Davey Grant

"Dangerous"
9-7
Record
Age / DOB 40
(Dec 18, 1985)
Height 5' 8"
Weight 135 lbs.
Reach 69.0"
Stance Orthodox
Career Averages
5.14 Sig. Strikes / Min
44.0% Sig. Strike Acc.
3.82 Absorbed / Min
55.0% Strike Defense
1.03 TD Avg / 15 min
40.0% TD Accuracy
63.0% TD Defense
0.2 Sub. / Fight
Win Methods (9)
KO/TKO 3
Submission 1
Decision 5
Loss Methods (7)
KO/TKO 0
Submission 4
Decision 3

Fight History

Result / Opponent
Event & Date
Method/Round
Links
Comments
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Davey Grant 0 162 of 307 52% 164 of 309 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:02
Adrián Luna Martinetti 0 99 of 196 50% 100 of 199 1 of 5 20% 0 0 0:43
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Davey Grant 0 44 of 89 49% 46 of 91 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:02
Adrián Luna Martinetti 0 18 of 41 43% 18 of 41 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
2 Davey Grant 0 54 of 105 51% 54 of 105 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Adrián Luna Martinetti 0 38 of 79 48% 38 of 79 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:06
3 Davey Grant 0 64 of 113 56% 64 of 113 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Adrián Luna Martinetti 0 43 of 76 56% 44 of 79 1 of 3 33% 0 0 0:37
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Davey Grant 162 of 307 52% 56 of 183 45 of 59 61 of 65 148 of 289 14 of 18 0 of 0
Adrián Luna Martinetti 99 of 196 50% 48 of 136 37 of 43 14 of 17 91 of 183 8 of 13 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Davey Grant 44 of 89 49% 8 of 46 12 of 17 24 of 26 41 of 86 3 of 3 0 of 0
Adrián Luna Martinetti 18 of 41 43% 6 of 25 7 of 10 5 of 6 18 of 40 0 of 1 0 of 0
2 Davey Grant 54 of 105 51% 18 of 62 15 of 20 21 of 23 50 of 100 4 of 5 0 of 0
Adrián Luna Martinetti 38 of 79 48% 19 of 58 16 of 17 3 of 4 35 of 73 3 of 6 0 of 0
3 Davey Grant 64 of 113 56% 30 of 75 18 of 22 16 of 16 57 of 103 7 of 10 0 of 0
Adrián Luna Martinetti 43 of 76 56% 23 of 53 14 of 16 6 of 7 38 of 70 5 of 6 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Adrian Luna Martinetti vs. Davey Grant
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Grant (-120); Luna (+100)

Round 1
Getting a high card placement in his promotional debut, Martinetti (17-1, 0-0 UFC) dazzled in his incredible all-out battle on the Contender Series with Mark Vologdin last year. Whether he will be able to keep that momentum of 15 consecutive victories and a good amount of hype on his side, he will have to go through Grant (17-8, 8-7 UFC) to fully introduce himself to the UFC brass. Referee Chris Tognoni will keep tabs on the bantamweights, stepping back as they touch gloves to get going.
Grant lets loose a nearly calf kick, and he checks one coming back his way. Grant chops at the lead leg a few more times, with Grant ready for checks as he expects retaliation from the Ecuadorian. Grant flicks out his jab and stomps down at the knee with a kick, winging a right hand to the ribs after it. Martinetti is stuck dealing with Grant’s offense to offer much of his own, tossing out three of his own kicks amidst Grant’s accurate swings. Grant knocks Martinetti down with a kick, and he slips a few punches to let go with a right hand. Grant tosses out a head kick, one to the body and dings his foe with a right hand, sliding away from the counter in a hurry. Martinetti keeps after him, landing with a solid uppercut and a low kick. He shrugs at Grant when Grant hurls a right hand that partially lands on the temple. Grant’s kicks are consistent and Martinetti’s movement is keeping him safe from the worst of it. Grant steps in with a right hand, and Martinetti chambers and swings back but does not land nearly as cleanly.
Grant’s calf kick is starting to give the newcomer pause, who has a hitch in his step as he uses a knee shield and freezes when doing so. This allow Grant to let his hands go when Martinetti’s leg is in the air. Martinetti bites down on his mouthpiece to throw leather, and when he ducks down, Grant drills him with a knee on the forehead. Martinetti keeps pushing forward, and Grant is starting to time his movement and flusters the man from Ecuador with his kicks. Grant lands another knee when Martinetti leans over, and when Martinetti skitters back, Grant chops at the lead leg. Martinetti answers back with a spinning back kick, and he shoots for a takedown after that does not score. Grant lands a combination beginning and ending with a calf kick, and Martinetti is unable to find a pattern and just has to swing back with sheer power. Grant is able to dodge them, brushing past a jump knee and watching a swinging kick go past him after Martinetti lands. The round wraps.

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

Round 2
The fighters touch gloves, and within seconds, Grant lashes out with his low kick and a few more kicks after it. Martinetti plods forward, seemingly ignoring the kicks so he can trade vicious leather. He keeps after Grant, pushing the pace and forcing Grant to fight off his back foot, but that does not bother the Brit. Grant is content to crush the front leg with enough kicks to force Martinetti to change stances, and when that happens, he kicks the other leg. A right hand from Martinetti opens a cut on Grant’s temple, who pays it no mind and circles away to drill his foe with a left hand. Grant nearly kicks out the newly placed front leg, and he misses a head kick and recovers it to a side kick. Martinetti rushes ever forward, and Grant deals with the largely single strikes aimed at him to chain two or three together. Martinetti elbows Grant to back him off, and he doubles up with body shots to allow him to close in and shoot for a double. Grant scores a few knees before pushing out of the clinch, flicking punches and kicks out to varied targets with aplomb.
Martinetti keeps pinning shots to the body, but they are largely single swings while Grant strings a few together. Martinetti stays right in front of Grant, taking everything he throws at him in hopes of giving him back power. Martinetti stomps at the knee and spins with a back fist, the swing missing and opening him up to heavy right hand. Martinetti has to blink it out, and Grant targets it with one more and ducks to circle away. Grant stays in the pocket to throw hands, Martinetti scoring to the body while he shells up from the head shots. Martinetti pocket boxes to get off short but solid uppercuts, and Grant breaks his front leg down with kicks to force Martinetti to switch back to orthodox. Fists fly from both sides, with Grant getting slightly pushed back but by no means struggling with the pressure. Grant sinks in a brutal calf kick and beans Martinetti with two hooks, and he raises his hands in the air to celebrate his handiwork. Feeling himself, Grant keeps his hands up and takes a spinning back fist right in the face, laughing at it and encouraging Martinetti to hit him with more. A few more punches from Grant conclude the violent round.

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

Round 3
The fighters lather up those in the building at the Apex to start off the final frame, with Grant immediately scoring with accurate combinations. Martinetti presses towards him and pursues a takedown, backing Grant down to the wall but not grounding him. Grant stays right in front of his foe, consistently striking with anything that comes to mind at that moment. His unpredictability, mixed in with a non-recurring pattern of solid low kicks, irritate Martinetti. Martinetti gathers his thoughts and starts loading up, landing on Grant with a right hand and a body kick. Grant shrugs it off and keeps his guard up to block a sudden flurry of fists. Martinetti spins with a back kick aimed up high that careens off the gloves, and Grant greets him in the proverbial phone booth with elbows and short punches. Martinetti is hellbent for leather, swinging with reckless abandon, while commentator John Gooden remarks that “these two gentlemen woke up and chose violence.” How fitting.
It is all gas, no brakes for these two bantamweights, who trade no matter the damage, pain or impact from any of the numerous blows absorbed thus far. Grant may be leaking from a few spots around his face, but he might not even register the damage as he sits down on a left hand to rock the Ecuadorian. Martinetti’s nostrils spray blood as Grant’s fists meet them again and again, and Martinetti sells out for a low takedown and hits the ankle pick to put Grant on his seat. Grant turns to his knee with the wall at his side, and Martinetti climbs to his back to search for a choke. Grant wills his way upright, and Martinetti drags him right back down. The squirming Brit works his way back to his feet, and the two men decide it’s time to stand and bang. They proceed to duke it out with no fear of reprisal, and Martinetti even tries a Hail Mary rolling thunder kick that Grant dodges but celebrates. They reach the final horn, and celebrate their handiwork, very likely the frontrunners for the $100K “Fight of the Night” bonus that was still quite up for grabs.

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

The Official Result
Davey Grant def. Adrian Luna Martinetti via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Expert Picks (5)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 19, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Adrián Luna Martinetti

Angelo confidently picks Adrián Luna Martinetti, citing his insane volume, solid chin, and solid takedown defense. He notes that Davey Grant is 40 years old with a poor chin, and expects Martinetti to overwhelm him with strikes. He is surprised the odds are close and has bet on Martinetti.

Angelo says he bet on Martinetti.
"I am going to pick Martinelli. I also bet on Martinetti. His volume is nuts."
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked Apr 21, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Davey Grant

Big Brady picks Davey Grant over Adrián Luna Martinetti. He notes Grant's age (40) but sees no decline, citing recent performances. He believes Grant is the better striker and more durable, and expects a competitive fight that Grant wins by decision.

Grant wins by decision
"Give me Davey Grant to win and win by decision here."
DI
Diary of a Pro Gambler Expert Confident picked Apr 25, 2026 (fight day)
Davey Grant

The host believes Grant is a lot better than Martinez, who looked like a basic striker with poor wrestling and cardio in his Contender Series fight. Grant is more experienced, skilled, powerful, and has better cardio despite being 40. He acknowledges the risk of age-related decline but thinks Grant should win comfortably. He will bet Grant.

Not interested in fight spreads or over/under
"I will be betting Davey Grant this weekend because he's a lot better than Adrian Yanez Martinez."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Lean picked Apr 19, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Adrián Luna Martinetti

James picks Martinetti due to his youth (10-year age advantage) and similar high-volume style. He thinks Martinetti's takedowns and durability will outlast Grant, who is 40 and coming off a quick loss. He predicts a decision win.

"I am going to pick Martinetti overall and the reason I'm going to do that is just because of his age."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean picked Apr 21, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Davey Grant

Grant is a pressure fighter with power and a BJJ black belt, but he has been submitted multiple times. Martinetti is an unorthodox striker with good grappling, but his striking defense is suspect. Grant should be able to walk Martinetti down and land big shots, leading to a knockout. However, Martinetti could also land a flashy strike and submit Grant. The fight is expected to be chaotic and finish early.

under 2.5 rounds
"I think Grant probably gets the win. I think he's able to walk Martinetti down, land big shots, maybe get a club and sub of his own, um or even just a straight up knockout."
Submission R1 3:05
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Charles Jourdain 1 25 of 43 58% 25 of 43 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:20
Davey Grant 0 9 of 26 34% 9 of 26 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Charles Jourdain 1 25 of 43 58% 25 of 43 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:20
Davey Grant 0 9 of 26 34% 9 of 26 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Charles Jourdain 25 of 43 58% 20 of 35 5 of 8 0 of 0 17 of 31 0 of 0 8 of 12
Davey Grant 9 of 26 34% 3 of 14 1 of 3 5 of 9 9 of 26 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Charles Jourdain 25 of 43 58% 20 of 35 5 of 8 0 of 0 17 of 31 0 of 0 8 of 12
Davey Grant 9 of 26 34% 3 of 14 1 of 3 5 of 9 9 of 26 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Davey Grant vs. Charles Jourdain
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Jourdain (-170); Grant (+140)

Round 1
Hold onto your hats, because Jourdain (16-8-1, 7-7-1 UFC) and Grant (17-7, 8-6 UFC) are about to trade leather. The bantamweights that tend to put on a show will be officiated by referee Jason Herzog. They opt to bump fists before jacking one another on the jaw.
Grant strides forward, and he catches an oncoming body kick. He releases it and lets fly a clubbing calf kick. Jourdain bounces off the fence and is just out of range from another kick to the midsection. Jourdain tags his man with a one-two, and Grant opens up with his own overhand right. Jourdain times a jump knee as Grant bears down on him, and he misses by a matter of inches. Grant hammers home another low kick, and he blocks a big knee. Jourdain lines up a straight left hand down the middle, and he whiffs on a looping left of his own. Jourdain absorbs a pair of punches and has to bounce on his heels to gets his bearings, and then leaps into action with a head kick and a powerful right hand. Grant grins at him and asks for more, so Jourdain obliges him. Grant throws back hard. Jourdain catches Grant with his jump knee, and Grant is tough but his forehead is split ever so slightly.
Grant calms himself and looses a heavy leg kick, and he gets blasted with another head kick. Jourdain finds the target with his flying knee, and Grant’s nose explodes in a bloody mess and topples to his back in a bad way.
Jourdain leaps on top and hammers the Brit with ground-and-pound, and Grant somehow survives even though his face is quickly transforming into a crimson mask. Grant turns over, and the Canadian sees his opening and snatches up his preferred move of a power guillotine choke. The moment that Jourdain, who has the grip clutched tight as can be, rolls Grant over, Grant taps out as fast as he can.
Even with Herzog getting between them in a timely manner, Grant appears to at least partially go out, as when he stands back up looking like a victim in an 80's slasher film, he finds that he is not quite capable of doing so on his own. The crowd goes ballistic.

