5 of 5 |
| Mizuki Inoue | 15 of 32 | 46% | 15 of 32 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 5 of 20 | 0 of 0 | 10 of 12 | |
| 2 | Jaqueline Amorim | 4 of 8 | 50% | 4 of 8 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 7 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Mizuki Inoue | 12 of 18 | 66% | 12 of 17 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 10 | 2 of 2 | 6 of 6 | |
| 3 | Jaqueline Amorim | 10 of 23 | 43% | 7 of 19 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 8 of 21 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Mizuki Inoue | 35 of 53 | 66% | 27 of 44 | 8 of 9 | 0 of 0 | 11 of 22 | 12 of 15 | 12 of 16 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Amorim (-440), Inoue (+340)
Round 1
Ladies will open up the Abu Dhabi-based pay-per-view card that starts early for stateside audiences, and women will not return again after this bout until the co-main attraction. It is strawweight for both matches involving female fighters, a division with a logjam of contenders that may soon include either Amorim (10-1, 4-1 UFC) or Inoue (15-6, 2-1 UFC), depending on who prevails. The two grapple-heavy 115ers will be joined in the cage by referee Kerry Hatley, and the day commences with a glove touch.
Amorim rushes out behind a front kick, and both women are energized and jittery to engage. They proceed to paw at one another with half-hearted range-finding jabs, with the Brazilian beating her foe to the punch during these engagements. Amorim has her kicks caught, but Inoue cannot do anything with the limb and it already struck her so she lets it go on two occasions. Dipping in behind a jab, Inoue works her way forward while Amorim slides laterally. Amorim’s front kick buzzes the side of Inoue’s face, and she gets backed to the corner thanks to the pump-fakes and occasional lead hooks from her opponent. When Inoue advances, Amorim counters with a level change to take her opponent off her feet. Inoue scrambles to back to her feet deftly, but Amorim follows her back upright to be able to circle around take her back standing.
Amorim use her jiu-jitsu to simultaneously threaten while securing the back, and she wrenches Inoue to the mat from behind. From there, a rear-naked choke attempt quickly materializes. Inoue turns the proper direction to break it up, so Amorim snags it under the chin from an unorthodox angle. The woman from Japan keeps turning and twisting, managing not only to break free from the submission but to turn around with Amorim’s body lock wrapped around her waist. Amorim locks Inoue down when placed on her back, preventing all but the lightest of offense getting off from Inoue. Inoue sneaks in a few elbows, and she cracks Amorim with a surprisingly powerful stream of left hands that knock Amorim’s head around and shock her a bit. As Inoue pounds away, possibly stealing the round from her vicious ground-and-pound, the horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Inoue
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Inoue
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Inoue
Round 2
The two ladies get back to it, with Inoue putting on the gas while Amorim stays on the outside peppering with kicks. Inoue jabs her way into a few right hands, marking up Amorim’s nose and forcing her to shoot in on her hips. Inoue smoothly stuffs her opponent and presses her against the fencing, where she jacks Amorim in the jaw with shoulder strikes. Inoue manages to drag her opponent to the floor, but this is where Amorim wants to be, as submissions are in play. The Brazilian isolates Inoue’s right leg and wraps her hands underneath it to put together a kneebar, and she tries to crank it.
Inoue defends by keeping her weight pressed down on her own limp to not allow Amorim to extend it, and this shuts down the attempt entirely. From there, Inoue sits up and squirms to work back to her feet, but finds herself still engaged in a tie-up with her adversary. After getting pressed against the wire for some time, Amorim decides to pull guard and lock things down. Inoue slowly, calmly postures up, and she drives down some ground strikes much to Amorim’s chagrin. Inoue sits comfortably in Amorim’s guard, stacking her up to shut down the worst of the subs, but Amorim still manages to roll upside-down and hunt for a last-second armbar. Inoue shrugs it off and smacks the Brazilian with hammerfists until the round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Inoue
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Inoue
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Inoue
Round 3
The 115ers clap hands to reintroduce themselves, and Inoue appears the fresher of the two but is not entirely out of the woods yet. Amorim barrels towards her, hurling a flurry of punches, and Inoue takes a few on the chin and rolls with others. Amorim backs off to gain a full head of steam, and she shoots in from a wide berth for a takedown that Inoue sees coming from a mile away. The Japanese fighter stands her up and starts jacking her in the jaw with clinch strikes. As Inoue beats on Amorim up close and personal, she drives home knees to the liver that take Amorim off her feet—it is possible that Amorim pulled guard at the same time of one of them, but the knees certainly appear to have had an impact. Amorim hits her back and gets into defensive mode, so Inoue stacks her up and remains fearlessly in her guard until deciding to find another way in. The two throw hard at one another, and Amorim’s face bangs into Inoue’s right eye socket and rips open a cut that bleeds immediately.
Inoue does not appear remotely concerned, as she doggedly presses forward and nails Amorim with punches and a crisp knee. The knee puts Amorim down again, and Inoue considers busting her up with ground shots but decides to stay out of her dangerous guard. The Japanese lady stands back up, and Amorim follows. This allows Inoue to rip a left hand to the liver that compromises Amorim once more, and the takedown shots that follow are feeble and telegraphed. Inoue bowls Amorim over without concern and starts working Amorim over with hammerfists, all-but ignoring Amorim’s left leg looking to set something up. Amorim spins over to her knees and forces herself up to her feet with less than 30 seconds on the clock, and Inoue is mugging her with clinch offense as the time ticks away. Inoue’s strawweight blender of punches, knees and elbows from up close conclude the one-sided fight, one that will likely be a fairly considerable betting upset.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Inoue (30-26 Inoue)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Inoue (30-27 Inoue)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Inoue (30-27 Inoue)
The Official Result
Mizuki Inoue def. Jaqueline Amorim via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Angelo picks Jacqueline Amorim with extreme confidence, calling minus 450 a gift. He highlights her elite grappling credentials (no-gi and BJJ world champion), powerful striking, and aggressive style. He notes Mizuki Inoue has fought only twice in five years and lacks power, making Amorim a safe bet.
Big Brady picks Jaqueline Amorim, citing Mizuki Inoue's inactivity and injury history. He notes Inoue has only three UFC fights in five years and can be taken down easily. While Inoue is a better striker, Brady expects Amorim to get the fight to the mat where her high-level BJJ and ground and pound will dominate. He mentions Amorim's cardio improvements since the Hughes fight and predicts a dominant decision win.
Cody picks Mizuki Inoue as a plus 350 underdog, citing her karate background, footwork, and takedown defense. He notes that Amorim is one-dimensional, relying on submissions, and has poor striking and takedown defense. Inoue has fought tough competition and has never been finished. Cody believes Inoue can keep the fight standing and win a decision or even submit Amorim.
Connor picks Amorim, noting that Inoue has a long history of injuries and inactivity, and her body may not be able to handle the rigors of fighting. He believes Amorim is physical and aggressive, and while her game is incomplete, she is likely to overwhelm Inoue. Connor also points out that Inoue's wins are mostly over lower-level competition, and she struggles against good physical athletes.
Daniel Vreeland is confident in Amorim's jiu-jitsu and believes she will submit Inoue. He notes that Inoue rarely fights and was taken down by Hannah Goldie, which bodes well for Amorim's takedown and submission game. He also mentions Amorim's experience competing in Abu Dhabi in pure jiu-jitsu.
Lucrative James picks Jaqueline Amorim confidently, citing her elite jiu-jitsu and takedowns. He notes Mizuki Inoue's long layoffs and injuries (knee, eye), which likely diminish her performance. He expects Amorim to get an early takedown and dominate, but questions whether she can finish due to Inoue's toughness. He considers an over 1.5 rounds bet because Inoue is durable.
The host believes Amorim's Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt will be too much for Inoue, who is returning from a two-year layoff. He expects Amorim to find a submission position and force the tap, indicating a confident pick.
Paul also picks Inoue, calling her his favorite dog on the card. He notes that Amorim's only path is submission, and if Inoue can stuff takedowns and avoid submissions, she can win. Paul mentions Inoue's experience against top competition and her training at Serra-Longo. He believes the plus 350 price offers great value.
The MMA Guru is confident in Jaqueline Amorim, citing her four-fight finish streak and submission skills. He notes that her only loss was to Sam Hughes early in her UFC career, but she has since developed strength and is on a roll. He predicts a submission finish in the first two rounds, as Amorim has been finishing opponents with armbars and rear-naked chokes. He dismisses Mizuki Inoue's inactivity and lack of major wins, calling Amorim a huge favorite for a reason.
