Torrez Finney vs. Jacob Malkoun
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Malkoun (-166), Finney (+140)

Round 1
Aussies continue to populate the Octagon, as Malkoun (8-3, 4-3 UFC) reps Straya against one of the only Americans on the billing in undefeated fireplug Finney (11-0, 1-0 UFC). Two of the shorter 185ers will toe the line in this one, both a far cry from the 6-foot-5 Nursultan Ruziboev who towers over much of their division. While they might need a stepstool to reach the top shelf where Mama hides the cookies, they will handle their business under the oversight of referee Steve Perceval. Fists are not bumped first.
Finney charges forward, and stops before engaging. He pushes out jabs that are far out of range, while Malkoun is much closer even if he too is not yet hitting his target. After 30-ish seconds of shadowboxing, Malkoun reaches Finney with a few jabs, and the audience is not pleased. Malkoun brings life to the bored stands by shooting for a single, and Finney spins around and gets out of it. Malkoun probes out his jab, and he leans back as two looping hooks brush his beard. Malkoun drives home a one-two on the jaw, and Finney does not like it and needs a moment to collect himself. Finney fakes changing levels, and Malkoun ignores it and puts three punches on his jaw. Malkoun beats his man to the punch with another brief exchange, leading Finney to bullrush him and swing for the fences. Malkoun wears them well, and he stuffs a takedown and hurts him with a one-two.
Finney backs off, and Malkoun dings him with another offering of fists. Finney loads up on counters, even catching Malkoun with a left hook, but Malkoun hurts him repeatedly. Finney’s takedown is stuffed without issue, and Malkoun makes him pay with a combination of punches. Finney overswings his counters, loading up and firing out of range, all while Malkoun is teeing off on him. Malkoun busts open Finney’s nose as he proceeds to beat on him like a rented mule, forcing Finney to shoot again feebly so he can punch him square in the face. Finney is out of sorts and not sure what to do, backing off as Malkoun is able to hit him without fear of reprisal. Malkoun slugs Finney in the face, grabbing the hulking American and tossing him to the floor like a side of beef. Rather than go after ground strikes, Malkoun pursues a modified arm-in guillotine choke, and the beefy Finney turns him around and secures top position. Malkoun lands more off his back than Finney does when standing, and when time expires, Finney clutches his knee and struggles to get back to his corner.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Malkoun
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Malkoun
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Malkoun

Round 2
Finney informs Perceval that he can continue after going down strangely on his leg during the takedown in the previous round, and the fighters resume. Malkoun pushes off when Finney tries to engage him, and Finney hops back with his right knee clearly compromised. Malkoun stays back, allowing Finney to swing wildly and inaccurately so he can measure the American and land any time he chooses. Finney stands still, and he jumps forward to attack and stings Malkoun with a huge hook. Malkoun blinks it out and pushes Finney away, where he gets to his preferred range to jab “The Punisher” up. Finney overswings on a hook, and Malkoun puts a jab in his face repeatedly. Malkoun’s strikes slash open Finney’s left eyebrow, and he gladly stays on the outside jabbing away. Finney closes the distance briefly, only to get driven back after landing with a few strikes. Malkoun splits the guard with a one-two, setting Finney down like sack of bricks.
Malkoun jumps down in hopes of finishing the job, but the defense of Finney holds up to allow him to drag himself to the wall and protect his mug. Malkoun punches the side and under the armpit when seeing an opening, punishing “The Punisher” with ground strikes while imposing his weight on the shorter man. Malkoun has his arms clasped around the waist and attempts to pull Finney down from behind, looping a hook in to further control his man. Malkoun attempts a vice-like face crank squeeze, crushing his grip on the jaw and putting everything into it. Finney, thanks in part to a bloody nose, slides his head out of the submission and fights back to his feet without getting struck again before the one-sided round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Malkoun
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Malkoun
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Malkoun

Round 3
Replays between rounds show how Finney aggravated his hamstring or knee mid-fight, but Finney toughs it out and starts the last round aggressively after a stern talking-to from his team. Finney swings with everything he has, and Malkoun keeps out of range from the worst of the blows. Malkoun shoots for his own single, and he ties the American up and bullies him to the fencing, where he proceeds to aggressively go after another single. Finney defends both efforts but gets cracked by two hooks, and Malkoun is able to feast on his defense by scoring at will. Malkoun’s jab consistently gives the walking tree stump of a fighter issues, and he ducks a Finney swing to bully him to the wall.
Malkoun grinds out the heavily muscled man and imposes his full weight upon him, leaning and kneeing Finney as his own countrymen and women boo his strategy. Finney wriggles out, and he gets popped with a left hook. Finney throws back hard, forcing Malkoun to rub his nose uncomfortably. The jab from Malkoun is booping Finney on the schnoz time and again, disrupting wide swings and keeping him safe. Finney lets his hands go and manages to connect on Malkoun, who answers with a rushing single that drags Finney to a knee. The moment Finney walks himself up with the fence behind him, Malkoun effortlessly hurls him back down. “Mamba” holds on top until the round ends, speaking to commentator Daniel Cormier outside the cage by remarking the Finney is better than he thought. The one-sided bout ends, and Finney can barely stand, needing to get carried back to his stool after three less-than-stellar rounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Malkoun (30-27 Malkoun)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Malkoun (30-27 Malkoun)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Malkoun (30-27 Malkoun)