The Official Result
Charles Jourdain def. Davey Grant R1 3:05 via Submission (Guillotine Choke)
Expert Picks (9)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Oct 17, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Davey Grant

Angelo picks Davey Grant, citing his forward pressure, solid defense, and durability. He notes Charles Jourdain has cleaned up his wild style but may still be exploitable. Grant's age and chin are concerns, but his recent wins over Blackshear and a close fight with Marcos give confidence.

"I'm going to pick Davey Grant here."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Oct 17, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Charles Jourdain

Big Brady likes Jourdain fighting at home and thinks the judges favor him. He notes Grant is 39 and father time is undefeated, especially at lower weight classes. He thinks Jourdain is getting Grant at the right time and picks him by decision, though he won't lay -170.

"I got to go with the Jordane side. Give me Charles Jordane to win this fight and win it by decision."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Oct 15, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Charles Jourdain

Cody picks Jourdain, citing his volume and unorthodox striking. He notes Grant doesn't wrestle much, which plays into Jourdain's strengths. Jourdain's takedown defense is a concern, but Grant doesn't shoot. Cody expects Jourdain to win by decision or late stoppage.

"I'm gonna go Charles Jordane on this one. Jump back on team Canada."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Lean picked Oct 17, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Davey Grant

Connor leans toward Davey Grant, citing Grant's consistent toughness, awkwardness, and ability to capitalize on retreating opponents. He notes that Jourdain can drift and have wrong ideas, and that Grant's pressure and durability could cause Jourdain trouble, especially given Jourdain's poor defensive wrestling and tendency to improvise. Connor also mentions the age gap (Grant is 39) but still favors Grant's reliability.

Grant opened at +170, dropped to -110, now +145; Jourdain opened -200, now -170. Connor notes the odds movement and suggests the line is influenced by age.
"I'm kind of leaning Davey Grant in this one."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Lean picked Oct 14, 2025 (4 days before fight)
Charles Jourdain

James finds this a tough fight to call, noting both fighters have struggled with certain styles. He leans toward Jourdain due to his better career trajectory and Grant's age (39). James mentions Jourdain's guillotine threat but expects a close fight.

"I'm going to end up going with Charles Jordane for my official prediction. I feel like his career trajectory is a little bit better than Davy Grant. Davy Grant is 39. At some point, he's going to fall off a cliff."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Oct 17, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Charles Jourdain

The host thinks Jourdain's youth, speed, unorthodox striking, and dangerous BJJ will help him chip away at Grant, pull off a desperation takedown, and eventually snatch a submission victory.

win by submission
"I think it's going to be the youth speed, unorthodox striking, and dangerous BJJ game of Davy Grant, which eventually helps him chip away at Grant, pull out a desperation takedown, and eventually lead to Jordane snatching up another submission victory."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Oct 15, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Davey Grant

Paul picks Grant, citing his value as a dog. He notes Grant is always game and has good volume. Jourdain's weight cut to 135 is a concern, and Grant can exploit that. Paul plans to bet Grant at plus money.

"you give me plus money on Dave David Grant. I'm not going to waste your time with two months. This is like plus 150."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Oct 16, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Charles Jourdain

The MMA Guru picks Charles Jourdain over Davey Grant. He initially considered Grant due to his underdog success but believes Jourdain's skills are superior. He notes Jourdain's ability to beat opponents to the punch on the inside and his guillotine threats. He predicts Jourdain will catch Grant with a straight shot and possibly finish by TKO or guillotine, citing Grant's neck surgeries.

TKO or guillotine submission
"I'm going to go with Charles Jourdain getting this one done. And I think he'll chin Davey Grant."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Lean picked Oct 17, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Davey Grant

Zane agrees with Connor, picking Davey Grant. He emphasizes that Grant is always tough and crafty, and that Jourdain often shows up with the wrong plan or no plan, resorting to wild brawling that doesn't work well. Zane acknowledges that Grant's success can't last forever at 39, but he still expects Grant to deliver.

"Yeah, I think I'm gonna pick Davey Grant here, too."
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Davey Grant 0 66 of 130 50% 66 of 133 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:19
Da'Mon Blackshear 0 33 of 74 44% 36 of 78 1 of 5 20% 1 0 3:52
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Davey Grant 0 3 of 5 60% 3 of 8 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:19
Da'Mon Blackshear 0 2 of 4 50% 4 of 7 1 of 1 100% 1 0 3:52
2 Davey Grant 0 29 of 57 50% 29 of 57 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Da'Mon Blackshear 0 17 of 33 51% 18 of 34 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
3 Davey Grant 0 34 of 68 50% 34 of 68 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Da'Mon Blackshear 0 14 of 37 37% 14 of 37 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Davey Grant 66 of 130 50% 17 of 67 27 of 39 22 of 24 65 of 128 1 of 1 0 of 1
Da'Mon Blackshear 33 of 74 44% 12 of 45 7 of 13 14 of 16 31 of 72 1 of 1 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Davey Grant 3 of 5 60% 0 of 1 0 of 0 3 of 4 3 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 1
Da'Mon Blackshear 2 of 4 50% 2 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 3 0 of 0 1 of 1
2 Davey Grant 29 of 57 50% 9 of 31 13 of 19 7 of 7 29 of 57 0 of 0 0 of 0
Da'Mon Blackshear 17 of 33 51% 6 of 17 5 of 9 6 of 7 17 of 33 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Davey Grant 34 of 68 50% 8 of 35 14 of 20 12 of 13 33 of 67 1 of 1 0 of 0
Da'Mon Blackshear 14 of 37 37% 4 of 24 2 of 4 8 of 9 13 of 36 1 of 1 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Davey Grant vs. Da'Mon Blackshear
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Blackshear (-270); Grant (+210)

Round 1
Turning 40 in December, Grant (16-7, 7-6 UFC) knows he may be fast approaching the age cliff, although he did win his last bout. He faces a submission magician in Blackshear (17-7-1, 5-3-1 UFC) nearly a decade his junior, which might not be in his best interest as “Dangerous Davey” posts more losses by sub than any other method. With three rounds to work, the bantamweights meet in the middle with no plan on bumping fists, and referee Jason Herzog will take it from there.
Grant opens up with wide low kicks to the thigh, hoping to keep an arc on them that would dissuade an early takedown effort. He goes after the longer legs of Blackshear a few times on the inside and out, and Blackshear still manages to pursue a takedown and hit it. Grant scoots his way to put his back to the fence, and he uses his legs to try to post off and gets some space from “Da Monster.” Grant gets to a knee, and Blackshear welcomes this as he hops to the side and slides a hook in. Blackshear sneaks his leg around the other side, and he follows a turning Grant until he can secure both hooks.
Blackshear does not set up a body triangle, instead retaining control while thwarting attempts to buck and escape. Grant turns over and finds himself in submission danger, as Blackshear grips hold of what turns into a face and neck crank rather than a textbook rear-naked choke. Grant toughs it out and tries to get out of the back take, only for Blackshear to turn to the proper direction to isolate the Brit’s left arm for a potential armbar. Grant stays heavy on his opponent to not allow Blackshear to extend a limb, and he explodes just enough to wrench his arm out of danger. Grant rains down a couple left hands and an elbow as the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Blackshear
Chris Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Blackshear
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Blackshear

Round 2
Grant takes to the center of the cage to start the round, walking down the grappler and punching him a couple times in the stomach. Grant’s blitz forces Blackshear to ricochet off the wire, and he digs a kick to the ribs. Grant doubles up on a jab and follows with an overhand right that is parried, but his jab to the midsection does connect. They back off to disengage for a time, reaching one another with single low kicks but little else. Grant turns his hips into a thumping kick to the lead leg, and Blackshear drives him away with an overhand right. Grant plants punches to the midsection, a left to the dome and a head kick on the other side to keep Blackshear guessing.
Blackshear rebounds off the wire but has become target practice at this point, with little offense offered on his side other than the occasional kick. Grant times a shot by catching Blackshear with an uppercut, and he gets his foe’s attention with a string of punches to follow. Blackshear nods at him, and he wades forward trying to mask a takedown setup with punches that he does not let fly. Both men land hard punches, but Grant’s are far heavier and knock Blackshear back a step or two when he lands flush. Blackshear circles on the outside offering a body kick and keeping his guard up to block a series of punches and a high kick, the similar combination to earlier. Blackshear goes for body kicks, and Grant peppers him with punches and a low kick that makes Blackshear evaluate his footing. As Grant spams high kicks, the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Grant
Chris Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Grant
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Grant

Round 3
The bantamweights reach the final frame, and Blackshear says hello again with a calf kick. Grant misses his counter, and Blackshear jabs him up and opens a cut on the bridge of his foe’s nose. Grant is putting a lot of mustard behind his swings, including two concussive blows that make Blackshear bounce off the fencing. Blackshear responds with kicks, but Grant’s fists are having an impact as Blackshear reacts poorly when struck. Grant keeps his man guessing with mixed up punches and kicks to varied targets, like a calf kick to a body shot to a high kick upstairs in rapid succession.
Blackshear targets the wounded spot on his opponent’s forehead to set up a takedown, and Grant’s defense holds up as he clubs “Da Monster” in the jaw with a right hand after stopping the shot. Blackshear goes to his knees for a double, and Grant once more tosses it aside and hurls a right hand at his foe. Blackshear tries to intercept the hard-charging Brit with a knee, and Grant avoids it and starts hammering the front leg with kicks as Blackshear is starting to limp. The kicks from Grant are so powerful that getting checked splits his shin open, as blood flows down his foot to leave partial scarlet footprints around the Octagon. This does not slow him from pitching kicks one second, as he keeps beating on the taller man’s front leg until Blackshear switches stances. When this happens, Grant starts kicking the other leg, and he stops a takedown in its tracks and holds back on firing off a knee that would have been illegal. He lets Blackshear stand, marching him down and hurling right hands at him. Blackshear blocks the worst of them, evading the final strikes as the match comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Grant (29-28 Grant)
Chris Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Grant (29-28 Grant)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Grant (29-28 Grant)

The Official Result
Davey Grant def. Da'Mon Blackshear via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Expert Picks (4)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jul 20, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Da'Mon Blackshear

Angelo picks Da'Mon Blackshear, stating he wins 7 out of 10 times. He notes Blackshear's athletic striking, speed, power, and grappling, but worries about his hesitancy. Davey Grant is old, chinny, but relentless with volume. Angelo likely will bet on Blackshear but wishes he knew Blackshear would let his hands go.

