Thiago Moises vs. Gauge Young
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Young (-130); Moises (+110)

Round 1
Once a hot commodity off of the sole Brazilian season of Dana White’s Contender Series, Moises (19-9, 8-7 UFC) has regressed to the mean and is one defeat away from falling to .500 in the promotion. Young (10-3, 1-1 UFC) has gone one up and one down thus far, so he is looking to break out of that pattern and into greater heights. They will battle it out under the auspices of referee Jason Herzog, who will be keeping tabs on the 155ers for as long as they keep fighting.
There is no touch of gloves. Moises pressure immediately forward, backing Young to the fence and shooting in on his hips within 10 seconds. Young places his back against the wall to keep himself afloat, and as Moises keeps clinging to his man, the crowd grows quite restless. Moises ignores the boos and irritation from the audience and keeps tight to him. Young flips Moises over him, and Moises recovers quickly enough so both men stand up. Young tosses out a high kick to keep Moises honest, and he ducks a looping punch but cannot evade a front kick aimed at his jaw. Young probes with a jab and low kick, and Moises catches him in transition with a left hook. They jab at the same time, and Young just misses a looping punch as Moises kicks the lead calf. Young stays behind his jab.
Moises loads up on power, and Young sees it coming and also knows a takedown is soon to test him. Young stops the first effort, but the Brazilian redoubles his attempt and succeeds in putting Young down. Young wall-walks to stand up, and he gives his back up in the process. Moises hops onto his back and wraps his legs around the waist while flirting with a choke attempt. Moises wraps his forearm across the face and tries to squeeze it, but the American is able to fight it off and kick off the fencing to drop to his knees. Moises welcomes this as he is leaned against the cage, and he smacks Young in the face with an undercut sneakily beneath Young’s armpit. Young sells out all the way to turn about, and Moises does not entirely give up the position and has Young trapped in an awkward side-turned position that contorts his spine but is not about to force him to tap. Young breaks out and finds himself in armbar danger, and he stacks the Brazilian up and lands a few punches to conclude the round.

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

Round 2
There is a slight fist bump to kick off the round, and Young is quick to follow that bump with kicks from both limbs. Moises jabs to the body to open up a right hand, and Young does not fall for the latter. Young jabs the body with his heel, and he reaches out with a right hook. Moises chops at the front leg, and Young stumbles forward but is still more than willing to trade. The American digs a shot to the body and goes after an uppercut, and Moises is just out of range with the latter. Moises wraps a right hand around the ear and shoots for a single, with Young defending it and pushing off. Moises shoulder-rolls a heavy right hand but the jabs are continuing to score. Young jabs Moises up with a kick to the stomach and follows with a punch before he has to sprawl the incoming takedown. Moises bullies Young to the wire for a few seconds, and Young knows he cannot get ground out again and breaks out soon.
He proceeds to jab and cross Moises with short combinations, and he just misses with a step-in knee. Moises wants another takedown, but Young is not having it and shucks him away easily. Both men look to double up their jab and come over the top with a right hand, but neither is able to do so as the big rights are telegraphed. They pick at one another with low kicks and stay busy from up close, not overswinging anything and just selecting their places carefully. It is one after the other, Moises lands, Young fires back, Moises keeps on throwing and Young is ready for more. Moises shoots low for a takedown, and he gets pushed away and nearly booted in the face when standing up. The Brazilian manages to tackle Young over, and he comes up short with a hefty knee. Young puts his fists on Moises up high and to the chest, rolling with a right hand to press ever forward until the bell sounds.

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

Round 3
Young offers a high-five, and Moises accepts it before the final frame ensues. Young gets back right where he left off, slowly pressing the action and outboxing the slugging Moises. Moises is loading up on sheer power, while Young is content to touch and move. Young pitches Moises to the side when Moises changes levels, and he delivers a stern uppercut to the jaw and staggers the Brazilian with a follow-up right. He also marks Moises’ face up on multiple places, including both cheeks and the bridge of the nose. Young steps in with a sharp elbow, and he tosses Moises to the side as Moises predictably shoots in on his hips. Young kicks Moises’ lead leg out from him as Moises is shooting for a takedown, and Moises flops to his back while Young raises in arms in the air. Moises stands up thanks to Herzog, and he steps in with a thudding elbow on the nose. Moises failed takedown is an even worse look when he falls to his back again when he does not get it. Young forces him to stand.
Moises tries to brawl, but he is far too slow while Young picks him apart with fast combinations. Young clips Moises behind the ear, sending the Brazilian collapsing to the mat, and he follows him down to bash him with punches and hammerfists. When there is no finish in sight, Young dances around to showboat and gets Herzog to bring him back upright. Young beats Moises with a left hand and points at it, and he is feeling himself and motioning in a Diaz-like manner any thing he lands flush. Moises stands firm and drills him with a right hand, and Young shakes it out to re-engage. Moises meets him with sheer power, hurling his right hand like he wants to knock the head of “Gee Money” into the third row. Young tanks the ones that connect and backs Moises to the wall, stinging him with an elbow but getting caught flush with a power right hand. Moises is swinging with hammers, and Young picks him apart and has his hands up to defend from the most dangerous of attacks. Moises punctuates the brawl with two punches and a head kick, and the lightweights hug it out after a hard-fought contest.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Young (29-28 Young)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Young (29-28 Young)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Young (29-28 Young)