The Official Result
Jacob Malkoun def. Torrez Finney via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)

Torrez Finney vs. Robert Valentin
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Finney (-238), Valentin (+195)

Round 1
The third time proved to be the charm for short, squat middleweight Finney (10-0, 0-0 UFC), who measures around 5-foot-7 while likely cutting weight to reach 186 pounds. After three wins on Dana White’s Contender Series, “The Punisher” is getting a shot in the Las Vegas-based league. He draws Swiss grappler Valentin (10-4, 1 NC; 0-1 UFC), who has completed nine of his 10 wins inside the distance. The third man in the Octagon will be referee Mike Beltran, who steps back as the athletes of drastically different sizes decide not to touch ‘em up. Finney puts on pressure early, only to duck away from a right hand. Finney crashes forward, lifting the Swiss man over his shoulder and slamming him down elsewhere in the cage like a middleweight Matt Hughes. Valentin climbs back up with the wall behind him, and he elbows the shorter man on the side of the dome. In the meantime, “The Punisher” punishes his foe with a high-amplitude slam that puts Valentin on his seat against the wall. Valentin turns to the side in hopes of standing, and he gives up his back in the process. Finney partially completes a mat return, and Valentin gets back up easier this time and twists out of the back take. Instead, Finney puts him back down on his back, and he hangs on tight. Valentin uses a two-in-one wrist lock to hunt for a sweep, but the burly Finney stifles it completely. When Valentin stands up, Finney elevates him and pick him all the way up, but he is unable to hurl Valentin on the first effort and has to expend additional energy to sling him down again. Valentin calmly wall-walks with his back to the cage, and Finney sells all the way out to the ankle and hits a takedown on his second try. Finney hangs on from above as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Finney
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Finney
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Finney

Round 2
Finney rushes out of his round and then pulls back before getting to the center of the cage. This allows Valentin to peck at him with a few reaching kicks, which prompts Finney to re-engage his grappling. The shorter man lifts Valentin up in the air and drops him down to the mat, and Valentin isolates the kimura grip for a sweep that he cannot get. Valentin settles for an elbow to the side of the melon, and Finney settles himself down to establish top control in the guard. Valentin throws his legs up in pursuit of a triangle choke, and Finney stacks him up and pushes out thanks in part to Valentin grabbing the cage with his toes. Finney returns to the guard, smothering and occasionally reaching with one or two strikes. Valentin sets up an armbar, and Finney lifts him up the air and tries to drive him all the way through the cage floor. The Swiss man hits the ground with a thump, and his submission grip is gone. Finney takes his back when Valentin urges to get to a single knee, and after two punches, he climbs up high on the back and slides out the back door. Valentin returns to his knees, grabbing the fence clearly to stand up and getting shouted at. With rules like these, who needs referees? Valentin is able to regain his balance thanks to the foul, and Finney doggedly pursues the double and tries to lift Valentin again. The tepid round closes.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Finney
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Finney
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Finney

Round 3
Valentin marches out of his corner on a mission, and he quickly puts hands on the burly wrestler. Finney responds, expectedly, with a double-leg entry. The try pushes Valentin from one side of the cage to the other, and the second effort from Finney ushers Valentin to his seat. Valentin calmly works his way to his side, and Beltran stands them up after a lull in any activity. Finney rushes at his opponent, pursuing yet another takedown, and he wrenches Valentin to a knee but no further. Valentin hacks at him with elbows, and he forces a stalemate to bring in Beltran again. Seeing that Finney is bearing down on him after the reset, Valentin lashes out with an elbow, and Finney easily ducks under him and completes the takedown. Valentin drops to both knees and tries to punch under and around the guard to put any number on the board he can. The fans are not amused by Finney’s performance, nor is Beltran, who breaks up another shot and restarts them. Finney charges like a bull straight into another takedown shot, and Valentin’s defense against the wall plus a few elbows are more effective than anything Finney has offered this round. Time expires, and this exhausting, horrible middleweight contest is now part of MMA history. May we never speak of it again.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Valentin (29-28 Finney)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Finney (30-27 Finney)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Finney (30-27 Finney)

The Official Result
Torrez Finney def. Robert Valentin via Split Decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28)