Likely will bet on Blackshear
"Dean Blackshere is going to be the pick and I'm gonna pick him. I likely have a bet on him at some point this week."
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Jul 22, 2025 (4 days before fight)
Da'Mon Blackshear

Big Brady picks Da'Mon Blackshear but with hesitation, noting Blackshear has not wrestled in his last four fights despite having a huge grappling advantage. He believes if Blackshear grapples, he will win easily via submission, but if he strikes, he could lose to Grant's awkward volume and power. He predicts a first-round submission.

first round submission
"I got to go Blackshere just because it's like so clear. ... I think he finishes Davy Grant in the very first round by submission."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jul 23, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Da'Mon Blackshear

Blackshear should be able to chip away at Grant from distance, mix in takedowns, and ultimately lock up a submission to force the tap.

submission
"I believe Blackshere should be able to chip away at Grant from distance, maybe even mix in a few takedowns, but I ultimately think it leads to Blackshire locking up a submission and forcing the tap from Davy Grant."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jul 24, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Da'Mon Blackshear

The MMA Guru picks Da'Mon Blackshear over Davey Grant, citing Blackshear's underrated submission and grappling game, and his composed performance against Eli Alateng. He worries Grant may have declined after neck surgery and time off. He predicts a second-round finish by submission or TKO after a wild first round.

Finish, round 2
"I'm gonna take Deon Blackshere to get this one done by finish. Submission TKO. Second round finish for Deon Blackshere."
Expert Picks (4)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Mar 30, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Davey Grant

Angelo describes Davey Grant as an awkward fighter who wins fights despite looking like he's losing, with good fight IQ and the ability to survive early storms. He notes Daniel Santos is a typical Chute Boxe fighter with explosive power but no striking defense and poor takedown defense. Angelo predicts Grant will survive an early onslaught, then grind Santos against the cage and win rounds two and three. He considers waiting for prop bets but is confident Grant pulls it off.

"I'm gonna pick daav Grant he's the type of guy that wins fights but looks like he's losing."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Apr 1, 2025 (4 days before fight)
Davey Grant

Big Brady picks the underdog Davey Grant, noting Santos's long layoff and hittability. He believes Grant has improved with age, has better accuracy, and an awkward style. He expects a close fight but sees Grant winning a decision, possibly a split.

"give me the dog here and Davy grant to get to get it done by decision"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Apr 3, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Davey Grant

Despite being 39, Grant has recently showcased he can still compete against young prospects. He is expected to engage in a pocket exchange and uncork a big shot to knock Santos out.

knockout
"even though Grant is 39 years old he has recently showcased that he can still go out there and compete against young prospects and I expect him to do so once again here against Daniel Santos as he engages in a pocket exchange and eventually uncorks a big shot to knock Daniel Santos out."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Apr 3, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Davey Grant

The Guru is very confident in Davey Grant, calling him a phenom who defies aging logic. He praises Grant's speed, power, long limbs, and snappy kicks, and believes he will TKO Daniel Santos. He notes Grant's win over Jonathan Martinez as a fraud check and thinks Grant's high-volume, Muay Thai style will overwhelm Santos, leading to a finish or dominant decision.

Davey Grant wins by TKO inside the distance
"Davy Grant is an absolute phenom and he is defying the aging logic of bantamweights. He takes out Daniel Santos by TKO in this fight."
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Davey Grant 0 147 of 290 50% 147 of 290 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Ramon Taveras 0 69 of 156 44% 69 of 156 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Davey Grant 0 39 of 72 54% 39 of 72 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Ramon Taveras 0 12 of 34 35% 12 of 34 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Davey Grant 0 45 of 89 50% 45 of 89 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Ramon Taveras 0 25 of 49 51% 25 of 49 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Davey Grant 0 63 of 129 48% 63 of 129 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Ramon Taveras 0 32 of 73 43% 32 of 73 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Davey Grant 147 of 290 50% 50 of 158 42 of 67 55 of 65 147 of 290 0 of 0 0 of 0
Ramon Taveras 69 of 156 44% 63 of 149 5 of 6 1 of 1 67 of 152 2 of 3 0 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Davey Grant 39 of 72 54% 5 of 28 15 of 22 19 of 22 39 of 72 0 of 0 0 of 0
Ramon Taveras 12 of 34 35% 10 of 32 2 of 2 0 of 0 12 of 34 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Davey Grant 45 of 89 50% 16 of 46 12 of 22 17 of 21 45 of 89 0 of 0 0 of 0
Ramon Taveras 25 of 49 51% 23 of 47 1 of 1 1 of 1 23 of 45 2 of 3 0 of 1
3 Davey Grant 63 of 129 48% 29 of 84 15 of 23 19 of 22 63 of 129 0 of 0 0 of 0
Ramon Taveras 32 of 73 43% 30 of 70 2 of 3 0 of 0 32 of 73 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Davey Grant vs. Ramon Taveras
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Taveras (-130), Grant (+110)

Round 1
The bantamweight fight will be overseen by Keith Peterson. Grant lands a solid leg kick to start. Taveras takes the center of the Octagon. A nice straight right lands for Taveras, who is timing it well as Grant comes in. Grant is finding distance with his kicks. Grant is staying on the outside and throwing side kicks. Nice right hand from Grant to the body. A body kick from Grant slaps into the side of Taveras. Grant is the much more active fighter so far. A sneaky right hand lands for Grant, who then lands a head kick. Taveras eats two leg kicks but throws a nice straight left. A low blow lands for Grant, so Taveras will take time to recover. The fight restarts with under two minutes left. Nice side kick from Grant. Taveras avoids a big right hand and is able to counter with some hooks. A night left for Taveras, who is starting to find his distance. Grant still finding success with leg kicks. Grant misses a spinning kick. A nice combination of hooks land for Grant, who misses a spinning back fist as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Grant
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Grant
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Grant

Round 2
Taveras takes the center of the cage again but comes up short trying to fire punches back at Grant, who continues to land kicks at range. Grant gets clipped by a big left hand from Taveras, who allows his opponent to get back up. Grant still looks rocked, but Taveras isn't rushing. Grant seems to have recovered but isn't nearly as confident. Taveras is loading up on big shots as an overhand left misses. A head kick for Grant is blocked. Grant falls after attempting a spin kick but gets back up without taking much damage. Taveras is once again failing to do much in terms of output. Big left hook comes up short for Taveras. Grant lands a big swinging right hook of his own. Several kicks land for Grant. Big hooks land for Grant as Taveras shows how good his chin is. Taveras avoids a spinning back fist but is being outstruck here despite the big moment early on. Grant doing a good job of following up his punches with kicks. The round ends with Grant swinging wildly with hooks and then landing a kick to the shin.

Sherdog Scores
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Grant
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Grant
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Grant

Round 3
Taveras eats a big right hook to start the final round. Grant was told not to spin by his coaches between rounds and has been following their direction. Taveras is finding his distance and landing a nice jab. Grant gets busier and hurts Taveras with a left hook. Grant is once again staying busier. Nice body kick lands for Grant, who follows it up with hooks. Grant's pace is really impressive to be getting busier in the third round. Grant lands a nice leg kick and is throwing hard to the body. Two minutes left. Taveras is defending well but needs to be landing. A big right straight lands for Grant, who stuns Taveras late. Really strong performance from Grant, who has really separated himself from Taveras as a far more varied and better striker. One minute left, and Taveras needs something big. Taveras is looking for a big shot but not throwing. Grant eats a right hand but comes back with several punches of his own. Taveras is swinging wildly in the last 20 seconds but most aren't connecting. The fight ends with Grant jabbing his way to what will be a clear-cut decision.

Sherdog Scores
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Grant (30-27 Grant)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Grant (30-27 Grant)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Grant (30-27 Grant)

The Official Result
Davey Grant def. Ramon Taveras via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27); R3, 5:00.
Expert Picks (9)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Dec 8, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Ramon Taveras

Angelo picks Taveras due to his power and hand speed, which he believes will be too much for the aging Davey Grant. He notes Grant's blind forward pressure and lack of output, while Taveras is a powerful southpaw striker with good takedown defense. He expects Taveras to look good despite the experience gap.

"Ramon's power and hand speed are going to be big issues for the guy... Ramon Taris is going to be the pick and frankly you're going to get some decent value on him."
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Dec 12, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Ramon Taveras

Big Brady picks Ramon Taveras to win by decision, but is hesitant due to concerns about Grant's neck surgery and long layoff. He notes Taveras has heavy hands and has knocked down opponents in almost every fight, but worries about Taveras's chin. He originally leaned Grant but flipped after learning about Grant's neck surgery and age (39). He thinks Grant might look like a shell of himself.

"I'm going to go with the younger guy in tares I think he could potentially knock out David Grant but at the very least I think he is going to drop him"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Dec 11, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Davey Grant

Cody picks Davey Grant, citing his experience, durability, and well-rounded skills. He notes that Taveras is a one-round fighter who gasses, and Grant's volume and pressure will overwhelm him. Cody believes Grant's grappling and striking are superior, and he expects a finish or clear decision.

"I got DAV Grant I got daav Grant but what could possibly go wrong."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Dec 13, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Davey Grant

Connor also picks Grant, emphasizing that Grant's game makes sense despite his poor technique, and that he has a good understanding of tempo and momentum. He notes that Taveras is a fighter who backs up against the cage and throws counter combinations, leaving himself open. Until Grant shows signs of decline, Connor will pick him over a fighter like Taveras.

"Until I see some evidence that Grant is really slid, which I have yet to see it yet, then I'm always gonna pick him over a guy like Ramon Tavares."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Dec 12, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Ramon Taveras

Daniel Vreeland picks Ramon Taveras, citing his fast hands and boxing skills for MMA. He notes Davey Grant is coming off neck surgery at 39, and Taveras is nearly 10 years younger. Vreeland believes Taveras could knock out Grant, though he acknowledges Grant's calf kicks could be a factor. He expects a banger and leans toward the younger fighter.

"I think Ramon Tas might actually come out here and sleep the Beloved Davy Grant"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Dec 12, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Davey Grant

Grant's strength of schedule, durability, and cardio advantage will allow him to land big shots on Ramon Taveras, leading to a knockout victory. The public has been backing Grant this week, which aligns with the pick.

wins by KO
"I believe his strength of schedule durability and cardio Advantage will all him to allow him to land big enough shots against Ramon tarez here and I believe that will eventually leave to a knockout victory for the veteran"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Dec 11, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Davey Grant

Paul picks Davey Grant, citing his experience and ability to go toe-to-toe with top fighters. He notes that Taveras is untested and Grant's submission skills could be a factor. Paul expects Grant to win, possibly by submission.

"I wouldn't be completely shocked if DAV Grant goes out there is able to find a submission."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Dec 11, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Davey Grant

The MMA Guru picks Davey Grant, citing his history as a tricky underdog who has been competitive against tough opponents. He believes Grant's leg kicks and body work will keep Taveras at bay, and notes that Taveras is a flat-footed boxer who has been finished before. He acknowledges Grant's recent neck surgery and age (38) but dismisses those as reasons to bet against him, stating that Taveras is not a dangerous enough prospect to beat Grant.

"I'm going to go with Dave Grant plus I think ramont ves's big chances to get a KO and dve Grant's never been ko'ed in the UF and he's been around for a long time"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Dec 13, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Davey Grant

Zane picks Grant confidently, describing him as a legitimate technical brawler with a great feel for fighting, despite his ugly technique. He notes that Grant has given tough fights to better strikers like Adrian Yanez and Daniel Marcos, while Taveras has a record built on beating low-level competition and barely beat Serhiy Sidey. Zane sees this as a levels matchup where Grant should win by knockout.