Zane also picks Amorim, citing Inoue's long layoffs and physical decline. He notes that Inoue has only beaten lower-level opponents and that Amorim's aggression and physicality should be enough. Zane acknowledges that Inoue could win if she defends takedowns and out-strikes Amorim, but he doubts she can maintain that over three rounds.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaqueline Amorim | 0 | 6 of 8 | 75% | 29 of 43 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 6:34 |
| Polyana Viana | 0 | 0 of 6 | 0% | 23 of 31 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaqueline Amorim | 0 | 5 of 6 | 83% | 25 of 36 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 4:54 |
| Polyana Viana | 0 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 21 of 24 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Jaqueline Amorim | 0 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 4 of 7 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 1:40 |
| Polyana Viana | 0 | 0 of 5 | 0% | 2 of 7 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaqueline Amorim | 6 of 8 | 75% | 5 of 5 | 0 of 1 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 5 of 5 |
| Polyana Viana | 0 of 6 | 0% | 0 of 4 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaqueline Amorim | 5 of 6 | 83% | 5 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 5 of 5 |
| Polyana Viana | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Jaqueline Amorim | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Polyana Viana | 0 of 5 | 0% | 0 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Amorim (-550), Viana (+410)
Round 1
A pair of Brazilian strawweights with 100% finish rates collide with hopes of involving referee Dan Miragliotta before too long. The judges might be able to take this one off, as these two women combine for 15 submissions in their 22 pro victories. The submission rate for Amorim (9-1, 3-1 UFC) may be a bit higher, and of the two, she has not been finished. Viana (13-7, 4-6 UFC) cannot say the same, with a trio of stoppage losses in the past for her including two in a row. Amorim offers a glove touch, and when Viana accepts it, Amorim shoots in for a takedown. Viana falls to her back, and she searches for a submission off her back including an inverted triangle choke that excites the crowd because of the position. Amorim pulls her head out between Viana’s legs and shifts to the side, and positions herself in north-south where she can sit on Viana’s face. Viana looks for another inverted triangle, but Amorim sees it coming and steps out of it. Amorim exerts heavy shoulder pressure as she attempts to step into mount, and she wraps up a kimura on Viana’s left side. Amorim cranks on the limb, even considering a straight armbar with the two-on-one wrist lock, and she maintains her grip so she can successfully pass into mount. Viana puts her hand on Amorim’s mouth to disrupt her breathing and frustrate her, and Amorim postures up and looks for offense. Amorim drops down ground-and-pound, punching and elbowing her fellow countrywoman. Viana bucks and kicks her hips back and forth, but she cannot get Amorim off of her. Amorim delivers a handful of 12-to-6 elbows as she maintains her dominant position, and she fights off a half guard recovery from Viana to get back to side control in a hurry. Amorim allows Viana to turn to her knees so she can take her back, and she fastens a body triangle around the waist. Miragliotta appears to mistakenly consider the 10-second clapper as the bell, and the women look awkwardly at one another until the bell actually rings.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Amorim
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Amorim
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Amorim
Round 2
Viana tries to start the round off with striking, but it takes less than 10 seconds for Amorim to engage and take her down with ease. Viana offers little defense to stop the takedown, perhaps hoping she can keep playing jiu-jitsu to catch something. Amorim gets to side control in the blink of an eye, and Viana sets up a partial crucifix position off her back by wrapping her legs around Amorim’s right arm. This allows Viana to shift to her knees, but Amorim laughs off the escape and takes her back in an instant.
Displaying that there are levels to this game, Amorim locks down the body triangle and a rear-naked choke almost simultaneously. Amorim can only cling one arm beneath the chin, and Viana is struggling but still with it. Amorim adjusts her grip, snaking her other arm under the chin and putting her palm-to-palm grip out of reach so that Viana can no longer hand-fight
. Viana knows her goose is cooked, and she taps out before long, expressing frustration that she was outdueled but otherwise accepting her defeat gracefully as she embraces her corner.
The Official Result
Jaqueline Amorim def. Polyana Viana R2 1:49 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)
Angelo is very confident in Jaqueline Amorim, calling her a high-level grappler with power in her hands. He contrasts her serious approach with Polyana Viana's lack of career dedication, comparing it to Danni Barbosa vs. Belb. He notes the odds are moving quickly and expects Amorim to be a huge favorite by fight night.
Big Brady is very confident in Jaqueline Amorim, citing her high-level BJJ and Polyana Viana's poor takedown defense (38%). He expects Amorim to take Viana down and submit her quickly, noting Viana's vulnerability on the ground as seen in past fights. He predicts a first-round submission.
The host believes Amorim is significantly better than Viana, expecting her to get the fight to the ground easily and eventually sink in a submission.
The MMA Guru picks Jaqueline Amorim, believing she takes her career more seriously than Viana. He notes Amorim's submission skills and cheating incident against Demopoulos, but still favors her. He expects a finish, as Viana is not fully committed to fighting. He criticizes Viana's dedication and says Amorim trains harder.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaqueline Amorim | 0 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 12 of 16 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 3:05 |
| Vanessa Demopoulos | 0 | 2 of 6 | 33% | 3 of 7 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaqueline Amorim | 0 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 12 of 16 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 3:05 |
| Vanessa Demopoulos | 0 | 2 of 6 | 33% | 3 of 7 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaqueline Amorim | 2 of 3 | 66% | 1 of 1 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 |
| Vanessa Demopoulos | 2 of 6 | 33% | 0 of 3 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaqueline Amorim | 2 of 3 | 66% | 1 of 1 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 |
| Vanessa Demopoulos | 2 of 6 | 33% | 0 of 3 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Amorim (-310), Demopoulos (+250)
Round 1
Strawweight grapplers come to blows in a battle between ladies that like to bully their opponents. Amorim (8-1, 2-1 UFC) has yet to go the distance when notching a win, while Demopoulos (11-5, 5-2 UFC) could comfortably describe the sound of the final bell. The pairing that could see some exciting exchanges on the mat will be officiated by referee Jacob Montalvo, and it kicks off as Amorim claims the middle of the cage and no interest in a glove touch. The Brazilian lets loose with a high kick, and Demopoulos pushes her back with a front kick but has that leg caught. Amorim uses the caught kick to take Demopoulos off-balance, and she throws “Lil Monster” to her back. Demopoulos tries for inverted triangle chokes while Amorim is on top in side control and briefly north-south position. Amorim shifts back to the side, and she pushes to three-quarter mount. Amorim gets dragged back to half guard, and she allows Demopoulos to explode so she can take her back and get a hook in. Demopoulos crouches down low in hopes of standing up, while Amorim is draped over her shoulders before tugging her to the floor. Amorim looks to set up an armbar but elects to get the body triangle. Demopoulos times a moment to escape, and she shouts loudly that the Brazilian has repeatedly grabbed inside of her gloves. As Demopoulos rolls to her knees, Amorim follows her through to lock down the armbar. Demopoulos keeps shouting to protest the fouls, and in doing so, she does not properly defend the submission. Amorim rolls to her back to complete the submission, and Demopoulos has no choice but to tap out. The second Montalvo intervenes, Demopoulos screams at him that the Brazilian was not grabbing her wrist but inside of her gloves to gain advantageous position. She implores Montalvo to check the replay, and he appears to go to the replay officials to check into it. For now, the official decision stands, with Amorim notching one more armbar and keeping her finish rate at 100%.
The Official Result
Jaqueline Amorim def. Vanessa Demopoulos R1 3:28 via Submission (Armbar)
Angelo picks Jaqueline Amorim because she is a multiple-time world champion in both gi and no-gi grappling, has one-punch knockout power, and is extremely dangerous on the ground. He believes Vanessa Demopoulos, despite her cardio and forward pressure, will struggle with Amorim's grappling and power. He thinks Amorim can win by submission or knockout, and notes that the under 2.5 rounds is plus money.
Big Brady picks Jaqueline Amorim to win by first-round submission. He is confident Amorim wins but warns about corrupt judges favoring Demopoulos and Amorim's cardio issues. Brady believes Amorim is the better grappler and will get takedowns, possibly submitting Demopoulos. He picks submission to avoid judges' interference.
Cody picks Demopoulos, arguing that Amorim's only path is takedowns and top control, but Demopoulos has good BJJ and cardio. He notes Demopoulos' toughness and ability to win close decisions. He sees value at plus money.
Daniel thinks Amorim's takedowns and top control will be the key. He notes Demopoulos's poor takedown defense (30%) and believes Amorim can grind out a decision. He doesn't expect a submission because Demopoulos is tough and a black belt. He acknowledges the 'first-round-or-bust' narrative but thinks Amorim can win two rounds with grappling.
Amorim is the best BJJ opponent Demopoulos has faced, but Demopoulos has never been finished and has shown improved striking. Amorim's wrestling is weak, often pulling guard. If Demopoulos can keep it standing, she has a chance. The pick is Amorim by submission, but with low confidence; the fight is more of a pass or a play on the over 2.5 rounds.
Paul picks Demopoulos, citing her durability, cardio, and pressure. He notes Amorim's poor striking and wrestling, and that Demopoulos has never been finished. He believes Demopoulos can win by decision or even submission, and sees value at plus money.