The Official Result
Gauge Young def. Thiago Moises via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Maheshate Hayisaer vs. Gauge Young

Round 1
The top prelim bout at UFC Shanghai, for whatever that distinction is worth on an all-ESPN card, features Midwest lightweight veteran Young against the mononymous Tibetan Maheshate. Referee Herb Dean motions the fighters to go to work and they comply, setting up in matching orthodox stances. Young strikes first with a body kick. Maheshate stalks forward, landing a kick of his own, and snaps Young’s head back with a right cross. Dean cautions the native fighter not to extend his fingers. Maheshate tags Young with another long, straight right hand. Young is bleeding a bit from the brow. Maheshate comes up short with a pair of murderous-looking hooks, and Young nails him on the counter, dropping him to his seat, mostly off balance. Maheshate pops back to his feet and lands a jab. Young with a hard low kick. Dean pauses the action and warns both fighters to watch their fingers. A few seconds later, he stops them again and gives the same warning, but when they go back to work, the fingers are once again extended—especially Maheshate’s. Young changes levels for a nice double-leg, running Maheshate to the cage, where he uses the fence to stand. Maheshate tries a whizzer kick but can’t get Young down. They end up the round tangled against the fence.
10-9 Hayisaer.

Round 2
Maheshate lands the first solid strike of the round, a straight right as Young is coming forward. Young drops down for a takedown attempt, but Maheshate allows himself to be driven to the cage, which keeps him upright. They disengage. Young lands a nice low kick and eats a jab on the counter. Young with another leg kick. Young is doing a solid job getting into range on the faster and much taller fighter. Young snaps back the head of Maheshate with a double jab, takes one in return and then comes back with another. Maheshate steps forward and Young grabs a double collar tie, punishing him with a knee up the middle. Young seems to be building momentum, landing more and better shots than his foe, but with 90 seconds to go in the round, Maheshate plants his feet and lands a solid right. Young shakes it off, comes in behind punches and changes levels for a takedown. He hauls his man down, moves to mount and takes his foe’s back with 10 seconds to go. Maheshate shakes him over the top and gets back to his feet at the horn.
10-9 Young.

Round 3
Young catches Maheshate with a low kick, slips a level elbow inside and then meets a level change head-on and comes out on top in the ensuing scramble. They disengage by mutual assent and go back to work on the feet. Young is suddenly the sharper striker, backing up the taller man and landing accurate punches. Young walks Maheshate into the fence, where he holds him up with an underhook and throws short punches and knees to the body. Maheshate shucks him off, lands a grazing knee and they break up, meeting back in the center of the cage. Half the round is down and the lightweights are exchanging single strikes in the middle of the Octagon. Maheshate runs Young to the fence with a double-leg, switches to a single, but can’t finish the takedown and they come off the fence. Maheshate slips a pair of punches and comes back with a hard right hand. Young clinches, they go careening into the fence and Maheshate tries a hip throw from an overhook. It goes nowhere, and the final horn sounds.
10-9 Young (29-28 Young).