Grant opened at +119, now -107; Taveras opened at -134, now -104. Zane says the odds are dead even but he sees it as a clear mismatch.
"Davy Grant should should pants him he should march Davy Grant is legitimately good. Should knock him out real really? This just looks like a levels matchup to me."
Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Daniel Marcos 0 70 of 215 32% 70 of 215 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:06
Davey Grant 0 48 of 140 34% 49 of 141 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:13
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Daniel Marcos 0 16 of 49 32% 16 of 49 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Davey Grant 0 13 of 35 37% 13 of 35 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Daniel Marcos 0 26 of 75 34% 26 of 75 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Davey Grant 0 15 of 51 29% 15 of 51 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Daniel Marcos 0 28 of 91 30% 28 of 91 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:06
Davey Grant 0 20 of 54 37% 21 of 55 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:13
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Daniel Marcos 70 of 215 32% 17 of 127 27 of 55 26 of 33 70 of 213 0 of 2 0 of 0
Davey Grant 48 of 140 34% 21 of 90 6 of 24 21 of 26 47 of 139 1 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Daniel Marcos 16 of 49 32% 1 of 28 7 of 10 8 of 11 16 of 49 0 of 0 0 of 0
Davey Grant 13 of 35 37% 1 of 15 2 of 8 10 of 12 13 of 35 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Daniel Marcos 26 of 75 34% 9 of 48 8 of 15 9 of 12 26 of 75 0 of 0 0 of 0
Davey Grant 15 of 51 29% 4 of 33 3 of 8 8 of 10 14 of 50 1 of 1 0 of 0
3 Daniel Marcos 28 of 91 30% 7 of 51 12 of 30 9 of 10 28 of 89 0 of 2 0 of 0
Davey Grant 20 of 54 37% 16 of 42 1 of 8 3 of 4 20 of 54 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Davey Grant vs. Daniel Marcos
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Marcos (-140), Grant (+120)

Round 1
In the one corner, “Dangerous Davey” Grant (15-6, 6-5 UFC) stands firm, ready to represent his home country. In the other, lead-fisted and lead-kneed Peruvian Marcos (14-0, 1-0 UFC) puts his unblemished record on the line. Grant has only been defeated in the past via submission, while Marcos has never before forced a foe to tap out. Something’s gotta give in this newly minted bantamweight main card opener that could be a banger, and it begins with a glove touch. Referee Marc Goddard adjusts his gloves, pulls up his pants and sits back to observed the proceedings, and The two fighters come out to the middle of the cage to engage, and Grant goes first with a heavy leg kick. Grant walks down Marcos and kicks on the inside, and he throws one more to the outer calf. Marcos replies with one that sends Grant off-balance, but the Brit adjusts himself and continues coming forward. Grant pushes out a front kick, and he wings a right hand that slides off the top of the guard to bounce off Marcos’ temple. Marcos shrugs at him and kicks so hard on the calf that he takes Grant off his feet. Grant jumps back up and rips a kick to the ribs, and he checks a kick that comes his way. Grant turns an uppercut into a spinning back fist, and Marcos dances out of the way and keeps his guard up high to stop another strike from getting through. Grant comes out swinging, throwing a right hook that puts himself off-balance, and Marcos does not capitalize on it but is able to eat up Grant’s calf with another kick. Grant strides in with a side kick, and he jumps forward with a stomping kick to the knee. The unbeaten fighter ducks down and absorbs a side kick, and Grant then plants the ball of his foot on the chest to follow. Grant snipes out a left hook when Marcos advances, and he jumps forward with a knee that glances off his intended target. Grant counters a leg kick with a clean right hand, and he kicks the body and backs off when Marcos throws hands. Marcos walks “Dangerous Davey” down and kicks him in the chest, and Grant is able to time a right hand when Marcos loads up. Grant sweeps the leg as he comes forward, and he chains a calf kick into a head kick with the same leg. Marcos gives a body kick back, only for Grant to defend against it. Marcos reaches his man with a right hook, and Grant spins with a wheel kick that ricochets off the chest of his foe. Marcos rubs his chest, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Grant
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Grant
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Grant

Round 2
The 135ers bump fists before getting after it, and Grant spurs into action in a hurry with several kicks to multiple targets. Grant sprints and pulls back to draw a reaction, and he does this to clip Marcos with a short left hook. Grant aims a right hand when Marcos rushes at him with a jump knee, and Grant scampers away before it reaches him. Grant kicks the side and goes with a hook kick up high, and they proceed to throw fists at the same time. Marcos catches Grant with a solid right hand, and Grant gathers his thoughts and chips at the lead wheel of his foe. Grant punches his way into a combination that ends with a low kick, and he misses with a wheel kick as Marcos backs off. Grant nails a leg kick and wings a right hook over the top, and Marcos ignores it and tries to counter with a right hand. A few jabs from the Peruvian fighter have bloodied Grant’s nose up, and Grant pays it no mind as his offense is still as active as ever. Grant strings three hooks together and pushes off the chest with the ball of his foot when Marcos attempts to reply. Marcos swings as hard as he can with a right hand, and Grant ducks and nails Marcos with a front kick on the chin. Grant swings a high kick that grazes off the red hair of his opponent, and Marcos responds with two punches and a step-in kick that splits the uprights and slams square into Grant’s cup. Grant grimaces and bends over as Goddard calls time, and Grant tells Goddard he is good to go after about 45 seconds off. When restarting, Marcos offers an apologetic glove touch. Grant gets going again with a huge right hand, and he watches Marcos comes towards him and raise up a hook kick. Grant plants his shin on the lower calf of “Soncora,” and he steps in with an elbow. Grant trips on Marcos’ leg when spinning with a strike, and Marcos’ jabs are starting to bloody Grant up further. “Dangerous Davey” plants a dangerous right hand on the nose, and Marcos shakes his head and defends against the standing hook kick. Grant lets go with several punches and a side kick, and he gives chase as Marcos backpedals. The round ends with the lower part of Grant’s face covered in blood.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Grant
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Grant
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Grant

Round 3
Grant nods and winks at Marcos to lead off the last round, and the two hug it out before getting down to business. Marcos strikes first with a calf kick, and Grant strides forward and lets go with a spinning wheel kick. It only takes a jab or two from Marcos to bust up Grant’s nose again. Grant absorbs a jab and goes forward into a takedown. The unbeaten fighter stands him up, and the two fighters stand in the pocket and trade. Marcos backs off first, and Grant follows him down with a head kick, a front kick and a right hand. Grant puts three fists on Marcos before Marcos is able to land one. Marcos, out of nowhere, jumps at his man with a knee, and Grant takes it flush and keeps coming ever forward. Marcos waves his arms around, and Grant comes at him with a knee. Marcos swats him aside and strafes on the outside, and it is up to Grant to initiate the offense. Grant spins with a back fist, and then keeps spinning to throw other strikes. Marcos nods approvingly from the strikes, and he keeps backing off as Grant is pushing the pace. Grant walks through jabs to swing with far harder strikes, and one such blow comes in the form of a right to the body. Marcos jabs up his man, and Grant unloads with a right hand that bounces off the shoulder. Grant walks Marcos down, getting in a leg kick and a right hand, and Marcos tries to reply with a left hook that only slightly connects. Grant ducks a flailing fist to come in and land a straight right to the body, and a subsequent kick makes Marcos drops his guard and back off. Grant jumps with a knee, and when he misses and lands, Marcos greets him with a stern right hand down the pipe. Grant doggedly pursues his opponent, throwing everything and the kitchen sink at him. Marcos times a takedown out of nowhere, hitting it with ease. Grant frantically works his way up with the fence behind him, and he separates. Grant spins with a wheel kick that bounces off the shoulder, and he raise his arm to draw Marcos into a final brawl. Grant spams any kind of kick he can think of, all while Marcos backs away, until time expires.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Grant (30-27 Grant)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Grant (30-27 Grant)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Grant (30-27 Grant)

The Official Result
Daniel Marcos def. Davey Grant via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Expert Picks (8)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jul 16, 2023 (6 days before fight)
Daniel Marcos

Angelo is very confident in Daniel Marcos, believing the odds are incredible value. He thinks Davey Grant is chinny and if he can't get a takedown (which he hasn't since 2021), he will get lit up on the feet. He has a half-unit bet at -121 and calls it some of the best value on the card.

half unit bet at -121
"I'm confident Daniel Marcos I have a half a unit on him at minus 121 And I genuinely think as of right now this minute at that 121 line that's some of the best value you're going to get on this entire card"
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked Jul 18, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Daniel Marcos

Big Brady picks Daniel Marcos by decision. He likes Marcos' striking and volume, and thinks he can outwork Grant over 15 minutes. He notes Grant is durable and has power, but Marcos is younger and has upside. He is concerned about Marcos' chin not being tested. He thinks it will be close but Marcos' volume and youth give him the edge.

by decision
"give me Marcos to win this fight by decision I think it is close I think it is competitive but I like a striking I like his volume"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jul 19, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Davey Grant

Cody picks Grant, questioning Marcos's hype. He notes Grant has fought tougher competition (Vera, Yanez) and is a gatekeeper. He thinks the line is an overreaction to Marcos's win over Oliveira. He sees Grant as a live dog.

"Davey Grant will be my pick here"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Jul 20, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Daniel Marcos

Daniel picks Daniel Marcos, calling him the best Peruvian prospect ever and praising his professional approach, training in Florida, and high-tech recovery. He thinks Marcos's pressure and intensity make opponents fight uncharacteristically, as seen in the Simon Oliveira fight. He acknowledges Davey Grant's toughness and experience but believes Marcos is catching him at the right time. However, he is not willing to lay -140 and says he would be interested if the price drops to around -115. He passes on betting but picks Marcos to win.

Daniel says he is not willing to lay -140 and would be interested if the price drops 25 cents. He picks Marcos but does not bet.
"I'm just not willing to lay the chalk at minus 140 to find out"
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident picked Jul 18, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Daniel Marcos

James picks Daniel Marcos to win. He thinks Marcos is a better striker than Grant, with cleaner technique and better footwork. He believes Marcos can play the range game and punish Grant with straight shots. James notes that Grant is older and may be slowing down, while Marcos is on an upward trajectory. He acknowledges that this is a step up in competition for Marcos and that Grant has knockout power, but he favors Marcos's skills and potential.

"I like Marcos in this spot um I bet on Marcos before at an underdog price"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jul 17, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Daniel Marcos

The host picks Daniel Marcos, believing his overall game, output, grappling, and calf kicks will neutralize Grant's power. He expects Marcos to withstand Grant's early power and win by decision. He notes it's a stiff test but thinks Marcos passes.

"give me Marcos by decision but again big spot for him in Grants you know neck of the woods let's see if he shows up I think he does and I think he wins by decision"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Jul 19, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Daniel Marcos

Paul leans toward Marcos, noting his undefeated record and willingness to engage. He thinks Marcos can outwork Grant, though Grant has power and grappling advantages. He is not fully confident and calls it a dog or pass.

"I feel like I'm leaning towards him if if I had to just chalk it up to a dog or pass situation"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jul 17, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Davey Grant

The MMA Guru picks Davey Grant, initially considering Daniel Marcos but ultimately favoring Grant's experience and power. He notes Grant's win over Aiemann Zahabi is underrated and that Marcos was timid in his fight against Simon Oliveira. The Guru believes Grant's size, power, and front kicks will overwhelm Marcos, and predicts a KO win in a scrap against the cage.