The MMA Guru picks Jaqueline Amorim despite sarcastically noting that Vanessa Demopoulos often gets favorable decisions. He praises Amorim's finishing ability, citing her armbar win over Cory McKenna and third-round finish of Monserrat Ruiz. He acknowledges Amorim's loss to Sam Hughes but attributes it to lack of strength to finish a rear-naked choke. He believes Amorim is improving on the feet and training at American Top Team gives her an edge.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaqueline Amorim | 0 | 3 of 5 | 60% | 3 of 5 | 0 of 0 | --- | 4 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cory McKenna | 0 | 4 of 11 | 36% | 8 of 17 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:56 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaqueline Amorim | 0 | 3 of 5 | 60% | 3 of 5 | 0 of 0 | --- | 4 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cory McKenna | 0 | 4 of 11 | 36% | 8 of 17 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:56 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaqueline Amorim | 3 of 5 | 60% | 1 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 |
| Cory McKenna | 4 of 11 | 36% | 1 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 4 | 3 of 10 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaqueline Amorim | 3 of 5 | 60% | 1 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 |
| Cory McKenna | 4 of 11 | 36% | 1 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 4 | 3 of 10 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: McKenna (-125), Amorim (+105)
Round 1
It is a potential grappler’s delight between two strawweights that rep elite teams in this next contest. Brazilian submission specialist Amorim (7-1, 1-1 UFC) will rep American Top Team as she comes to blows with Team Alpha Male’s McKenna (8-2, 3-1 UFC). Referee Mike Beltran will hope to keep up with them, although they start off with a sporting glove touch. McKenna flicks out an early jab, and Amorim comes back with her own before getting kicked in the calf. Both ladies trade low kicks before switching up to body kicks, and McKenna breaks up a back-and-forth by jamming Amorim up with punches. This allows her to close the distance enough to awkwardly take Amorim down, and when she hits the mat, she immediately finds herself in triangle choke danger. Amorim gets lifted off the ground and slammed down, and the choke tightens up as Amorim also locks in an armbar in the same sport. As McKenna wriggles, she appears to tap once on her opponent’s leg while turning, and Beltran shouts for them to stop. When he recognizes that it was not a complete tap, he tells them to keep fighting, and Amorim does not releases her grip.
“Poppins” tries to take advantage of the confusion by getting up, but the Brazilian rolls her to her back and locks down the armbar. McKenna kicks and flails, and she finds her arm in a precarious position and is forced to officially tap out.
This time the stoppage is the real deal, and the fight is over as Amorim releases the armlock and McKenna leans over to tend to her damaged wing. It might have been an odd situation, but it was an unusual exchange that led to the near-stoppage—and it was one that did not ultimately change the final result, besides delaying it a few seconds.
The Official Result
Jaqueline Amorim def. Cory McKenna R1 1:38 via Submission (Armbar)
Angelo sees McKenna as the more well-rounded fighter with better cardio and striking pressure, but he is concerned about her year-long layoff due to getting married, which could be a distraction. He thinks if she survives Amorim's early takedown attempts, she can take over with striking and get takedowns of her own. He notes the line is -106 (slight underdog) and may move, so he's leaning McKenna but not fully confident.
Big Brady picks Cory McKenna by decision, but is hesitant due to McKenna's tendency to strike instead of grapple. He trusts McKenna's cardio and wrestling more than Amorim's, but notes Amorim's dangerous BJJ and reach advantage. He is not running to the window to bet on it.
Cody picks Jaqueline Amorim as a live underdog, citing her 10-inch reach advantage, BJJ black belt, and solid wrestling. He notes McKenna's cardio may be a factor but Amorim has paths to victory on the feet and on the ground. He calls it a 'dog or pass' situation and takes the plus money.
The host acknowledges Amorim's high-level BJJ but believes McKenna has good enough defensive grappling to keep the fight standing for the first round and a half. He expects McKenna to implement her superior striking and then grind out Amorim in the later rounds as Amorim's finishing ability fades. The pick is McKenna by decision.
Paul picks Cory McKenna, citing her ruggedness and wrestling. He questions Amorim's cardio, noting she gassed in her UFC debut. He expects McKenna to push a pace and take over in later rounds. He acknowledges both could win but leans McKenna.
The Guru picks Cory McKenna, citing her strength and physicality advantage over Amorim. He criticizes Amorim's lack of strength, noting she failed to finish locked-in chokes due to weak squeeze. He believes McKenna has better standup and takedown defense, despite a 10-inch reach disadvantage. He calls Amorim a 'frail hollow-boned bird woman' and expects McKenna's more masculine physique to prevail.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaqueline Amorim | 0 | 86 of 136 | 63% | 141 of 208 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 4 | 2 | 8:05 |
| Montserrat Ruiz | 0 | 6 of 36 | 16% | 20 of 57 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 3:39 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaqueline Amorim | 0 | 30 of 44 | 68% | 40 of 61 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 2 | 0 | 4:14 |
| Montserrat Ruiz | 0 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 5 of 8 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:37 | |
| 2 | Jaqueline Amorim | 0 | 43 of 70 | 61% | 69 of 106 | 0 of 0 | --- | 2 | 1 | 3:42 |
| Montserrat Ruiz | 0 | 2 of 18 | 11% | 7 of 26 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:24 | |
| 3 | Jaqueline Amorim | 0 | 13 of 22 | 59% | 32 of 41 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 1 | 0:09 |
| Montserrat Ruiz | 0 | 3 of 16 | 18% | 8 of 23 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 2:38 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaqueline Amorim | 86 of 136 | 63% | 76 of 120 | 9 of 14 | 1 of 2 | 6 of 15 | 0 of 0 | 80 of 121 |
| Montserrat Ruiz | 6 of 36 | 16% | 2 of 29 | 2 of 4 | 2 of 3 | 5 of 31 | 0 of 1 | 1 of 4 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaqueline Amorim | 30 of 44 | 68% | 25 of 39 | 4 of 4 | 1 of 1 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 28 of 41 |
| Montserrat Ruiz | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Jaqueline Amorim | 43 of 70 | 61% | 39 of 62 | 4 of 8 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 40 of 64 |
| Montserrat Ruiz | 2 of 18 | 11% | 0 of 13 | 1 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 2 of 17 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Jaqueline Amorim | 13 of 22 | 59% | 12 of 19 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 1 | 1 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 12 of 16 |
| Montserrat Ruiz | 3 of 16 | 18% | 2 of 15 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 12 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 4 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Amorim (-238), Ruiz (+195)
Round 1
In the lightest weight class in the company, two ladies will battle it out in hopes of righting the ship just a bit. With six first-round finishes on the regional scene, Amorim (6-1, 0-1 UFC) punched her ticket to the big leagues only to come up short in April. On the other hand, a large portion of Amorim’s career has taken place since Ruiz (10-2, 1-1 UFC) last fought, as she has been away from the cage for over two years. Two grapplers of different backgrounds will come together under the watchful eye of referee Chris Tognoni, with the 115ers bumping fists to engage. Amorim is the initial aggressor, reaching out with her superior range with a jab that leads to a takedown attempt. Ruiz bounces off the wall to stay upright, but Amorim tugs her away from it and hurls her down to the floor. Landing in half guard, Amorim is quick to try to pass to mount. Ruiz hangs on tight with a lock from her own legs, but she cannot hold Amorim there, as the Brazilian takes mount and then settles back to get a three-quarter mount position. Pressing her chest and shoulder forward, she flattens Ruiz to the canvas and moves into full mount, where she begins looking for an arm to take home with her. When there is not one to immediately snag, she sits up and belts Ruiz in the face with a series of punches. Amorim uses her full body weight to disallow Ruiz from any bucking or effective defense, and Ruiz even tries to turn to the side but realizes it will not be in her best interest to do so. Amorim continues pounding on Ruiz, as the Mexican fighter is shelled up and taking punches and elbows that get past her guard. Amorim postures up to drop down punches, and Ruiz frantically turns and ends up giving up her back. Amorim welcomes this so that she can lock up a body triangle in rapid succession, and Amorim elects to use the position she has to move right back to mount. Amorim beats on Ruiz until she rolls out of nowhere for an armbar. Ruiz turns all the way around, with her arm still in danger, and she manages to work her limb mostly out of danger. “Conejo” turns herself around, with her left arm caught between the legs in a possible omoplata. Amorim releases it so that she can snatch up a rear-naked choke, and she lets it go to land some ground-and-pound to punctuate the round.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Amorim
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 Amorim
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-8 Amorim
Round 2
There is a bump of fists to open up the round, and Ruiz does not look discouraged and is ready to throw hands. Amorim is light on her feet, dodging anything of merit that comes at her. Ruiz wings a left hand that bounces off the guard, and she slings a low kick that Amorim ignores. Amorim times a perfect head kick that slams right into Ruiz’ dome, and Ruiz somehow tanks it and uses it to take Amorim down to the floor. Ruiz is in the guard for a few seconds, but the Brazilian sweeps her masterfully and ends up taking her back. Amorim smacks Ruiz on the sides of her head to soften her up in pursuit of a choke, and Ruiz fights smartly but is trapped in a body lock. Amorim goes palm-to-palm briefly to crank on Ruiz’ neck, only to abandon it when the leverage is not right and she does not want to burn her arms out. Ruiz tries to explode by turning towards her opponent, and Amorim recognizes this and jumps over into mount. Amorim gets back to her flattening ways, shutting down anything Ruiz can offer while threatening with a potential arm-triangle choke. Amorim presses her shoulder down with the submission while still mounted, and she considers moving to the side to complete it but Ruiz breaks the grip just enough to stop it. Amorim sits up and starts pummeling Ruiz with punches, and she switches to elbows when Ruiz turns to her side. Amorim holds one of Ruiz’ arms and busts her in the chops with her free hand, and she lets it go so that she can rain down elbows. Tognoni looks in on the fight, and instead of continuing to strike. Amorim rolls for an armbar. When the submission is not locked in, Amorim sits up and clobbers Ruiz with hammerfists until the bell sounds – one that might have saved Ruiz from a stoppage.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Amorim
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 Amorim
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-8 Amorim
Round 3
After two extremely dominant rounds, Amorim is still fresh as a daisy, and Ruiz is not giving up just yet. They clap hands, and Amorim strides forward to land a few punches and parry others coming her way. Amorim fires off a head kick, and Ruiz pushes through it so that she can try to take the fight down. Amorim allows her to do this and closes her guard around Ruiz’ waist, and she starts fishing for a kimura in hopes of a sweep. Tognoni warns Ruiz that she needs to do more than just laying on her opponent, and Ruiz sits up and swings her fists but they hit nothing but air. Ruiz gets a few punches in while she is tightly pressed to her foe, and when she sits up to try to land something heavier, they are all shy of the mark because of her arm length. Amorim uses a butterfly guard and pushes off to attempt a sweep, and Ruiz barely manages to retain her composure to stay on top. Amorim again hunts for a kimura, and she calmly turns “Conejo” over and is right in full mount.
