Kaan Ofli vs. Zha Yi
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Yi (-218), Ofli (+180)

Round 1
The promotion itself handled the first three matches tonight differently, even going so far as to declare they were the Road to UFC 4 finals while the rest are UFC 325—for Fight Finder purposes, we consider them all as UFC fights, and do not separate the two cards for record keeping. Those out of the way, we move on to the reason most fans are here as Jon Anik takes over on the mic. Giving locals someone to root for early, Ofli (12-4-1, 1-2 UFC) reps his home country against China’s Yi (26-5, 1-2 UFC). The third man in the Octagon will be referee Jim Perdios, and the featherweights touch ‘em up before proceeding.
Yi gets right to the center of the cage, aiming his jab to the head and body and landing once to the latter. Yi swipes out a right to the body, and Ofli replies with four speedy hooks. Ofli punches his way into a takedown, and Yi slips out of the way and forces Ofli to abandon it. Ofli keeps after Yi, belting him with a right hand and using a body lock to drag the fight down. Yi flips him around, and the ensuing scramble between the energized athletes leads to Ofli winding up on top. Yi tries to utilize butterfly hooks to keep Ofli off of him, and he even flirts with an armbar off his back, but it is all for naught when Ofli smashes him in the face with a vicious right hand. Just like that, Yi turns to the side as he does not want to eat another one of those shots, and he leans on the fencing so that Ofli cannot take his back. Yi postures in hopes of standing, and Ofli controls him and knees him flush to the body. Yi is wrangled back to the canvas, with Ofli tripping the Chinese fighter up to keep him grounded.
Ofli clasps his hands around the waist, letting them go so he can wind up and smack Yi in the face with several left hands. Yi ignores them and fights back to his feet, taking a couple knees to the stomach and an elbow that irritates him. Yi breaks off, and Ofli chases after him with a push kick and a punch. They loose hooks at the same time, with Ofli taking Yi off-balance with a ferocious hook. Yi stumbles and gathers his thoughts, getting right back up but notably retreating. Yi looks for a counter while Ofli is advancing, and Ofli falls over when landing a kick and takes a right hand on the way up. Yi clips the Aussie with a left and waves him on, and Ofli backs off and absorbs a few kicks to the body and legs. Ofli suddenly surges into action, but he is met by a stone wall in Yi who does not take many steps back. Ofli digs a kick to the body and is wobbled by a left hand, and Yi shrugs at him like a Diaz brother and headhunts him to the bell.

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

Round 2
Before the round begins, Perdios issues Yi a stern warning to close his fists, as he has had his fingers outstretched towards his opponent—as a reminder, this is a foul under the Unified Rules, with pokes/gouges a second foul. Yi acknowledges this and is fired up, and he proceeds to go right after Ofli when the round begins. As Yi swarms the Aussie, he knocks Ofli clean off his feet with a left hand. Ofli rolls to the side, protects himself from further damage, and gets back upright. Yi does not let him get a moment to breathe, splitting his guard with a piston-like left hand that forces Ofli to check on his nose to make sure it is not broken. Yi runs at his opponent and tees off on him, and when Ofli hits the deck trying to escape, Yi sprints and knees him in the side while grounded. Ofli is tough and stands up once more, but he is firmly in the Danger Zone and has not offered much offense back since getting clubbed. When Ofli tries to give off something, Yi counters him with a left to shut him down again.
Ofli grits his teeth and bats Yi upside the head with a right hand, ignoring the opposing right at his dome so he can keep swinging. It is Yi who lands the cleaner of the two, and his left hand continues to find its mark and make Ofli backpedal. Yi goes to the head, opens up the body and blasts the liver with a left hand to double over his opponent. Ofli gathers any remaining steam and shoots for a takedown, one the Chinese fighter tosses out of the way like a father wrestling with his kid. Yi has Ofli on the proverbial ropes, knocking him down or seemingly hurting him every time he connects. Ofli hits the deck and bounces off the floor as if he had springs in his torso, and Yi knows Ofli may not have much left and keeps after him. Ofli offers a sign of life with a pair of punches and a low kick, but he is far down on the scorecards in this one. Yi probes his guard with jabs rather than selling out as the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Yi
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 Yi
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Yi