KO
"I'm gonna go Davey Grant here a little bit more damaging"
Technical Submission (inverted triangle choke) R3 4:43
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Davey Grant 0 42 of 58 72% 67 of 85 5 of 12 41% 0 0 4:17
Raphael Assunção 1 65 of 138 47% 80 of 154 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:52
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Davey Grant 0 13 of 19 68% 23 of 31 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:46
Raphael Assunção 0 20 of 39 51% 20 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Davey Grant 0 16 of 20 80% 27 of 31 2 of 4 50% 0 0 1:38
Raphael Assunção 0 20 of 44 45% 22 of 46 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Davey Grant 0 13 of 19 68% 17 of 23 2 of 7 28% 0 0 0:53
Raphael Assunção 1 25 of 55 45% 38 of 69 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:52
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Davey Grant 42 of 58 72% 16 of 29 8 of 8 18 of 21 38 of 53 3 of 4 1 of 1
Raphael Assunção 65 of 138 47% 28 of 91 18 of 28 19 of 19 59 of 132 4 of 4 2 of 2
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Davey Grant 13 of 19 68% 4 of 8 2 of 2 7 of 9 12 of 18 0 of 0 1 of 1
Raphael Assunção 20 of 39 51% 5 of 21 7 of 10 8 of 8 20 of 39 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Davey Grant 16 of 20 80% 4 of 8 4 of 4 8 of 8 14 of 17 2 of 3 0 of 0
Raphael Assunção 20 of 44 45% 6 of 25 4 of 9 10 of 10 18 of 42 2 of 2 0 of 0
3 Davey Grant 13 of 19 68% 8 of 13 2 of 2 3 of 4 12 of 18 1 of 1 0 of 0
Raphael Assunção 25 of 55 45% 17 of 45 7 of 9 1 of 1 21 of 51 2 of 2 2 of 2
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Raphael Assuncao vs. Davey Grant
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Grant (-140), Assuncao (+120)

Round 1
One of the more underrated bantamweight greats might be entering the final fight of his storied career, as longtime Brazilian contender Assuncao (28-9, 12-6 UFC) is a few months away from his 41st birthday. He battles .500 UFC fighter Grant (14-6, 5-5 UFC), who posts an 86% finish rate and generally lives up to his “Dangerous” nickname. The match will be officiated by nonsense-allergic referee Keith Peterson, and the two fighters opt to clap hands. Assuncao moves to the center of the cage briefly, and they clash legs early. As Assuncao pushes back, Grant does the same, and fingers rake eyes. Grant offers an apology, and they resume nailing one another on the legs. Assuncao sits down on a booming right hand, wrapping his arm just around the head and not connecting with it. Grant boots his foe in the body, and Assuncao catches it and scores a right hand to put Grant on his back. Assuncao whips an elbow down, and Grant threatens with a triangle choke that the Brazilian sees coming from a mile away. Grant scoots to the wall on his backside, and Assuncao follows him from behind and slides his left arm around the chest in hopes of setting up a rear-naked choke. Assuncao releases the arm so that he can punch Grant in the side of the head repeatedly, all while Grant tries and fails to scramble away. Grant stands back up despite Assuncao’s arm around his neck, and he spins around and shoves his man back to get space. Grant, with distance to strike, does just that with a front kick. Grant goes to the body and tries to swing a left hand over the top, but Assuncao intercepts him with a push kick. Grant scores a right hand after regaining his balance, and he switches stances right into a right hook in response. Assuncao lets go with a few punches on the inside, and he ducks back and blocks a head kick. Grant darts forward with a few punches, sneaking them in and evading the counters. Assuncao measures a right hand, and he signals to Peterson that the two clashed heads. Grant spins with a wheel kick that just misses, and Assuncao ducks a few leaping punches to clinch up and push Grant to the wire. The Brazilian lands a few knees to the thigh before breaking off with a right hand. Grant winds up with a right hook, landing it a second before the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Assuncao
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Assuncao
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Assuncao

Round 2
The respect is high to start off the second round, as the two gladly high-five to get going again. They trade body kicks, and Assuncao leans back to dodge a spinning wheel kick. Assuncao checks a low kick, and he tries to engage but gets popped with an overhand right. Assuncao chips at the calf of his opponent, while checking those that come back to his lead wheel. Assuncao grabs hold of a single, ducking a punch from his opponent, and he is stood up before securing it. Assuncao does land a right hand on the break, and they reset. The two land lefts at the same time, and Grant goes high with a kick that whizzes past his foe’s face. Grant throws a naked leg kick, and Assuncao counters with an emphatic right hand that makes Grant turn about. Grant steps in to release a spinning back elbow, and Assuncao blocks the worst of it and fires off a low kick. Grant kicks high and low, and the Brazilian swats them away without much concern. Assuncao looses a head kick, and he backs off as Grant walks him down and wings right hooks. Grant lunges forward, and his only strike that lands is a low kick. Grant gets a little too reckless, getting countered on the way in, and he finds himself getting grabbed by the veteran. Grant is warned for grabbing the fence to prevent the takedown, and Assuncao still drags him to his knees despite the foul. Grant fights his way back to his feet, but Assuncao has his arm around Grant’s waist with his legs intertwined for a trip. Grant looks to counter Assuncao with a trip, only to get thrown down once more. Assuncao gets a hook in as he takes the back, and Grant defends himself from anything else until the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Assuncao
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Assuncao
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Assuncao

Round 3
The last round opens with a glove touch, and then the two throw hands. Both fighters connect with clean overhand rights, and they back off to measure one another. Assuncao beats the Brit to the punch with another right over the top, and Grant tries and fails to reach him back. As Grant advances, Assuncao kicks at his lead leg, which changes as Grant switches stances a few times. Assuncao hops away from a low kick, and he gets caught with a right hand coming in. Grant shucks him aside and strings a few punches together, ending it with a head kick that slides over the top. “Dangerous Davey” suddenly unleashes a torrent of punishment, blasting Assuncao with punches until he knocks Assuncao off-balance. Assuncao wobbles back to the fence, and he shoots for a desperation takedown to keep himself afloat. Grant defends the first try, but Assuncao redoubles his effort and pulls Grant’s ankle out to strip away his footing and put the Brit on his back. Assuncao holds on from an unorthodox half guard, but this posture allows Grant to explode back up. Grant fires off an uppercut that snaps Assuncao’s head back like a Pez dispenser, and he still has the Brazilian hurt. Grant tosses aside takedown entries from the veteran so that he can lay into him with punches, and he hurts Assuncao again in an exchange. Assuncao dives after a takedown, and Grant grabs the fence again to stop it. This time, Peterson has had enough of this nonsense, and he pauses the fight and deducts a point from Grant. Assuncao also loses his position from this, and Grant is thrilled so that he can tee off on the Brazilian some more. Assuncao struggles to stay on his feet from an onslaught of strikes, and Grant spins with a back fist that drills into the side of Assuncao’s head. Assuncao tries desperately to get the fight down, and he falls on top of Grant as the British fighter still tries to scramble.
“Dangerous Davey” wraps his legs around Assuncao’s neck to set up an inverted triangle choke, and the unexpected move is secured in a hurry. Assuncao is nonresponsive from on top after the choke gets tight, and he goes out without Peterson recognizing it immediately. Peterson reaches in to check on the Brazilian, who is completely unconscious, and he determines that Assuncao is out and stops the fight.
As soon as the fight is stopped, Assuncao’s coach, Eric Nicksick, is outraged from Peterson’s point deduction that also resulted in Assuncao losing his position, and it is explained that Grant had sat up and gained a superior position – and cannot be rewarded for gaining that position due to a foul. After Assuncao comes to, he removes his gloves and places them in the center of the cage to signal his retirement, while saying in his quick farewell interview that, “I think my time has come.”

The Official Result
Davey Grant def. Raphael Assuncao R3 4:43 via Technical Submission (Inverted Triangle Choke)
Expert Picks (8)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Mar 5, 2023 (6 days before fight)
Davey Grant

Angelo picks Davey Grant as the better striker with takedown defense that should hold up against the aging Assunção. He acknowledges Assunção's past success but believes Grant's power and composure will prevail. He notes the line at -160 is likely to move and considers it a safe pick.

line movement comment: expects line to close at -300
"I'm still going the Davey Grant side because I do think he's going to be the better Striker and his takedown defense should hold up."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Mar 8, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Davey Grant

Big Brady picks Davey Grant, noting Grant has never looked this good and is in his prime at 37. He expects Grant to march forward with wild looping shots and put Assunção away, as Assunção has been knocked out recently by Garbrandt and Simon. Brady predicts a second-round knockout, though he acknowledges Assunção could win via wrestling if Grant struggles on the mat.

win by KO in round 2
"I think Davey Grant is going to March this guy down Wing big looping shots wild shots and I think he puts a sunset out here"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Mar 8, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Davey Grant

Cody picks Grant, citing Grant's toughness and ability to push the pace. He notes Assunção's age and recent surgery, but acknowledges Assunção could win a close decision. He calls it a close fight.

"I think I will go with Davey Grant don't feel great about it"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Hesitant picked Mar 9, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Raphael Assunção

Connor picks Assunção despite concerns about his age and recent performances. He believes Assunção's counter-striking, jab, and wrestling will be key against Grant's wild brawling style. He notes that Grant makes many mistakes and Assunção can take him down and control him, though there's always a risk of Grant landing a lucky shot.

Grant is favorite at -130 to -150; Assunção underdog at +110 to +120. Connor notes the line has moved toward Grant.
"I think I have to pick a Sun Tso too. That's it. I just think it's, I'm worried that he'll get knocked out because Grant's got a weird stuff is going to happen to him more and more."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Mar 6, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Davey Grant

I think Grant's power will be too much for Assunção, who has shown durability issues at 40. Assunção is the better technical striker, but Grant throws heavy shots and can end the fight at any moment. Assunção's recent losses have come by knockout, and Grant has the power to exploit that. I expect a knockout within the first 12 minutes.

Grant by KO
"I think that one of those big shots from David Grant are going to get through within the first 12 minutes of this fight and I think that will likely be the end of the night"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Mar 8, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Davey Grant

Paul picks Grant but is not confident, noting Assunção's low volume and close fights. He thinks Grant's volume and takedown defense could be key, but calls it a dicey fight and says he won't bet it.

"I'll take David Grant on price because they got 62 and a half which is super low for a grand fight"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Mar 7, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Davey Grant

The MMA Guru picks Davey Grant, citing his toughness and finishing ability. He believes Grant can finish Assunção, while Assunção is unlikely to finish Grant. He notes Grant's win over Jonathan Martinez and his competitive fight with Adrian Yanez (which he thought Grant won). He predicts a KO in the second round.

by KO, second round
"I'm gonna go with Davey Grant too dangerous I think he finds a finish by KO second round"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Hesitant picked Mar 9, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Raphael Assunção

Zane picks Assunção but is hesitant due to his age and recent decline. He notes that Assunção's counter-striking and wrestling should neutralize Grant's wild pressure, but Grant's power and unpredictability make it a risky pick. He mentions that Assunção has seen everything and should be able to handle Grant's style.

"I'm with you. I mean, I would expect these odds to be pretty close. Again, Sun Tso's old and we're both understandably nervous about his chances here."
KO (punches) R3 0:49
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Davey Grant 1 81 of 197 41% 84 of 200 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:35
Louis Smolka 0 71 of 139 51% 75 of 145 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:35
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Davey Grant 1 45 of 90 50% 46 of 91 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:22
Louis Smolka 0 14 of 37 37% 14 of 37 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:02
2 Davey Grant 0 27 of 87 31% 29 of 89 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:06
Louis Smolka 0 56 of 93 60% 60 of 99 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:33
3 Davey Grant 0 9 of 20 45% 9 of 20 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:07
Louis Smolka 0 1 of 9 11% 1 of 9 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Davey Grant 81 of 197 41% 36 of 134 29 of 42 16 of 21 68 of 180 6 of 8 7 of 9
Louis Smolka 71 of 139 51% 46 of 101 19 of 31 6 of 7 67 of 133 1 of 1 3 of 5
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Davey Grant 45 of 90 50% 17 of 54 18 of 24 10 of 12 39 of 84 2 of 2 4 of 4
Louis Smolka 14 of 37 37% 8 of 24 3 of 10 3 of 3 13 of 36 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Davey Grant 27 of 87 31% 14 of 66 10 of 17 3 of 4 23 of 81 4 of 6 0 of 0
Louis Smolka 56 of 93 60% 37 of 70 16 of 20 3 of 3 53 of 88 0 of 0 3 of 5
3 Davey Grant 9 of 20 45% 5 of 14 1 of 1 3 of 5 6 of 15 0 of 0 3 of 5
Louis Smolka 1 of 9 11% 1 of 7 0 of 1 0 of 1 1 of 9 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Davey Grant vs. Louis Smolka
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Grant (-290) Smolka (+230)

Round 1
In a fight clearly booked for its potential entertainment value, “Dangerous Davey” and “Da Last Samurai” square off, with veteran ref Mike Beltran set to supervise the expected violence. Grant comes out in southpaw and is met by the orthodox Smolka. Grant throws a kick to the Hawaiian’s lead leg. Smolka comes forward, bobbing and weaving. He throws a front kick up the middle which lands. Grant launches a spinning high kick, but comes up short. Grant lands a hard pair of hooks to the body. Grant lands a hard outside kick to Smolka’s lead left leg, then just misses with a murderous punch up top. Smolka lunges in and scores with a nice jab. Two minutes left in the round. Smolka lunges in again and lands a left hand, but Grant scores with a pair of counters. Grant lands another hard leg kick, then a spinning back fist. Smolka is still marching forward, but Grant is hitting with just about everything he throws. Smolka walks right into a hard jab and falls to his rear, dazed. Grant jumps on him and after a brief scramble, lets Smolka back up. The round expires.