The Brazilian unloads with a salvo of punches, elbows and hammerfists, and Tognoni is already there telling Ruiz to fight back. Ruiz does not fight back, and Amorim continues her final bombardment until Tognoni waves the fight off.
Ruiz protests, but he might have saved her from another 90 seconds of unnecessary punishment with the stoppage. This was a serious beatdown for Amorim, who bounces back from her first career defeat and notches her first win inside the Octagon.
The Official Result
Jaqueline Amorim def. Montserrat Ruiz R3 3:41 via TKO (Elbows and Punches)
Angelo picks Ruiz despite concerns about her two-year layoff and reliance on side headlocks. He notes Amorim has negative cardio and is a -250 favorite he advises against betting. He explicitly says not to bet on this fight.
Big Brady picks Jaqueline Amorim to win by first-round submission. He praises her incredible ground game and black belt in BJJ, but notes her poor cardio and striking. He believes she will get the fight to the mat quickly and submit Ruiz, who has little footage of takedown defense. He mentions that Amorim's last fight was marred by glove grabbing from Sam Hughes, which prevented a first-round finish. He is not betting at -240 due to cardio concerns.
Cody picks Amorim but with low confidence. He notes Amorim's high-level BJJ and thinks she can catch Ruiz in a submission if Ruiz attempts her head-and-arm throw. He worries about Amorim's cardio but thinks Ruiz's two-year layoff and one-dimensional style favor Amorim. He expects Amorim to get the submission.
James picks Amorim to win by submission, likely in the first round. He notes Amorim is a multiple-time BJJ world champion and that Ruiz often goes for head-and-arm throws which will lead to back takes. He thinks Ruiz is not as tough as Sam Hughes, who survived Amorim's submissions. James is confident Amorim will get the finish.
Amorim is a high-level BJJ black belt who had a rude awakening in her last fight when she couldn't finish early, but that was a learning experience. Ruiz is a schoolyard bully who likes head and arm throws, but she has been out for a long time and will struggle against Amorim's BJJ. Amorim will look for submissions and get a finish.
Paul picks Ruiz at plus money, having bet her at +245 a week ago. He thinks Ruiz's physical strength and two years of improvement at 10th Planet or King's MMA could be key. He notes Amorim gassed in her last fight and thinks if Ruiz can avoid submissions early, she can win by decision or TKO. He calls it a half-size bet.
The MMA Guru picks Jaqueline Amorim over Montserrat Ruiz, noting Amorim's poor debut but attributing it to UFC jitters. He highlights her American Top Team background, BJJ credentials (world no-gi championships), and quick turnaround. He criticizes Ruiz's win over Cheyanne Vlismas as a basic head-and-arm throw, common in women's MMA. He believes Amorim will learn from her loss and perform better.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Hughes | 0 | 12 of 52 | 23% | 52 of 109 | 2 of 10 | 20% | 3 | 0 | 3:42 |
| Jaqueline Amorim | 0 | 46 of 104 | 44% | 107 of 176 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 1 | 7:02 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam Hughes | 0 | 7 of 25 | 28% | 11 of 34 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 3 | 0 | 3:24 |
| Jaqueline Amorim | 0 | 11 of 25 | 44% | 13 of 27 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 0:02 | |
| 2 | Sam Hughes | 0 | 3 of 6 | 50% | 8 of 11 | 0 of 4 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:17 |
| Jaqueline Amorim | 0 | 6 of 21 | 28% | 34 of 55 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 3:29 | |
| 3 | Sam Hughes | 0 | 2 of 21 | 9% | 33 of 64 | 0 of 4 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:01 |
| Jaqueline Amorim | 0 | 29 of 58 | 50% | 60 of 94 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 3:31 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Hughes | 12 of 52 | 23% | 12 of 42 | 0 of 7 | 0 of 3 | 11 of 49 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 3 |
| Jaqueline Amorim | 46 of 104 | 44% | 45 of 101 | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 19 of 62 | 6 of 7 | 21 of 35 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam Hughes | 7 of 25 | 28% | 7 of 17 | 0 of 5 | 0 of 3 | 6 of 22 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 3 |
| Jaqueline Amorim | 11 of 25 | 44% | 11 of 25 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 5 of 18 | 6 of 7 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Sam Hughes | 3 of 6 | 50% | 3 of 5 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Jaqueline Amorim | 6 of 21 | 28% | 6 of 20 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 16 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 5 | |
| 3 | Sam Hughes | 2 of 21 | 9% | 2 of 20 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 21 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Jaqueline Amorim | 29 of 58 | 50% | 28 of 56 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 11 of 28 | 0 of 0 | 18 of 30 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Amorim (-245), Hughes (+205)
Round 1
For the third time in five weeks, the UFC is asking its fans to empty their pocketbooks and shell out $80 for a fight card. This event in Miami, with a championship rematch a mere six months in the making sitting atop the marquee, might have something to offer everyone. The now dozen-bout billing begins in the women’s strawweight division, with a match that would be well-suited for an LFA headliner. Unbeaten Amorim (6-0, 0-0 UFC) will make her first walk to the Octagon tonight, where she meets “Sampage” Hughes (7-5, 2-4 UFC). The first fight of the night begins with a touch of gloves in front of referee Andrew Glenn, and it’s on with the show. Amorim introduces herself with a few sweeping kicks, and Hughes dodges or blocks them all. Hughes paws forward a jab, and she is met with a pair of right hooks from the Brazilian. Hughes claims she was poked in the eye, and Glenn does not recognize it so they do not stop. Hughes walks her opponent down, but she gets countered repeatedly by Amorim. Hughes presses forward with jabs outstretched, and Amorim shoots in from afar with a takedown. Hughes defends from her back with an armbar, but Amorim laughs this off and steps over to a dominant position. As Hughes scrambles, Amorim takes her back and briefly considers an armbar setup. Hughes fights it off and explodes back to her feet, and she elbows her foe in the face before defending another level change. Amorim grabs hold of a single-leg takedown and lifts Hughes off the ground to toss her to the mat like a sack of potatoes. Hughes instinctually keeps her legs high for a potential triangle choke, and Amorim slides through and allows Hughes to move to her knees so she can take the back. Briefly flirting with a kimura lock from the back, she instead gets both hooks in and hunts for a rear-naked choke. Amorim secures the body triangle and strangles Hughes, but the tough Hughes grits it out and fights the hands to defend from the choke. Hughes stands up, and Amorim remains on her back and wrenches on the neck. Amorim locks it down, and Hughes fights the hands again to defend the choke and does so by getting her fingers in the gloves. Amorim switches to a palm-to-palm grip as Hughes falls to her back, and once again Hughes survives while still firmly entrenched in the danger zone. Amorim retains her tight body triangle around the waist, and she abandons the back take to step over into mount and set up an arm-triangle choke. Hughes scrambles and gets slugged in the chops, and she manages to stand up. The round ends as she chases Amorim across the cage.