Round 3
Yi offers a hug, and Ofli gladly accepts it as it gives him a few more seconds to get his wits about him. Ofli starts off hot, chasing Yi down and swinging hard but not catching him with much. Ofli does land a body kick with a resounding slap, and Yi taunts him as if to say “is that all you got?” Ofli lets loose with a calf kick, and Yi’s response is far less jovial. Instead, he appears compromised, so Ofli goes after it again and draws a slight limp. Yi changes stances, and Ofli kicks him in the other knee. Ofli keeps pressing the action, swinging hard in hopes of catching Yi concerned about the kicks, and he mixes in a takedown effort. When that fails, he punches his way into another attempt, where he jams Yi against the wall but goes no further as Yi breaks free. Yi splits the guard with a left to further irritate the damaged beak of the Aussie, and he ducks a telegraphed hook but walks square into a body kick.
Yi slings a left hand down the pipe, and Ofli meets him in the middle and slugs him in the jaw. Ofli ducks a hook and shoots for a double, and Yi scampers away. On the reset, Yi marches after the fading Ofli, and he knocks him back a way with a solid left. Yi’s own energy reserves are not particularly high after 13-plus minutes of fist fighting, and he takes a calf kick that makes him frown. Yi stonewalls another takedown that comes at him, turning the tables immediately to shoot for a double-leg takedown that Ofli can only defend with a guillotine setup. Yi easily pulls his neck free, and the two scramble for position until Ofli stands up and Yi follows him. Ofli uses the close range to crack Yi with an elbow, and he drives a right hand through after it. Yi replies with a tackling takedown, putting Ofli on his face for a moment until Ofli jumps back up. Yi dodges a spinning back elbow, and both men spin with back kicks and laugh when their legs collide. The horn sounds to end the close fight, one where a draw could be in play depending on how judges assessed the action.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Yi (29-27 Yi)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Yi (29-27 Yi)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Yi (29-27 Yi)

The Official Result
Kaan Ofli def. Zha Yi via Majority Decision (29-28, 28-28, 29-28)

Kaan Ofli vs. Ricardo Ramos
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Ramos (-200); Ofli (+170)

Round 1
The main card appropriately starts with a banger, and the packed house is amped up for what is about to come. At 30 years of age, Ramos (17-7, 8-6 UFC) has seemingly been with the promotion for a few decades at this point. Having lost three of four, he takes a meaningful step down in competition to face Australia’s Ofli (11-4-1, 0-2 UFC). When the dust settles, one of these two featherweights will get back in the win column, and referee Marc Goddard will be there for it every step of the way. A quick fist bump precedes the action.
Ramos moves to the center of the cage, jittery but active, and he prods out a jab or two before circling all the way from one side of the cage to the other. The few jabs have already marked up Ofli’s nose, who sprints at his opponent and tackles him to the ground. When he hits the mat, the Brazilian wraps up a leglock, and he switches to a kneebar and cranks the limb. Ofli stacks his man up and turns the proper direction to get out of the lock, but he pulls on the fence more than once to do so. Ofli explodes out of the position and maneuvers himself to take Ramos’ back, and he grabs hold of Ramos’ face and starts squeezing it with his bicep. The face crank is not about to make “Carcacinha” tap out, so he switches to a more standard rear-naked choke approach. Ramos stands up, and Ofli climbs onto his back to serve as a mean-spirited backpack. Ofli switches the grip from one side to the other, and he attempts a short choke to catch Ramos unaware but does not get away with it.
Ofli continues to chain sub efforts together, mostly of the painful crushing variety and not to deprive the Brazilian of blood or oxygen to the brain.
Ofli resets his hands and slithers the forearm beneath the chin, and this time, it is tight and not going anywhere. Ramos fights the hands but is stuck with “Genghis Kaan” strangling him from behind. With no way out, the Brazilian is forced to surrender.
In a little more than half a round, local athletes have now lost two in a row after starting the night at 5-0 plus a bout between two from the same country. Fans in the Farmasi Arena are not pleased, and the Aussie could not be happier.

The Official Result
Kaan Ofli def. Ricardo Ramos R1 3:02 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Muhammadjon Naimov vs. Kaan Ofli

Round 1
Featherweights close out the undercard, as Naimov (11-3, 3-1 UFC) takes on Ofli (11-3-1, 0-1 UFC) in the featured prelim at 145 pounds. Marc Goddard draws the officiating assignment. Naimov commands the center at the start. Ofli paws with his jab. Naimov making fluid stance switches and sneaks in a right hand over the top. Leg kicks from Ofli. The Aussie fires off an inside leg kick and it strays low, resulting in a pause to the action to allow Naimov to check the jewels. Naimov doubles up on the jab and slams home a low kick. Ofli darts in and out, often leading with kicks. Clinch knees from Naimov. They clinch along the fence, as Ofli scores with knees to the body and legs. Crowd half-heartedly boos. Goddard asks for more action. Naimov turns his opponent into the fence. Ninety seconds to go. They separate. Double jab from Naimov. Ofli feints. Naimov connects with a left hook, circles on the outside and steps into a short standing elbow. Crushing body kick from Naimov. He decks an off-balance Ofli with a two-punch burst, then ducks into a takedown. Ofli stands. They close the round in the clinch.

Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Naimov
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Naimov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Naimov

Round 2
Back at for the middle stanza. Ofli crashes into the clinch behind an overhand right. Knees to the legs from Naimov. He lands a pair of right hands over the top on the break, then circles. They trade left hooks. Naimov staggers. Ofli powers into double underhooks and bullies his opponent into the fence. Fans boo, as the action stalls. They trade shots at close range. Ofli works on a trip but goes nowhere. Naimov breaks free and volleys. Ofli shells up and weathers the onslaught. Naimov completes a takedown with a little more than two minutes to go and sets up in side control. Ofli gets back to his feet. Naimov scores with a few elbows in the clinch. Ofli secures double underhooks and backs his adversary to the fence yet again. Knees the legs from the Aussie. Goddard urges more action and eventually restarts them. Naimov doubles up on the jab and gets off a left hook before the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ofli
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Ofli
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Ofli

Round 3
One round to go, and the outcome remains very much in doubt. Naimov lands a wheel kick, but Ofli manages to withstand the impact. Ofli ducks into a takedown attempt but loses his balance and falls backward. Naimov lands in full mount and cuts loose with a series of rapid-fire elbows before moving to the back. He secures position with a body triangle and looks to soften up Ofli with punches. Midway through the period. Naimov stays busy with punches and continues to chew valuable time off the clock. Ofli not making much progress toward an escape. Finally, he turns, builds his base and gets back to his feet. Less than a minute left. Ofli uncorks hooks to the body from both hands and presses forward. Naimov welcomes him into the clinch. Ofli doing everything he can to turn the round around. Naimov backpedals and lets the time expire.

Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Naimov (29-28 Naimov)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Naimov (29-28 Naimov)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Naimov (29-28 Naimov)

The Official Result
Muhammadjon Naimov def. Kaan Ofli—Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Kaan Ofli vs. Mairon Santos
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Ofli (+164), Santos (-205)

Round 1
Team Grasso placed not one but two competitors in the finals of the 145-pound tournament on this season of the reality show. Ofli (11-2-1, 0-0 UFC) qualified for the six-figure match by throttling Roedie Roets with a guillotine, while Santos (13-1, 0-0 UFC) surpassed replacement Guillermo Torres in a close three-round encounter to reach it himself. There is nothing left but the particulars issued by referee Chris Tognoni, and the cage door locks behind them. The former teammates touch ‘em up, and Ofli wades forward into combat only to get popped with a greeting card of a right hand from Santos. Ofli responds with a jump knee and grabs hold of the Brazilian’s leg to take him down, and Santos splits away from that attempt without concern. Santos clips his foe on the way in with a right hand, and he lifts up a knee to catch Ofli on the side of the head. Ofli walks him down fearlessly, and he goes to a knee in pursuit of a takedown. Ofli is stood up, so he lands a few knees on the inside. Ofli grinds, and Santos does not appear concerned as his back is squeezed against the wire. Santos ignores a few knees to nail Ofli on the cheek with an elbow, forcing an immediate separation. Santos jabs with a front kick, and he doubles up on his jab to follow. Santos splits the guard with a jab, and he blasts the front leg with a kick that nearly takes Ofli off his feet. Ofli responds with a right hand over the top, and he is met with a right-hand counter. Santos pushes out his front kick again to great effect, and a slow but methodical one-two finds its home. A power calf kick from the Brazilian succeeds in taking Ofli off his feet, and he stands back to let Ofli get back up. Ofli absorbs another low kick that he does not like, and he runs forward and is met with a knee that glances off his chin. Ofli dodges a right hook by a whisker, and he scores a trio of punches to back Santos off momentarily. Santos prods out with two straight right hands, and he jumps at his foe with a switch knee. Ofli lets him land and knocks him away with a counter right. The round ends with Santos scoring a head kick.

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

Round 2
The pace picks up where it left off, with Santos the aggressor firing off kicks and punches that Ofli cannot defend. Ofli fires back his own leg kick, and he is caught on the way in with a left but still manages to jam Santos against the fence for a second. Santos circles away and returns to the middle of the cage, and he walks through a body kick and attacks with a jump switch kick. The front kick from Santos is money in the bank, and he strings a Superman punch behind it to further fluster Ofli. Santos jabs and connects with a cross, and Ofli marches forward loaded for bear.
When he sees Ofli loading up, “The Legend” lashes out with a looping right that skims the target and follows with a tremendous left hand that separates Ofli from his senses. The lights go out for Ofli, who drops to his knees totally unconscious. Before he falls face-first to the canvas, Santos is on him with two painful yet academic right hands to seal the deal.
Tognoni wrenches Santos off the unconscious Ofli when he sees that Ofli is in dreamland, and Ofli faceplants having lost control of his faculties. While history’s Genghis Khan likely died due to an illness, “Genghis Kaan” was slain—figuratively speaking, of course—by a vicious left hook from a former teammate. That is a way to make a statement to the company, with Santos announcing himself to everyone that will be a factor moving forward. He is the latest featherweight victor of “The Ultimate Fighter,” and ring girl Brookilyn Wren is the one to hand him his trophy with UFC chief Dana White nowhere in sight. The triumphant Santos declares that he is the new Alex Pereira, while saying he plans on becoming a champion like interviewer Michael Bisping.

The Official Result
Mairon Santos def. Kaan Ofli R2 1:30 via KO (Punch)