Sherdog Scores
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Grant
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-8 Grant
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Grant

Round 2
Smolka charges forward, swinging big hooks. Grant gives ground and circles away, tagging the Hawaiian with punches as he goes. Grant goes to the body several times in the first minute, then follows up with combinations upstairs. Smolka keeps on coming, however, and is landing quite a few of his own shots. Grant appears to be slowing just a bit. Smolka wades in and lands a right kick to the body. Smolka mixes in level elbow strikes at close range, catching the Englishman. Smolka takes a collar tie and looks to punch with the other hand, but Grant shrugs him off and throws a pair of wide hooks. A minute left, and the momentum seems to have shifted. Smolka catches a kick, hoists Grant’s leg high and runs him to the ground. Smolka moves to the back, then out to the side, working for an armbar. Grant defends the hold, and escapes to his feet. They swing wildly as the final seconds expire.

Sherdog Scores
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Smolka
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Smolka
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Smolka

Round 3
Grant lands a hard low kick, then a pair of punches upstairs. Smolka sneaks a look at his own leg, comes forward somewhat gingerly, and
Grant lands another low kick that takes his base out from under him completely.
Smolka lunges forward for a desperate takedown attempt, but Grant sprawls all over it, then dives in with punches that land unblocked, the last of which puts “Da Last Samurai” out. Ref Beltran is there a heartbeat later, and it’s another stoppage win for Davey Grant.

The Official Result
Davey Grant def. Louis Smolka R3 0:49 via TKO (Leg Kick and Punches)
Expert Picks (2)
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked May 11, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Davey Grant

Cody is confident in Davey Grant, citing his durability, cardio, power, and improved striking. He notes Grant has been fighting more frequently and showing heart, while Smolka has durability issues, poor wrestling, and was knocked out by Vince Morales. He thinks Grant is much stronger and will march Smolka down, though the -300 price is rich.

"davey grant is that dog he is that guy that comes forward he's that guy that makes it up he's got a lot of durability his cardio checks out he's got big power punching standing he can wrestle he can grapple i think he's put a lot of his problems behind him"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked May 11, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Davey Grant

Paul agrees with Grant, struggling to see where Smolka wins unless by submission. He notes Grant is making up for lost time, has made significant improvements, and is an Ultimate Fighter winner. He thinks Grant's style and effort make him the pick despite the high price.

"i struggle to see where where smoke really wins i guess if he takes him down and and and finds a submission but otherwise like we've seen like david graham really seems like a guy you know he's like six seven months younger than me he's making up for for lost time at this point in his career"
Decision (split) (27–30, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Adrian Yañez 0 98 of 273 35% 98 of 274 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:10
Davey Grant 0 100 of 255 39% 100 of 255 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Adrian Yañez 0 29 of 74 39% 29 of 74 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Davey Grant 0 24 of 65 36% 24 of 65 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Adrian Yañez 0 27 of 92 29% 27 of 93 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:10
Davey Grant 0 31 of 81 38% 31 of 81 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Adrian Yañez 0 42 of 107 39% 42 of 107 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Davey Grant 0 45 of 109 41% 45 of 109 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Adrian Yañez 98 of 273 35% 40 of 182 40 of 68 18 of 23 98 of 272 0 of 1 0 of 0
Davey Grant 100 of 255 39% 66 of 212 14 of 22 20 of 21 100 of 255 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Adrian Yañez 29 of 74 39% 5 of 42 15 of 21 9 of 11 29 of 74 0 of 0 0 of 0
Davey Grant 24 of 65 36% 15 of 52 5 of 9 4 of 4 24 of 65 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Adrian Yañez 27 of 92 29% 19 of 66 3 of 18 5 of 8 27 of 91 0 of 1 0 of 0
Davey Grant 31 of 81 38% 21 of 70 4 of 5 6 of 6 31 of 81 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Adrian Yañez 42 of 107 39% 16 of 74 22 of 29 4 of 4 42 of 107 0 of 0 0 of 0
Davey Grant 45 of 109 41% 30 of 90 5 of 8 10 of 11 45 of 109 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Davey Grant vs. Adrian Yanez

Round 1
The prelims were rough, but an immediate “Fight of the Night” contender greets fans in the main card opener between Yanez (14-3, 3-0 UFC) and Grant (13-5, 4-4 UFC), in an intriguing striker-grappler affair at 135 pounds. Yanez has won all three of his UFC outings by knockout, while Grant has never been knocked out with his last two victories also by KO. Something might have to give, and referee Herb Dean is ready to catch the chips that fall where they may. They touch gloves before getting down to business, and Yanez tries to get the fight over early with a huge right hand that whizzes past his target. Grant backs away, chops at the leg a few times, and then goes up higher with a kick. Yanez looks to counter Grant’s kicks, or attempts to check them down low. Yanez walks through a few kicks, and Grant keeps letting go with leg strikes of all direction. The front kicks land flush, and the Brit turns through a kick to spin with a back fist that just misses. An inside leg kick from Grant trips Yanez down to the ground, but Yanez gets up and aims a right hand across the bow. Grant stays composed, but Yanez bears down on him with one to the body and one to the head. Yanez scores a leg kick, and he clips his foe with a left hand. “Dangerous Davey” just misses with a spinning wheel kick, and Yanez blocks a subsequent flying knee so that he can let go with a few punches up top. Body kicks from both feet connect for Grant, and he just misses with a looping left hand. Yanez does not appear concerned and is calmly attempting to counter, with a right hook that is not far from the mark. Grant kicks Yanez in the calf again, causing Yanez to lose his footing, and Yanez gathers himself with a one-two that cuts Grant on the nose. Grant puts a few punches on Yanez, and Yanez slips a spinning wheel kick that comes right after. Grant stands tall and gets nailed with a left and a right, and the Houstonian ducks a punch to nail Grant with a right hand. Grant shakes it off and raises his arms in the air to celebrate a tough scrap, and they stand right in front of one another and bang. When they back away, Grant keeps his distance with reaching front and high kicks. Grant takes a leg kick, and a punch that busts his nose up a little more. The Brit spins with a hook kick to the legs in the vein of Andy Hug, and Yanez shrugs it off so that he can wind up a right hand. Grant swings and misses, and he turns all the way through with a tornado punch after a full rotation. Right after that bounces off Yanez’ shoulder, the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Yanez
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Yanez
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Yanez

Round 2
The bantamweights clap hands before getting right to it, with heavy strikes right out of the gate. Grant backs off to land a low kick, and then a combination of punches follows. Shortly after another kick to the calf from Grant, Yanez snipes him with a right hand but Grant is not fazed. They trade ferociously, and one kick collides with Yanez’ cup, but Yanez does not want to pause. Grant keeps his range with kicks, and he tries to spin with them but Yanez sees them coming. Yanez brushes off punches and kicks, but a scraping finger to the eye makes the American take a break. Dean brings in the doctor, who lets Yanez wipe his own eye out. After a minute to recover and blink it out, they clap hands to start off again. Grant surges forward with a single-leg takedown try immediately, and Yanez stuffs it and even tags Grant with a right hand as they separate. Yanez begins to chop at Grant’s legs with kicks, and they go back to full-throated brawling, with each landing cleanly and not budging. Grant’s nose gets battered even more after absorbing blows, but he does not seem to care as he spins with a back fist and then a follow-up punch with the momentum. Yanez stays composed, but Grant swipes a right hand around the guard right in the face. Yanez scores a one-two, and Grant is right there to answer back. These two bantamweights are not afraid of the other’s power, and they have complete faith in their chins as they are unloading with ferocious strikes. A looping punch leads to a knee, and Grant lands to score a few punches and shake Yanez up a little. The Houstonian wears it well and marches forward to engage, but Grant’s looping shots still find their home on the nose. Grant keeps his hands wide, using awkward striking and the occasional head kick to keep Yanez honest. A few more dangerous shots from “Dangerous Davey” connect right before the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Grant
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Yanez
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Grant

Round 3
The gloves get touched to start the last round, and they unload immediately. Grant lands a few kicks, including a head kick that glances off the side of Yanez’ head, and Yanez tries to return fire. Yanez flicks out a jab or two, and Grant still manages to connect with his wild right hand. Grant rushes forward with his sprinting, spinning blow, but Yanez sees it coming and tries to intercept him with a heavy calf kick. Grant checks it, and Yanez marks him up with a one-two. Grant shrugs it off to attack with a flying knee, and he winds up with power punches even as Yanez scores a clean combination right on the face. Yanez sinks in a one-two, and Grant comes back at him with a spinning back kick. Yanez connects with a single right hand, and Grant eats it so that he can chain together a combination of punches and a head kick. Yanez’ strikes are cleaner and crisper, while Grant’s looping punches sound louder. Yanez dings Grant with a few punches, and Grant is right there every time to throw right back at him even as the blood continues to flow. Yanez sticks out a piston-like jab several times to bloody Grant up badly, and Grant is able to still be in his face throwing everything and the kitchen sink. The easiest pick for “Fight of the Night” so far is going down in the cage tonight, and Yanez triples up on a jab only to absorb a flush overhand right. Grant lines up a left hook, and then another, as Yanez tries to defend himself. Yanez continues to batter Grant with a jab, and the jab is disrupting the ridiculous hooks of his opponent. Yanez is able to stick and move, rolling with the telegraphed power punches and letting them hit his shoulder. Yanez lands jab after jab, and Grant lets it go with a leaping kick, a few wild punches, a knee and a couple more punchers for good measure. Yanez stays light on his feet, dodging and weaving from most of them while piercing the guard with his jab. The fight ends with a fun exchange, putting a cap on the best fight on the card so far. When the battle ends, Yanez collapses to the ground in tears, letting out all of his emotions as he mourns his fallen coach Saul Soliz.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Yanez (29-28 Yanez)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Yanez (30-27 Yanez)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Yanez (29-28 Yanez)

The Official Result
Adrian Yanez def. Davey Grant via Split Decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28)
Expert Picks (7)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Nov 17, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Adrian Yañez

Angelo picks Adrian Yañez but is hesitant, noting Davey Grant has a clear path to victory via grappling. He acknowledges Yañez is the cleaner striker with a good chin, but Grant is a grappler at heart who could mix in takedowns. He does not place a bet because he sees value on Grant as a live dog. He expects Yañez to win but not confidently enough to bet.

DraftKings prices: Yañez 9100, Grant 7100; monkey knife fight more/more
"the pick is janez"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Nov 16, 2021 (4 days before fight)
Adrian Yañez

Big Brady picks Adrian Yañez to win by third-round knockout. He praises Yañez's striking, speed, and volume, and notes his 100% takedown defense in the UFC. He believes Davey Grant's recent striking success won't work against Yañez, and that Yañez has paths to victory both on the feet and on the ground. He predicts Yañez will be the first to knock out Grant.

win by knockout, third round
"give me adriana's to win by third round knockout i think he does get him out of there and davey grant's never been knocked out but i think that does change here"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Nov 18, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Adrian Yañez

Cody picks Yañez despite the high price. He praises Yañez's crisp boxing and compares him to Jorge Masvidal. He notes that Yañez is a slow starter but takes over as opponents fade, as seen against Randy Costa. He believes Yañez's striking is superior and that Grant is hittable, having been wobbled in recent fights. Cody is concerned about Grant's takedowns and top game, but thinks Yañez's takedown defense will hold up and he will win rounds two and three.