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Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Amorim
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Amorim
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Amorim
Round 2
Amorim has reached the second round for the first time as a pro, and Hughes appears energized as she pushes forward and drives Amorim to the wall. Amorim jumps to guard, and Hughes backs off and lets her stand up. Amorim swings with a body kick, and Hughes lays into her with a pair of punches. Amorim rushes in for a takedown, and Hughes bowls her over and moves into the guard. Amorim sets up the body triangle off her back, keeping Hughes from dropping down ground-and-pound. Hughes looks to free her hands to bust the Brazilian in the face, but Amorim is clinging tightly and looking to sneak her arm under Hughes’ knee. Hughes wrenches out her left hand to bop Amorim in the nose a few times, and Amorim flails with her legs and pushes Hughes off of her to force the standup. Hughes strides forward with a few punches, and a takedown effort from Amorim is again thwarted by “Sampage.” Hughes makes Amorim stand up again, and she dings her with a few punches. Amorim falls to her back, and Hughes complains to Glenn about grabbing the glove. Amorim fastens the body triangle with Hughes on top, and she postures up in the guard and rains down punches. Amorim turns to pursue a leglock, and Hughes rips it out and stands. Amorim is slow to follow her up, seemingly running out of steam, and she pursues a desperation takedown that is easily stuffed. The crowd rains down boos as Amorim overcommits to a single, and she turns it to a double-leg and ends up pulling guard instead. Amorim goes after a heel hook, but Hughes slides the leg free and stands up. Hughes decides to pursue a single of her own, and she dumps Amorim on her back and holds her there until the horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hughes
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Hughes
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Hughes
Round 3
Everyone and their brother in Hughes’ corner informs her that her opponent is exhausted. The third round opens with a glove touch, and Hughes is the immediate aggressor to pick up right where she left off. Amorim flails feebly with her fists, and Hughes ignores them and gets off a right hand. “Sampage” fires off a high kick, and Amorim flops to her back and looks to tie Hughes up. Hughes escapes, and the Brazilian stands and backs up against the cage. Hughes punts her in the face with a front kick, and Amorim moves to her back again and puts her legs around the waist. Hughes opens up with heavy hammerfists and elbows, and Amorim tries to fight back but is getting into a failed slugfest from her back. Hughes settles down when Amorim gets the body triangle around the waist again, and Amorim turns to a side in hopes of setting up a two-on-one wrist lock. Hughes continues to fight off that kimura setup, all while punching the body and otherwise frustrating the unbeaten fighter. Hughes does not slow her methodical offense, and a long series of left hands land on the jaw. Amorim paws back every time to little effect, and she turns over with the body triangle still in play for an armlock. Amorim is warned for grabbing the inside of the glove, and Hughes does not like this and opens up with some heavy ground-and-pound. Hughes bails on the position and stands up, and a fatigued Amorim stands and backs away. Hughes pushes out a front kick and a few punches, and she has Amorim on the ropes and totally spent. Amorim leans forward for a takedown, but has no energy to secure it, so Hughes pushes her to her seat and pounds on her. Hughes pushes off and stands, and Amorim wings a big right hand and follows with a front kick. Amorim gets caught with a few punches, drops down for a takedown, and the match comes to a close. Depending on the scoring of Round 1, a draw could theoretically be in play.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hughes (29-28 Hughes)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Hughes (29-28 Hughes)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Hughes (29-28 Hughes)
The Official Result
Sam Hughes def. Jaqueline Amorim via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Angelo sees Jaqueline Amorim as the clear winner due to her undefeated record, all stoppage wins, and superior grappling with blast double takedowns and a wild array of submissions. He notes she also has legitimate one-punch power. However, he is cautious about betting because Sam Hughes is extremely tough and has UFC experience, which could lead to a fade if Amorim doesn't finish early. He suggests an under 2.5 rounds play might be the way to go.
Big Brady is confident in Jaqueline Amorim due to her elite BJJ credentials and six first-round finishes. He notes that Sam Hughes has poor takedown defense (47%) and has been taken down multiple times by previous opponents. He believes once Amorim gets the fight to the mat, it will be over quickly via submission. He predicts a first-round submission.
Cody picks Amorim but is slightly hesitant due to the price. He notes Amorim's submission skills are elite and that she finishes fights quickly. He points out Hughes' poor takedown defense and believes Amorim will get the fight to the ground and submit her. Cody says he won't parlay her but thinks she wins. He mentions the under on the fight time as a potential play.
Connor agrees with Zane, picking Hughes. He notes that Amorim is a great prospect but very raw, and Hughes has shown she can break opponents who expect to win quickly.
Jacob agrees that Amorim should dominate, highlighting her methodical takedown timing and excellent top control. He notes that Sam Hughes's toughness may actually work against her because she scrambles to get back to her feet, which opens up submission opportunities for Amorim. He is concerned about Amorim's cardio if the fight goes past the first round, but believes she is good enough to get the job done early.
Amorim is a BJJ black belt with all six wins by first-round finish. Her grappling should overwhelm Hughes, who has good cardio but may struggle to stop takedowns. The line at -230 is too wide for a debutant, but Amorim's submission threat is real. I expect her to lock up a submission after getting the fight to the ground.
Paul picks Amorim, believing her BJJ is elite and that she will take Hughes down and submit her. He notes Hughes has poor takedown defense and has been taken down by many opponents. Paul thinks Amorim's grappling is a level above and that she will progressively improve position. He acknowledges Amorim's striking is unproven but expects her to get the fight to the ground quickly. He suggests live betting Hughes if the fight goes past the first round.
The MMA Guru predicts Jaqueline Amorim will win by first-round submission via rear-naked choke. He envisions a scramble early on where Amorim gets Hughes against the cage, executes an inside or outside trip to get on top in half guard, then takes the back as Hughes scrambles and sinks in the choke. He is confident in this outcome, describing the sequence in detail.
Zane picks Hughes because Amorim is raw and has never been outside the first round. He notes that Hughes has been building a functional game and is aggressive with intelligent pressure. Zane also mentions that Amorim's grappling is not complex and she may not get clean takedowns.