The Official Result
Gauge Young def. Maheshate Hayisaer via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Evan Elder vs. Gauge Young
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Elder (-258), Young (+210)

Round 1
A pair of Missouri-based lightweights will share the Octagon with local bragging lights on the line. Elder (9-2, 2-2 UFC) will try to hold the line against newcomer Young (9-2, 0-0 UFC), and the 9-2 records of the two fighters will change in the next 15 minutes or less. It is Elder who is the elder, while Young is the younger of the two in this pairing. Drawing the assignment for this preliminary tilt will be referee Nick Berens, who is well-prepared if this one goes to the judges. The fighters and former teammates tap gloves first, and then get down to business. Young takes the center of the cage, and Elder uses his space to land strikes on the outside. When Young responds with a body kick, Elder clips him with an overhand right. Young staggers back, and Elder gives chase and tosses out a head kick before pursuing a takedown. Young stops the takedown by lifting Elder and hurling him to the side like a dad wrestling with his kid, and he backs Elder up and punches him in the face. Young stays busy with single strikes, potshotting the relative veteran with blows to all targets. Berens tells the fighters to keep their hands closed, and Young does not listen and pokes Elder in the eye when Elder was swinging for a right hand. During the 30-second break, Young is harshly warned for his infraction, and Elder responds, “it happens.” Elder fires off three body kicks one after the other, and his kick is the weapon that keeps Young away from him. Elder goes to the body with a kick, and Young grunts and has to quickly stuff a takedown entry. They trade punches, and Elder’s guard is up to block a high kick that follows. Elder hammers the side and lead leg with constant kicks, and he hears his corner calling for a hook kick and answers them with a spinning hook kick that slams Young in the side of the dome. Young tries to throw back, but he is out of range and is caught with another spin kick. Young is warned for outstretched fingers once more, and Elder further inflicts damage with his kicking arsenal. Elder fakes two takedowns, and then blasts the body with three kicks and aims a low kick right before the horn.

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

Round 2
Elder runs out of his corner to touch gloves, and Young stands firm in front of him and makes Elder back away. This does not prove to be a problem for Elder, who kicks and kicks and kicks. Young reaches him with an overhand right, and he clips Elder with a second. Elder shakes his head and recommits to kicking aplenty, with his body kick arguably his most effective weapon. He pushes Young away when Young advances, and Young jabs his way back towards him. Elder’s body kick finds its home again, and he pounds the front leg with his shin. Elder dips a jab to come over the top with a right hand, and he drills the side with a vicious kick. Young prods his jabs forward, but it is Elder who is the one swinging with bad intentions. Elder gets off a left hand and strafes to the side to not stay in front of jabs. Elder shoots for a takedown from a distance, and Young’s sprawl puts Elder on his back. Elder keeps moving, and he slithers back to his feet and blocks a kick aimed his way. Young’s overhand right is answered by a body kick, and he is turned around with a painful leg kick. Elder sits down on a trio of punches, with the exclamation point a body kick. Young flirts with a high kick that is way out of range, and he backs Elder to the fence but cannot capitalize on the position. Young walks his foe down but is missing with most of his strikes, while Elder is putting him through a slow-motion wood chipper with his kicks. Elder goes to the body and opens up with a right hand over the top, and Young responds with a stomp kick to the knee. Elder deposits a hearty low kick on the lead leg, and a body kick from his other limb concludes the second stanza.

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

Round 3
The two Missourians hug it out to start off the final round, and they proceed to lovingly punch one another square in the face. Young steps back first, and he is chased with a jump knee that misses that mark. When Elder lands, he goes to the body on either side with his shins. Young offers a few awkward low kicks, and Elder ignores them and fires off a straight right hand down the pipe. Elder fakes a takedown to come up high, and Young chases after him but is not able to catch him. Elder flings a pair of high kicks that work the guard, and his low kick and body shot get Young’s attention. Young is tough, and he shows welting and redness everywhere but is not flinching much. Elder dips and lands a right hand, and when he dips a second time, Young picks up on it and tags him with a left hook. Elder opens up with kick after unanswered kick, with Young having to work through them to strike back with jabs to the midsection. Elder slams his shin on the side of Young’s liver, and Young is tough as a two-dollar steak and keeps pushing ever forward. Elder styles on his opponent with longer punches and kicks, and Young corners him against the fence but only manages to land once before getting pushed away. Elder goes high and then low with the same leg, and he snaps the head back with a left hand and connects on the front leg with his right shin. Young tries to time Elder’s ducks and movements with punches, and he catches Elder with a clean left hand that is one-and-done. Elder continues feed Young a steady diet of body kicks, and he slaps Young in the face with an open-handed left. Young rubs his face and has to block a head kick aimed at the same spot, and he pushes through to make Elder bounce off the wire. Elder walks directly into a knee, and Young pours it on with punches and a front kick as he has bloodied his foe’s nose up in the waning seconds. They give it all they have until time expires, and then embrace after 15 minutes of combat.

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

The Official Result
Evan Elder def. Gauge Young via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)