"got to go with giannis do i love the price no no i don't but i agree adrian yanez is the favorite and i'm gonna have to play him"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Nov 18, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Adrian Yañez

Daniel Levi confidently picks Adrian Yañez to knock out Davey Grant. He praises Yañez's clean hands, countering ability, and toughness, noting that he has never been knocked out. He criticizes Grant's chin-up style and wild looping shots, believing Yañez's superior boxing will capitalize on openings. Levi predicts Yañez will be the first to knock out Grant.

knockout
"i think adrian yanez has way better hands than jonathan martinez and i think that adriana's will be able to capitalize on these openings and i think he's going to be the first man in mma history to knock out davey grant"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Nov 19, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Adrian Yañez

Lock thinks Yañez will be the first to knock out Grant. He notes Grant has never been KO'd but has taken damage, especially in his last fight. Yañez has straight punches and speed advantage, and Lock believes he will counter Grant's looping hooks. He likes Yañez by KO at around -105 rather than the -310 moneyline.

Adrian Yañez by KO -105, Adrian Yañez round 3 +800
"I think yanez is going to be the one that finally puts that never been knocked out argument to rest for davey grant."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Hesitant picked Nov 18, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Adrian Yañez

Paul likes Yañez's hands but is concerned about the -320 price. He points out that Yañez had a bad first round against Randy Costa, looking gun-shy and overwhelmed by volume. He notes that Davey Grant is tough, has never been knocked out, and brings volume and pressure. Paul thinks Yañez could be a live bet candidate if he starts slow again. He is waiting for weigh-ins before committing fully.

Paul mentions he'll be waiting for weigh-ins and might consider a live bet after round one if Yañez starts slow.
"i think giannis at minus 320 is another one of these favorites that is a little bit too much juice here um i'll be waiting for weigh-ins and stuff"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Nov 15, 2021 (5 days before fight)
Adrian Yañez

The MMA Guru picks Adrian Yañez to win by KO in the first round. He notes that Davey Grant is open to shots, as seen in his fight against Jonathan Martinez where he was dropped. He highlights Yañez's quick hands, reach advantage, and training with Aljamain Sterling, which gives him confidence in grappling defense. He expects Yañez to find his range, land a big shot as Grant loads up, and finish with ground and pound.

first round TKO
"i'm going with adrian yanez here i think he wins this one by ko in the first round"
Decision (unanimous) (29–27, 29–28, 30–26) R3 5:00
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Marlon Vera 0 105 of 162 64% 112 of 172 2 of 2 100% 3 1 5:15
Davey Grant 0 83 of 168 49% 95 of 180 1 of 2 50% 0 0 1:54
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Marlon Vera 0 30 of 52 57% 31 of 53 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:27
Davey Grant 0 41 of 84 48% 41 of 84 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Marlon Vera 0 43 of 67 64% 46 of 70 0 of 0 --- 0 1 1:00
Davey Grant 0 31 of 57 54% 38 of 64 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:54
3 Marlon Vera 0 32 of 43 74% 35 of 49 1 of 1 100% 3 0 3:48
Davey Grant 0 11 of 27 40% 16 of 32 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Marlon Vera 105 of 162 64% 62 of 113 28 of 34 15 of 15 61 of 109 19 of 21 25 of 32
Davey Grant 83 of 168 49% 39 of 114 32 of 42 12 of 12 75 of 156 2 of 5 6 of 7
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Marlon Vera 30 of 52 57% 11 of 29 9 of 13 10 of 10 27 of 49 3 of 3 0 of 0
Davey Grant 41 of 84 48% 12 of 50 19 of 24 10 of 10 40 of 83 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Marlon Vera 43 of 67 64% 25 of 48 13 of 14 5 of 5 21 of 40 12 of 13 10 of 14
Davey Grant 31 of 57 54% 19 of 41 10 of 14 2 of 2 25 of 49 1 of 2 5 of 6
3 Marlon Vera 32 of 43 74% 26 of 36 6 of 7 0 of 0 13 of 20 4 of 5 15 of 18
Davey Grant 11 of 27 40% 8 of 23 3 of 4 0 of 0 10 of 24 0 of 2 1 of 1
Expert Picks (8)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jun 16, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Marlon Vera

Angelo picks Marlon Vera, but also bets on Davey Grant. He sees the fight as either Vera by KO or Grant by decision. He placed a bet on Vera to win by KO with decision no action, and a straight moneyline bet on Grant at +189. He thinks Vera has power and a solid chin, while Grant is more technical but can be dropped.

Vera wins by KO, decision equals no action; Grant moneyline (+189)
"i have cheeto vera marlin vera with a ko decision no action... and then i have a straight up money line bet on davey grant."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jun 15, 2021 (4 days before fight)
Marlon Vera

Big Brady is confident in Vera, noting he is a completely different fighter since their first fight in 2016. He highlights Vera's 90% finish rate, granite chin, and Grant's weak chin and submission defense. He expects a finish by Vera, either KO or submission.

win by finish
"I really do like the younger marlin vera in this fight to get it done by finish"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jun 16, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Marlon Vera

Cody picks Vera, highlighting Vera's durability, improved wrestling and boxing, and momentum from recent fights against top competition (Aldo, O'Malley). He notes Grant's recent wins are over lower-level opponents and that Grant has been knocked down in recent fights. Cody believes Vera's slow-starting style will allow him to take over as the fight progresses.

"if we're talking about durability on either side grant's super durable but he has been knocked down in his last two fights... i got vera"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Jun 18, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Marlon Vera

Daniel Levi picks Marlon Vera to avenge his loss to Davey Grant. He highlights Vera's killer instinct and durability, noting that Vera has taken huge shots from fighters like John Lineker and never been knocked out. He believes that if Vera hurts Grant, he will finish him. He also credits Vera's coaching staff and recent performances where he has taken care of opponents he should beat.

"i think marlon chitovera avenges this loss and gets back on a win streak"
JA
Jacob Lines Expert Confident picked Jun 16, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Davey Grant

Jacob picks Davey Grant, questioning why he is an underdog. He notes Grant won the first fight, is on a three-fight win streak, and just knocked out Jonathan Martinez. He thinks Vera is overrated and that Grant's wrestling and striking will be enough. He has Grant in his lineup at $7,100.

monkey knife fight: less on Vera, more on Grant
"i have david graham winning this winning this fight."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jun 17, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Davey Grant

The host picks Davey Grant as an underdog, citing his grappling advantage and top pressure that troubled Vera in their first fight. He believes Grant's striking power and takedown ability will be key, and that Vera still has deficiencies off his back. He notes Grant's recent KO wins but expects a decision due to Vera's durability. He thinks the line is inflated by Vera's exposure and that Grant has massive value. He mentions Grant's sidekick and ability to mix in takedowns.

Grant by decision at +380 mentioned; over 2.5 rounds at -120; Grant moneyline at +220; Grant by KO also noted as possible
"i'm gonna go davey grant and i'm gonna go davey grant by decision"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Jun 16, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Davey Grant

Paul leans toward Davey Grant as a dog, noting Grant's recent improvements and knockout power. He is concerned about Vera's durability and Grant's wrestling, but thinks Grant could win by decision. Paul suggests the line movement (opened at -325 Vera) indicates value on Grant.

Grant by decision
"davey grant by um by decision play but i'm interested to hear what you have to say before uh hitting the books with anything"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jun 19, 2021 (fight day)
Marlon Vera

The MMA Guru picks Marlon Vera to win by unanimous decision (29-28). He expects a war, with Vera chopping at the legs, going for submissions, and having better ground positions. He believes Vera's chin is too good for Grant's power, and Grant will swing big in the first round but slow down. Vera will put on pressure in rounds two and three, similar to his fight with Song Yadong but with a win this time.

"i think marlon vera is going to definitely get the better of this one... 29-28 unanimous decision for marlon vera"
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Davey Grant 1 29 of 71 40% 29 of 71 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:25
Jonathan Martinez 1 48 of 110 43% 49 of 111 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:03
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Davey Grant 1 19 of 38 50% 19 of 38 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:25
Jonathan Martinez 0 20 of 54 37% 21 of 55 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Davey Grant 0 10 of 33 30% 10 of 33 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jonathan Martinez 1 28 of 56 50% 28 of 56 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:03
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Davey Grant 29 of 71 40% 16 of 57 5 of 6 8 of 8 26 of 66 0 of 0 3 of 5
Jonathan Martinez 48 of 110 43% 14 of 64 19 of 30 15 of 16 46 of 108 0 of 0 2 of 2
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Davey Grant 19 of 38 50% 8 of 26 4 of 5 7 of 7 16 of 33 0 of 0 3 of 5
Jonathan Martinez 20 of 54 37% 2 of 28 7 of 14 11 of 12 20 of 54 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Davey Grant 10 of 33 30% 8 of 31 1 of 1 1 of 1 10 of 33 0 of 0 0 of 0
Jonathan Martinez 28 of 56 50% 12 of 36 12 of 16 4 of 4 26 of 54 0 of 0 2 of 2
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Jonathan Martinez vs. Davey Grant

Round 1
Since making his promotional debut in 2013, Grant (12-4, 3-3 UFC) has competed just six times. “Dragon” Martinez (13-3, 4-2 UFC) made his first UFC appearance in 2018, and this will also be his seventh bout. Can Martinez break his streak of one loss followed by two wins – this pattern dictates that he will be unsuccessful tonight – against “Dangerous” Grant? Like referee Chris Tognoni, we will find out shortly. The two bantamweights touch gloves, and Martinez starts off with a body kick. Grant is willing to trade kicks early, and he lands a few calf kicks and blocks another body kick coming his way. Grant steps in with a front kick, and the two go single kick for single kick in a back-and-forth exchange. Grant nearly slips throwing a high side kicks, and he walks forward to land a body shot only to get tagged with an overhand left. “Dangerous” Grant spins with a wheel kick, and it is barely blocked in time. Grant steps in with a stomp kick to the knee, and a springing side kick follows suit. Grant slings a head kick and has his calf kicked out from beneath him, but he wears it well as he rushes in to brawl. Martinez is more composed with his hands, and he gets off a pair of punches. Grant tries to respond with an Andy Hug-style spinning kick to the thigh, and Martinez is patient and lets Grant regain his composure before drilling his calf a few times. Both men trade leg kicks, and Grant starts giving his foe back some leg kicks. The damage is already mounting for Grant, and he absorbs a left hook as well from “Dragon.” They both exchange kicks to the knee, and Martinez dances out of the way from a spinning back kick. Grant wades forward with two bombs, and when the left is blocked, the right scores flush and gets Martinez’ attention. Grant continues his bombardment of long kicks, and Martinez gives him several right back to the body. A blocked head kick from Grant turns into a spinning back kick to the body, and Martinez springs off the fence to come back at him. Grant throws a right hand, and Martinez ducks and cracks him with a left hook that sends Grant flying to the ground. “Dragon” unleashes a few powerful ground punches to try to end the fight, and Grant survives to the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Martinez
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Martinez
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Martinez

Round 2
The kickboxers touch gloves and continue practically where they left off from the previous round, trading kicks one after the other. Grant steps in with a kick to the body, and when he looses a right hand, Martinez is quick to counter him. Grand throws several looping shots with his hands by his waist, and Martinez blocks them and staves off a subsequent takedown attempt. Grant pours it on with looping punches, only to get tagged by quicker, straight shots. Grant digs to the body and has his leg kicks hard, and he retreats back enough to avoid a big right hand. Grant continues to work the body with punches and even a jumping switch kick, and when he spins with a back fist, Martinez easily sees it coming. Martinez is forced to fight off this wild offense and not get much going, but he manages to sneak in a left hook. Martinez sticks and moves, avoiding a power punch but getting tagged with another that wobbles his legs. Grant does not take advantage of the situation, and instead backs away to score kicks from afar. Grant lands one on the chin, and Martinez cannot answer him with the same impact with his own punch. Grant throws so hard he stumbles, and Martinez kicks him as Grant tries to gather himself.
Grant aims a right to the body and a left to the head, and his bomb of a left hand detonates on the chin and drops Martinez. Tognoni races over to intervene as Martinez is very possibly out, and Grant gets off a couple academic shots from on top before he is tossed aside.
“Dragon” has been slain for the first time in his career, never before suffering a stoppage loss. This is a huge win for Grant, who is on the rise with an unorthodox but effective performance ending in a big way.