Cory McKenna - Fight History
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julia Polastri | 0 | 88 of 145 | 60% | 142 of 203 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 3:13 |
| Cory McKenna | 0 | 40 of 124 | 32% | 98 of 198 | 1 of 6 | 16% | 0 | 0 | 5:20 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Julia Polastri | 0 | 40 of 58 | 68% | 58 of 79 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 1:05 |
| Cory McKenna | 0 | 17 of 42 | 40% | 43 of 69 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1:38 | |
| 2 | Julia Polastri | 0 | 26 of 43 | 60% | 49 of 66 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1:57 |
| Cory McKenna | 0 | 15 of 44 | 34% | 20 of 50 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:44 | |
| 3 | Julia Polastri | 0 | 22 of 44 | 50% | 35 of 58 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:11 |
| Cory McKenna | 0 | 8 of 38 | 21% | 35 of 79 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 2:58 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julia Polastri | 88 of 145 | 60% | 40 of 92 | 35 of 39 | 13 of 14 | 54 of 102 | 32 of 39 | 2 of 4 |
| Cory McKenna | 40 of 124 | 32% | 30 of 112 | 6 of 8 | 4 of 4 | 35 of 114 | 5 of 8 | 0 of 2 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Julia Polastri | 40 of 58 | 68% | 17 of 33 | 18 of 19 | 5 of 6 | 21 of 35 | 19 of 23 | 0 of 0 |
| Cory McKenna | 17 of 42 | 40% | 12 of 35 | 3 of 5 | 2 of 2 | 15 of 38 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Julia Polastri | 26 of 43 | 60% | 10 of 25 | 10 of 12 | 6 of 6 | 16 of 31 | 10 of 12 | 0 of 0 |
| Cory McKenna | 15 of 44 | 34% | 10 of 39 | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 12 of 40 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Julia Polastri | 22 of 44 | 50% | 13 of 34 | 7 of 8 | 2 of 2 | 17 of 36 | 3 of 4 | 2 of 4 |
| Cory McKenna | 8 of 38 | 21% | 8 of 38 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 8 of 36 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 2 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Polastri (-125), McKenna (+105)
Round 1
Pushing right along, ladies take center stage as Polastri (12-4, 0-1 UFC) tries to make good on her second chance to make a first impression. She collides with fellow diminutive strawweight McKenna (8-3, 3-2 UFC), with the two measuring about 10’5” combined. The 115ers will carry on with referee Chris Tognoni taking charge of the cage, and they gladly clap hands before commencing combat. McKenna moves to the center of the cage, stutter-stepping her way in to disrupt her opponent as she advances to initiate some wrestling. Polastri intercepts her with a few punches on the way in, and she frames off McKenna in the clinch to knee her in the head and midsection. McKenna uses her own shoulder pressure to keep grinding the Brazilian, but Polastri turns her around with a bouquet of knees. Polastri looks for a few knees to the dome, and McKenna spins her around and cracks her with a short but effective right hand. McKenna drops down for a double, and Polastri keeps her balance as the commentary booth drifts off into a conversation of taking down tables. Polastri dirty boxes with knees, elbows and short shots to the head and ribs, and she stands McKenna up with an uppercut and uses a right hand to break. Polastri beats McKenna to the punch with a long jab, only for McKenna to come back over the top with a one-two. Polastri leaps forward with a flying knee that crashes into McKenna’s jaw, and she fearlessly stalks her down to throw hands and feet. McKenna draws some swelling around Polastri’s right eye thanks to a few solid left hands, and she loops a left hook and a right around the guard while Polastri hunts for elbows. Polastri jabs with a front kick, and a second is met with an overhand right. Two one-twos from McKenna find their home as she backs away, and she cannot get out of the way of heavy right over the top. Polastri chains a body kick into a right hand, and she ties McKenna up and knees her repeatedly. A knee on the button makes McKenna think twice about engaging like this, and Polastri walks her down and knees her a few times before the horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Polastri
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Polastri
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Polastri
Round 2
Polastri comes out of her corner to take the center of the cage, and she calmly walks McKenna down before leaping at her with a jump knee. The knee bounces off the Welshwoman’s chest, and she keeps her guard up to block a long left hand and retaliate with a body kick. Polastri absorbs a jab to come out swinging with a combination of punches and a knee before shoving McKenna to the wall in a clinch. As Polastri works the body with knees, McKenna tries to respond with a head-and-arm throw that fails miserably. Polastri lines up knee after knee to the midsection, ignoring what McKenna gives back at her. McKenna breaks away and fires off a one-two, and she follows it with a right to the body as she dances out of the way of a counter. Polastri shrugs off the offense aimed at her so she can keep McKenna on her back foot, and she shoots in for a double and uses it to take McKenna’s back standing. Polastri winds up with big knees to the back of the thigh as she makes McKenna’s life miserable in the clinch, jumping over to get a hook in on the side in hopes of dragging McKenna down. McKenna fights off the hook, but the arms of the Brazilian are locked around McKenna’s waist. McKenna breaks up a seatbelt position around her chest so she can spin around and pay Polastri back for a few of those knees before splitting off. Polastri follows her along and kicks her upside the head. McKenna swings frantically as Polastri gives chase, and Polastri does damage to the body as McKenna throws with anything she has while strafing. McKenna lands a few shots, but Polastri knees her in the noodle twice as the round wraps.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Polastri
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Polastri
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Polastri
Round 3
The Brazilian offers a clap of hands to start the final round, and McKenna gladly accepts only to get kicked in the ribs as she backs off. Polastri tees off on her opponent with punches and body kicks, and she allows McKenna to get in close so she can knee her in the guts. McKenna backs off and dips out with two shovel uppercuts, and Polastri completely no-sells them to chase the woman from Wales. They land at the same time, and Polastri’s left hook lands harder as she races after McKenna and swings an elbow at her. McKenna escapes from getting backed to the wall momentarily, but it does not take more than a high kick and a jab from “Psycho” to put McKenna on her back foot. As Polastri lines up several punches, she connects at the end of a combo to stagger McKenna back. McKenna gets pushed to the wall and absorbs a slashing elbow before she is able to turn around and shoot for a double. Polastri sprawls to defend the shot and even scores a knee from up close, pressing on the back of McKenna’s head to keep her from succeeding. McKenna finally manages to clasp her hands around Polastri’s backside, dumping the Brazilian to her back in a big moment. Polastri throws her legs up to defend with either a high guard or a triangle choke setup, and the Team Alpha Male export shrugs it off and opens up with a few punches while hunting for a guard pass. Polastri times this by attempting a sweep, and McKenna keeps heavy to maintain top position. Polastri attempts another triangle, and settles for using her feet to push off McKenna’s hips to make her adjust. Polastri closes the guard when McKenna lowers herself down, and her strikes from the back may be more powerful than McKenna’s that are hitting her back. McKenna rains down punches until Polastri kicks her foe in the chest, and McKenna gets off one diving punch before the final horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Polastri (30-27 Polastri)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Polastri (30-27 Polastri)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Polastri (30-27 Polastri)
The Official Result
Julia Polastri def. Cory McKenna via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Angelo picks Cory McKenna, admitting bias toward her aggressive style. He notes that McKenna's decision-making is a concern, but in this matchup she doesn't need perfect decisions. He believes if she stays aggressive with busy striking and takedowns, she can win. He plans to bet on McKenna via plus 3.5 rather than moneyline, as he thinks she can win at least one round.
Big Brady picks Julia Polastri by decision, but is hesitant due to the fight likely going to the judges. He was impressed with Polastri's takedowns and ground success against Josephine Knutsson, though her striking looked poor in that fight. He criticizes Cory McKenna's fight IQ and trustworthiness, recalling her refusal to take down Elise Reed and getting submitted by Jacqueline Amorim. He believes Polastri is the better striker with improving takedown defense, but expects a close decision that could go either way.
This fight was not discussed in the transcript. No picks were made.
Connor agrees with Zane, noting that Polastri is not very good and McKenna should be able to win if she fights patiently. He points out that McKenna has short arms and struggles with range, but Polastri's lack of athleticism makes her beatable. Connor is cautious because McKenna has made poor decisions in the past.
Daniel believes Polastri has a mean streak and can strike with McKenna, who he views as not a threat on the feet. He thinks McKenna's only path is takedowns, but Polastri can stuff them and win on the feet. Daniel is confident Polastri will stuff takedowns and bust up McKenna.
Polastri has improved since dropping to 115 lbs, fighting women closer to her size. She should stop McKenna's grappling attempts and batter her on the feet, possibly having grappling success of her own. Polastri will land the more damaging blows and win on the scorecards.
The MMA Guru hesitantly picks Cory McKenna, primarily because she has a full training camp while Julia Polastri took the fight on short notice. He acknowledges Polastri could pull off the win but favors the full camp advantage. He notes that McKenna's grappling should be the difference, though he hasn't been impressed by her in moments.
This fight was not discussed in the transcript. No picks were made.
Zane picks McKenna very cautiously, noting that Polastri doesn't seem good at anything and is a poor athlete. He thinks McKenna should stick to striking, work her jab and kicks, and avoid grappling with Polastri. However, he worries about McKenna's poor decision-making, as seen against Amarene, and her lack of athleticism.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaqueline Amorim | 0 | 3 of 5 | 60% | 3 of 5 | 0 of 0 | --- | 4 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cory McKenna | 0 | 4 of 11 | 36% | 8 of 17 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:56 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaqueline Amorim | 0 | 3 of 5 | 60% | 3 of 5 | 0 of 0 | --- | 4 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cory McKenna | 0 | 4 of 11 | 36% | 8 of 17 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:56 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaqueline Amorim | 3 of 5 | 60% | 1 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 |
| Cory McKenna | 4 of 11 | 36% | 1 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 4 | 3 of 10 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaqueline Amorim | 3 of 5 | 60% | 1 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 |
| Cory McKenna | 4 of 11 | 36% | 1 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 4 | 3 of 10 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: McKenna (-125), Amorim (+105)
Round 1
It is a potential grappler’s delight between two strawweights that rep elite teams in this next contest. Brazilian submission specialist Amorim (7-1, 1-1 UFC) will rep American Top Team as she comes to blows with Team Alpha Male’s McKenna (8-2, 3-1 UFC). Referee Mike Beltran will hope to keep up with them, although they start off with a sporting glove touch. McKenna flicks out an early jab, and Amorim comes back with her own before getting kicked in the calf. Both ladies trade low kicks before switching up to body kicks, and McKenna breaks up a back-and-forth by jamming Amorim up with punches. This allows her to close the distance enough to awkwardly take Amorim down, and when she hits the mat, she immediately finds herself in triangle choke danger. Amorim gets lifted off the ground and slammed down, and the choke tightens up as Amorim also locks in an armbar in the same sport. As McKenna wriggles, she appears to tap once on her opponent’s leg while turning, and Beltran shouts for them to stop. When he recognizes that it was not a complete tap, he tells them to keep fighting, and Amorim does not releases her grip.
“Poppins” tries to take advantage of the confusion by getting up, but the Brazilian rolls her to her back and locks down the armbar. McKenna kicks and flails, and she finds her arm in a precarious position and is forced to officially tap out.
This time the stoppage is the real deal, and the fight is over as Amorim releases the armlock and McKenna leans over to tend to her damaged wing. It might have been an odd situation, but it was an unusual exchange that led to the near-stoppage—and it was one that did not ultimately change the final result, besides delaying it a few seconds.
The Official Result
Jaqueline Amorim def. Cory McKenna R1 1:38 via Submission (Armbar)
Angelo sees McKenna as the more well-rounded fighter with better cardio and striking pressure, but he is concerned about her year-long layoff due to getting married, which could be a distraction. He thinks if she survives Amorim's early takedown attempts, she can take over with striking and get takedowns of her own. He notes the line is -106 (slight underdog) and may move, so he's leaning McKenna but not fully confident.
Big Brady picks Cory McKenna by decision, but is hesitant due to McKenna's tendency to strike instead of grapple. He trusts McKenna's cardio and wrestling more than Amorim's, but notes Amorim's dangerous BJJ and reach advantage. He is not running to the window to bet on it.
Cody picks Jaqueline Amorim as a live underdog, citing her 10-inch reach advantage, BJJ black belt, and solid wrestling. He notes McKenna's cardio may be a factor but Amorim has paths to victory on the feet and on the ground. He calls it a 'dog or pass' situation and takes the plus money.
The host acknowledges Amorim's high-level BJJ but believes McKenna has good enough defensive grappling to keep the fight standing for the first round and a half. He expects McKenna to implement her superior striking and then grind out Amorim in the later rounds as Amorim's finishing ability fades. The pick is McKenna by decision.
Paul picks Cory McKenna, citing her ruggedness and wrestling. He questions Amorim's cardio, noting she gassed in her UFC debut. He expects McKenna to push a pace and take over in later rounds. He acknowledges both could win but leans McKenna.
The Guru picks Cory McKenna, citing her strength and physicality advantage over Amorim. He criticizes Amorim's lack of strength, noting she failed to finish locked-in chokes due to weak squeeze. He believes McKenna has better standup and takedown defense, despite a 10-inch reach disadvantage. He calls Amorim a 'frail hollow-boned bird woman' and expects McKenna's more masculine physique to prevail.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cory McKenna | 0 | 33 of 74 | 44% | 66 of 113 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:03 |
| Cheyanne Vlismas | 0 | 22 of 81 | 27% | 103 of 216 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 0 | 0 | 9:41 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cory McKenna | 0 | 17 of 45 | 37% | 20 of 49 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:02 |
| Cheyanne Vlismas | 0 | 13 of 61 | 21% | 21 of 77 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:51 | |
| 2 | Cory McKenna | 0 | 14 of 23 | 60% | 32 of 42 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:01 |
| Cheyanne Vlismas | 0 | 6 of 15 | 40% | 24 of 52 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 4:06 | |
| 3 | Cory McKenna | 0 | 2 of 6 | 33% | 14 of 22 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cheyanne Vlismas | 0 | 3 of 5 | 60% | 58 of 87 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 4:44 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cory McKenna | 33 of 74 | 44% | 20 of 54 | 8 of 13 | 5 of 7 | 23 of 63 | 3 of 3 | 7 of 8 |
| Cheyanne Vlismas | 22 of 81 | 27% | 17 of 72 | 3 of 7 | 2 of 2 | 18 of 76 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 2 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cory McKenna | 17 of 45 | 37% | 12 of 36 | 1 of 5 | 4 of 4 | 17 of 45 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Cheyanne Vlismas | 13 of 61 | 21% | 11 of 56 | 1 of 4 | 1 of 1 | 13 of 61 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Cory McKenna | 14 of 23 | 60% | 7 of 15 | 6 of 6 | 1 of 2 | 5 of 13 | 3 of 3 | 6 of 7 |
| Cheyanne Vlismas | 6 of 15 | 40% | 4 of 12 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 4 of 12 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Cory McKenna | 2 of 6 | 33% | 1 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 1 | 1 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 |
| Cheyanne Vlismas | 3 of 5 | 60% | 2 of 4 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 |
Angelo gives a slight lean to Cory McKenna, expecting her to set a relentless grappling pace and take a decision. He notes Cheyanne has improved takedown defense but thinks McKenna's takedown offense has also improved. He believes the fight comes down to volume and takedowns, and if Cheyanne is too afraid to commit to strikes, she'll give up rounds.
Big Brady picks Vlismas, citing her superior striking and takedown defense. He doesn't trust McKenna after her poor performance against Elise Reed where she refused to wrestle and looked bad on the feet. He thinks McKenna's takedowns will be harder to get against Vlismas, and even if she gets them, she won't hold her down. He predicts Vlismas by decision.
Cody picks Vlismas, believing she is talented and has good volume. He thinks she has improved and is a dark horse in the division. He notes McKenna's wrestling is not elite and Vlismas has solid takedown defense. He expects Vlismas to win by decision, outworking McKenna on the feet.
Connor likes Vlismas's distance command, power, and strike selection. He notes McKenna is young and scrappy but has a bad case of pad holder syndrome, not following through on strikes. He expects Vlismas to find her range repeatedly and bully McKenna, even if McKenna takes a round.
Vlismas is the far superior striker and should be able to solve McKenna's takedowns and get back to her feet if taken down. McKenna's top pressure could be an issue, but Vlismas is too athletic. She will light McKenna up on the feet. The host would have made her a lock if he had more recent data on her off-her-back game.
Paul picks McKenna but is hesitant, hoping she sticks to wrestling. He notes she has T-Rex arms and must get the fight to the mat. He is frustrated by her previous fight where she didn't wrestle enough. He thinks she can win by grappling-based decision or submission if she follows the game plan.
The MMA Guru picks Cory McKenna over Cheyanne Vlismas, believing McKenna's grappling will be the difference. He notes Vlismas has a stand-up advantage but a massive hole in her grappling, as shown in her loss to Montserrat Ruiz where she had no answer for head-and-arm throws. He expects McKenna to out-grapple her and potentially submit her in the first two rounds. He also thinks Vlismas will be too worried about takedowns to effectively strike.
Zane agrees with Connor, noting Vlismas is a willing, accurate, and powerful counter puncher with excellent range command. He thinks McKenna will start aggressive but eventually get bullied. He also mentions Vlismas's takedown defense is a question but not a deep problem.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cory McKenna | 0 | 13 of 22 | 59% | 43 of 53 | 3 of 4 | 75% | 2 | 0 | 4:40 |
| Miranda Granger | 0 | 13 of 34 | 38% | 14 of 35 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:05 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cory McKenna | 0 | 11 of 18 | 61% | 41 of 49 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 3:50 |
| Miranda Granger | 0 | 8 of 25 | 32% | 9 of 26 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:05 | |
| 2 | Cory McKenna | 0 | 2 of 4 | 50% | 2 of 4 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 1 | 0 | 0:50 |
| Miranda Granger | 0 | 5 of 9 | 55% | 5 of 9 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cory McKenna | 13 of 22 | 59% | 11 of 19 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 12 of 21 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 |
| Miranda Granger | 13 of 34 | 38% | 5 of 26 | 2 of 2 | 6 of 6 | 11 of 32 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cory McKenna | 11 of 18 | 61% | 9 of 15 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 10 of 17 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 |
| Miranda Granger | 8 of 25 | 32% | 2 of 19 | 1 of 1 | 5 of 5 | 7 of 24 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Cory McKenna | 2 of 4 | 50% | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Miranda Granger | 5 of 9 | 55% | 3 of 7 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 4 of 8 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Angelo picks Cory McKenna but expresses hesitation due to Miranda Granger's long layoff. He likes McKenna's pressure, pace, and grappling, believing her takedowns will be the difference. However, he notes that if the fight stays on the feet, Granger could outwork McKenna similar to how Elise Reed did. The uncertainty of Granger's improvements during her time off tempers his confidence.
Big Brady picks Cory McKenna but expresses hesitation due to her poor fight IQ in her last fight against Elise Reed, where she chose to strike instead of wrestling. He notes that McKenna has a significant reach disadvantage (9.5 inches) and that Granger has solid striking. However, he believes McKenna's wrestling is good and if she implements a smart game plan of takedowns and top control, she should win. He predicts a decision victory.
Cody also leans toward McKenna, noting that she should have wrestled more in her last fight. He mentions that Granger has poor takedown defense and a reach advantage, but McKenna's wrestling should be enough. Cody is concerned about McKenna's low ring IQ and hopes the loss taught her to wrestle earlier.
Daniel Levi leans Granger as a dog, noting her size (5'7", 68" reach) and two-year layoff could mean improvement. He hasn't been impressed with McKenna's UFC performances and thinks Granger could win if she's improved. However, he admits both fighters need work and advises not tailing.
Paul leans toward McKenna but is scared off by the price after she burned him last time. He notes that McKenna's wrestling should be the path to victory, but she didn't use it enough against Elise Reed. Paul thinks McKenna is young and improving, but her ring IQ is questionable. He still picks her for the show.
The MMA Guru picks Miranda Granger as an underdog, disagreeing with the majority. He criticizes Cory McKenna's wins over Kay Hansen and Vanessa Demopoulos, and her loss to Elise Reid. He notes Granger's size advantage (5'7" vs 5'3", 68" reach vs 58.5") and believes Granger will be too strong in grappling exchanges. He also mentions Granger's two-year layoff and prime age of 30.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elise Reed | 0 | 60 of 160 | 37% | 99 of 216 | 3 of 7 | 42% | 0 | 0 | 3:46 |
| Cory McKenna | 0 | 76 of 140 | 54% | 121 of 193 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:22 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elise Reed | 0 | 15 of 48 | 31% | 27 of 62 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 1:27 |
| Cory McKenna | 0 | 26 of 44 | 59% | 42 of 64 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Elise Reed | 0 | 27 of 74 | 36% | 28 of 75 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cory McKenna | 0 | 35 of 64 | 54% | 36 of 65 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:07 | |
| 3 | Elise Reed | 0 | 18 of 38 | 47% | 44 of 79 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 2:19 |
| Cory McKenna | 0 | 15 of 32 | 46% | 43 of 64 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:15 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elise Reed | 60 of 160 | 37% | 53 of 150 | 3 of 4 | 4 of 6 | 48 of 146 | 5 of 6 | 7 of 8 |
| Cory McKenna | 76 of 140 | 54% | 44 of 98 | 7 of 10 | 25 of 32 | 70 of 131 | 3 of 5 | 3 of 4 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elise Reed | 15 of 48 | 31% | 11 of 44 | 3 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 11 of 43 | 1 of 1 | 3 of 4 |
| Cory McKenna | 26 of 44 | 59% | 17 of 31 | 3 of 5 | 6 of 8 | 25 of 43 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | |
| 2 | Elise Reed | 27 of 74 | 36% | 25 of 71 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 3 | 26 of 72 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Cory McKenna | 35 of 64 | 54% | 16 of 43 | 2 of 3 | 17 of 18 | 33 of 61 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Elise Reed | 18 of 38 | 47% | 17 of 35 | 0 of 1 | 1 of 2 | 11 of 31 | 3 of 3 | 4 of 4 |
| Cory McKenna | 15 of 32 | 46% | 11 of 24 | 2 of 2 | 2 of 6 | 12 of 27 | 1 of 2 | 2 of 3 |
Angelo picks Cory McKenna, citing her well-rounded game and willingness to work takedowns as the difference. He notes that Elise Reed has real power but McKenna is very tough and busy. He warns that McKenna is only 22 and this is her biggest fight, so she might freeze, but he still likes her to win. He says the odds are far too wide.
Big Brady picks Cory McKenna to win by second-round submission. He is impressed with McKenna's wrestling and grappling, noting she has been grappling since a young age and trains at Team Alpha Male. He believes McKenna is levels above Elise Reed on the ground and will get the fight down and submit her. Brady acknowledges Reed may have a power advantage on the feet but thinks McKenna's ground game will be decisive.
Cody picks McKenna, citing her pressure and grappling advantage. He thinks Reed's kicking game will be nullified by McKenna's clinch and takedowns. He notes Reed's poor takedown defense and believes McKenna will win by decision or submission.
Daniel Levi leans toward Cory McKenna but is not confident due to red flags: McKenna's 58-inch reach, concussion issues, and both fighters' inexperience. He believes McKenna has an edge on the ground, but the price is too high to lay. He calls it a pass or dog situation, noting that Elise Reed has a striking advantage if it stays standing. Levi does not provide a strong pick.
McKenna's wrestling is slightly overrated; she may land takedowns but struggle to control Reed on the ground. Reed has a striking advantage with her taekwondo background, moving in and out well and landing big shots. McKenna's durability and the hometown crowd could sway judges, but Reed's ability to get back to her feet and damage opponents makes this closer than the line suggests. I'm picking McKenna via decision, but I might take a small poke on Reed at plus money.
Paul picks McKenna, noting he has already parlayed her. He emphasizes her pressure and wrestling, and thinks Reed's lack of strength and grappling will be exposed. He believes McKenna's game plan is clear: pressure and takedowns.
The Guru picks Elise Reed as a big underdog, arguing she is more technical on the feet and has good takedown defense. He dismisses her loss to Ciara Eubanks as a short-notice fight up two weight classes. He criticizes Cory McKenna's close decisions and believes Reed's 'menstrual rage' gives her an edge. He predicts a split decision win.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cory McKenna | 0 | 67 of 110 | 60% | 87 of 131 | 2 of 5 | 40% | 2 | 0 | 5:22 |
| Kay Hansen | 0 | 57 of 137 | 41% | 156 of 246 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 1 | 3:05 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cory McKenna | 0 | 29 of 51 | 56% | 33 of 55 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1:37 |
| Kay Hansen | 0 | 29 of 58 | 50% | 54 of 85 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:58 | |
| 2 | Cory McKenna | 0 | 25 of 37 | 67% | 26 of 38 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 1 | 0 | 0:59 |
| Kay Hansen | 0 | 18 of 51 | 35% | 50 of 86 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 1:28 | |
| 3 | Cory McKenna | 0 | 13 of 22 | 59% | 28 of 38 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 2:46 |
| Kay Hansen | 0 | 10 of 28 | 35% | 52 of 75 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 0:39 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cory McKenna | 67 of 110 | 60% | 47 of 89 | 15 of 15 | 5 of 6 | 54 of 95 | 11 of 13 | 2 of 2 |
| Kay Hansen | 57 of 137 | 41% | 56 of 136 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 49 of 127 | 5 of 7 | 3 of 3 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cory McKenna | 29 of 51 | 56% | 20 of 42 | 7 of 7 | 2 of 2 | 23 of 43 | 6 of 8 | 0 of 0 |
| Kay Hansen | 29 of 58 | 50% | 28 of 57 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 27 of 54 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Cory McKenna | 25 of 37 | 67% | 16 of 27 | 7 of 7 | 2 of 3 | 20 of 32 | 5 of 5 | 0 of 0 |
| Kay Hansen | 18 of 51 | 35% | 18 of 51 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 13 of 46 | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | |
| 3 | Cory McKenna | 13 of 22 | 59% | 11 of 20 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 11 of 20 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 |
| Kay Hansen | 10 of 28 | 35% | 10 of 28 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 9 of 27 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 |
Big Brady picks Hansen because she is the better grappler and dangerous off her back, while McKenna gets taken down often. He expects the fight to hit the mat and Hansen to get a submission. He acknowledges the line is wide but favors Hansen's path to victory.
Daniel picks Kay Hansen, citing her size and strength advantage, as well as a five-inch reach advantage. He notes that Hansen's grappling is strong and she may get an extra takedown or submission attempt to sway judges. He acknowledges McKenna's solid skills and bright future but thinks Hansen's physicality and experience against tougher competition give her the edge.
The MMA Guru picks Kay Hansen by submission, specifically an armbar off her back. He notes that Cory McKenna got caught in submission positions on the Contender Series and that Hansen is more experienced with better competition. He believes McKenna will go for takedowns and leave herself open to submissions.
Expert Picks (6)
Angelo sees McKenna as the more well-rounded fighter with better cardio and striking pressure, but he is concerned about her year-long layoff due to getting married, which could be a distraction. He thinks if she survives Amorim's early takedown attempts, she can take over with striking and get takedowns of her own. He notes the line is -106 (slight underdog) and may move, so he's leaning McKenna but not fully confident.
Big Brady picks Cory McKenna by decision, but is hesitant due to McKenna's tendency to strike instead of grapple. He trusts McKenna's cardio and wrestling more than Amorim's, but notes Amorim's dangerous BJJ and reach advantage. He is not running to the window to bet on it.
Cody picks Jaqueline Amorim as a live underdog, citing her 10-inch reach advantage, BJJ black belt, and solid wrestling. He notes McKenna's cardio may be a factor but Amorim has paths to victory on the feet and on the ground. He calls it a 'dog or pass' situation and takes the plus money.
The host acknowledges Amorim's high-level BJJ but believes McKenna has good enough defensive grappling to keep the fight standing for the first round and a half. He expects McKenna to implement her superior striking and then grind out Amorim in the later rounds as Amorim's finishing ability fades. The pick is McKenna by decision.
Paul picks Cory McKenna, citing her ruggedness and wrestling. He questions Amorim's cardio, noting she gassed in her UFC debut. He expects McKenna to push a pace and take over in later rounds. He acknowledges both could win but leans McKenna.
The Guru picks Cory McKenna, citing her strength and physicality advantage over Amorim. He criticizes Amorim's lack of strength, noting she failed to finish locked-in chokes due to weak squeeze. He believes McKenna has better standup and takedown defense, despite a 10-inch reach disadvantage. He calls Amorim a 'frail hollow-boned bird woman' and expects McKenna's more masculine physique to prevail.
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