The Official Result
Davey Grant def. Jonathan Martinez R2 3:03 via KO (Punch)
Expert Picks (4)
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Mar 11, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Jonathan Martinez

Big Brady picks Jonathan Martinez, citing his striking advantage and training at a good camp. He notes that Grant has been submitted in all four of his losses and has poor takedown defense. He expects Martinez to win a clear 30-27 decision, possibly mixing in takedowns and threatening submissions. He sees Grant's path to victory via takedowns but believes Martinez has good get-up game and reversals.

"I'm going to take Martinez to win by decision, pretty clear 30-27 decision."
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Mar 12, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Jonathan Martinez

Daniel Levi picks Jonathan Martinez, citing his improved hands, devastating kicks, and youth. He notes Davey Grant is coming off a broken jaw and has been dropped in recent fights. He believes Martinez's dynamic striking and takedown defense will be too much for Grant, who may try to wrestle but will get caught. He expects a knockout or a clear decision for Martinez.

"I just got to go with the younger guy the hungrier guy the faster more dynamic and honestly the better guy so i think johnny martinez has business in the top 15"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Mar 2, 2021 (11 days before fight)
Jonathan Martinez

Lock is confident in Martinez, calling him an 'absolute beast' lately. He notes Martinez's recent wins over Frankie Saenz and Thomas Almeida. He thinks the fight should be relatively easy for Martinez, though he acknowledges the line is wide and he'd want to run more tape. He dismisses Grant's previous underdog win as being against a lower level of competition.

"jonathan martinez has been looking like an absolute beast as of late... i definitely uh favor martinez there"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Mar 7, 2021 (6 days before fight)
Jonathan Martinez

The Guru trusts Jonathan Martinez's level of competition and technical striking over Davey Grant. He highlights Martinez's leg kicks as a key factor, expecting him to chop at Grant's legs and neutralize Grant's heavy hooks. He criticizes Grant's win over Martin Day, noting that Day has been beaten by many fighters. He also points out Grant's close split decision with Gregory Popov. The Guru predicts Martinez will stay patient, land lead kicks and jabs, and win by unanimous decision, 30-27.

"i trust in jonathan martinez to go out there chop at the legs of davey grant who likes to swing heavy hooks"
KO (punch) R3 2:38
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Davey Grant 1 62 of 160 38% 69 of 168 0 of 1 0% 0 1 1:28
Martin Day 1 74 of 177 41% 87 of 191 2 of 4 50% 1 0 2:08
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Davey Grant 1 14 of 47 29% 17 of 50 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:46
Martin Day 0 17 of 46 36% 26 of 55 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:57
2 Davey Grant 0 22 of 58 37% 26 of 63 0 of 0 --- 0 1 0:42
Martin Day 0 30 of 71 42% 34 of 76 1 of 2 50% 1 0 1:11
3 Davey Grant 0 26 of 55 47% 26 of 55 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Martin Day 1 27 of 60 45% 27 of 60 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Davey Grant 62 of 160 38% 45 of 133 15 of 24 2 of 3 60 of 155 0 of 0 2 of 5
Martin Day 74 of 177 41% 47 of 144 19 of 24 8 of 9 69 of 169 2 of 3 3 of 5
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Davey Grant 14 of 47 29% 9 of 36 3 of 8 2 of 3 12 of 43 0 of 0 2 of 4
Martin Day 17 of 46 36% 7 of 33 4 of 6 6 of 7 14 of 41 0 of 0 3 of 5
2 Davey Grant 22 of 58 37% 13 of 46 9 of 12 0 of 0 22 of 57 0 of 0 0 of 1
Martin Day 30 of 71 42% 19 of 59 10 of 11 1 of 1 28 of 68 2 of 3 0 of 0
3 Davey Grant 26 of 55 47% 23 of 51 3 of 4 0 of 0 26 of 55 0 of 0 0 of 0
Martin Day 27 of 60 45% 21 of 52 5 of 7 1 of 1 27 of 60 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Martin Day vs. Davey Grant

Round 1
After a week off, we move to Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, for a big pay-per-view offering that starts on ESPN and ESPN+. We kick things off in the bantamweight division, as Hawaii tries to get on the board early when Day (8-3, 0-1 UFC) comes back after a long layoff against on Britain’s Grant (11-4, 2-3 UFC). The referee for this card opener is Rich Mitchell, and with a respectful touch of gloves, it’s on with the show! Grant winds up with a big sweeping leg kick, and Day can do nothing but take it flat. Grant pursues another, and Day is not thrilled by eating it, so Grant hits a third. Day backs off and tries to let a side kick fly, but the Brit evades it and slams a calf kick home. Day leaps forward with a hook, and Grant avoids the attack and counters with a few punches to the body. Day whips a body kick up quickly, and follows it with a one-two that comes up short. Day circles around the outside as Grant presses forward with leaping hooks, and the Hawaiian manages to get out of the way of most of the damaging strikes. Day swings with a telegraphed spinning back kick, in such a fashion that Grant can get clear. Day winds up with a massive right hand and cracks Grant on the jaw, dropping him in a flash knockdown. As Grant falls to his back, Day dives on top and starts putting together elbows while Grant clears the cobwebs. Day kicks his way free and gets back to his feet without absorbing much damage, and narrowly avoids a high kick flying at his head. Grant fires a head kick back at him, but Day blocks it and rushes forward to swing heavy leather. As Grant appears to have abandoned the leg kicks, Day picks them up and drops one in on the inside and another on the outside of Grant’s lead leg. Grant shoots in low for a takedown, lifting Day in the air and placing him down on the canvas. Day tries to tie him up with a submission off his back, but Grant bucks it off and climbs into his opponent’s guard. Day powers out to get back up, transitioning into a single leg of his own. The two scramble, and Grant just misses with a looping right hand as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Day
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Day
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Day

Round 2
The two touch gloves to start the second, and begin to brawl. Both men tee off on each other, and Grant catches Day on the end of a right hand in a flurry. Day fires back to the body, and the two separate for a moment to catch their breath. Grant throws out a front kick to halt and advancing Day, and Day responds with a spinning wheel kick that does not connect because he is too close. A solid one-two from Grant leads to another as Day tries to block the strikes. Grant runs forward and drills his man in the jaw with a flying knee, but Day eats it like a sandwich and the two continue to bite down on their gumshields and throw hands. A string of punches from Grant hurt the Hawaiian, and Day falls back to the cage as Grant pursues him. Grant pours it in with a big elbow and some thudding punches to the body as Day waves him on. “Dangerous Davey” backs up, and then quickly reverses to run forward with another knee, but this time Day sees it coming. Grant scoops him up and slams him down as a result, and tries to take top position while Day rolls to get out of danger. Grant sets up a power guillotine as Day attempts to stand, and the Hawaiian pulls his head free but winds up on his back with Grant in north-south position. As the two scramble, Grant quickly sets up a slick armbar, and Day turns the proper direction and gets out before Grant locks it up. Day uses the position to get on top, and eats a back fist on the chops for good measure. Grant walks up the cage and ignores a potential neck crank from his opponent, before the two men let their hands go. Day retreats, and comes back with a side kick right to the chest, sending Grant careening to the ground. The round ends before he can take advantage of this position.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Grant
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Grant
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Grant

Round 3
One final glove touch checks in the last round, and both bantamweights start slugging. Day hurts him with a right hand, but Grant recovers and fires back at him. Grant tries to nail his opponent with a spinning back fist, and Day closes the distance to soften the blow. Grant shoots in low for a single, and Day pushes off and gets out of it. The two go punch-for-punch for a moment, and Day lands the more significant and impactful of strikes with a pair of heavy left hands. They land consistently on one another as they trade strikes, with one connecting and the other responding in kind. Grant goes to the body and lands with a looping left hook, all while dodging the counter that whizzes by his ear. They jab at each other at the same time, and Day chains a combination together that backs Grant against the wall. “Dangerous Davey” comes back at him, and lands a few punches after they come together, on the break.
A right hand gets blocked, and Grant follows it with a left hook that blasts Day about as flush a punch can land. Day is out cold as his legs crumble beneath him, and Mitchell dives in to save the unconscious fighter from any follow-up shots after this huge knockout.
What a performance from the Brit, and what a way to open Fight Island!

The Official Result
Davey Grant def. Martin Day R3 2:38 via KO (Punch)
Expert Picks (4)
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Jul 6, 2020 (6 days before fight)
Davey Grant

Big Brady picks Davey Grant as an underdog, citing Grant's dangerous ground game and submission threat. He notes Martin Day looked impressive on the feet but is green on the ground, and Grant's training camp was better due to gym access. He predicts a second-round submission.

submission round 2
"i'm gonna pick my first underdog here and with uh david grant not too confident in it but you know i i like it i like it so um i'm gonna go davey grant give me give me some mission give me second round submission"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Jul 8, 2020 (4 days before fight)
Martin Day

Daniel Levi picks Martin Day, citing Day's dynamic striking, improved strength and conditioning, and athleticism. He notes Day's takedown defense looked good against Pingyuan Liu, and believes Day will be too fast and athletic for Davey Grant, who he sees as having a shaky chin and heart. Levi expects Day to land spinning attacks and win decisively.

"I think marching day is gonna be too dynamic for him too fast for him too athletic and I think marching day is gonna beat up Davey grass"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Hesitant picked Jul 10, 2020 (2 days before fight)
Martin Day

Martin Day is the better striker with good kicks and distance management. However, Davey Grant may resort to grappling if outgunned on the feet, which gives pause. At -165, not willing to bet, but picks Day to win by decision.

"I think that Martin day is gonna be the better fighter I like him in this fight"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Lean picked Jul 8, 2020 (4 days before fight)
Martin Day

The Guru briefly mentions Martin Day winning, but does not elaborate. He says 'Martin day not gonna be Devi grant gonna be David Grant yeah I think mine day wins'.

"Martin day not gonna be Devi grant gonna be David Grant yeah I think mine day wins"
Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) R3 5:00
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Davey Grant 0 35 of 88 39% 57 of 111 0 of 0 --- 0 2 0:59
Grigory Popov 0 30 of 63 47% 34 of 70 6 of 9 66% 0 1 6:03
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Davey Grant 0 11 of 28 39% 12 of 30 0 of 0 --- 0 1 0:11
Grigory Popov 0 15 of 26 57% 16 of 28 2 of 2 100% 0 0 1:56
2 Davey Grant 0 7 of 21 33% 15 of 29 0 of 0 --- 0 1 0:48
Grigory Popov 0 8 of 12 66% 10 of 16 2 of 4 50% 0 1 2:08
3 Davey Grant 0 17 of 39 43% 30 of 52 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Grigory Popov 0 7 of 25 28% 8 of 26 2 of 3 66% 0 0 1:59
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Davey Grant 35 of 88 39% 16 of 57 14 of 22 5 of 9 25 of 65 4 of 5 6 of 18
Grigory Popov 30 of 63 47% 8 of 32 12 of 19 10 of 12 27 of 52 0 of 2 3 of 9
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Davey Grant 11 of 28 39% 4 of 17 6 of 9 1 of 2 9 of 18 1 of 2 1 of 8
Grigory Popov 15 of 26 57% 2 of 8 8 of 11 5 of 7 13 of 20 0 of 0 2 of 6
2 Davey Grant 7 of 21 33% 2 of 13 2 of 4 3 of 4 5 of 15 0 of 0 2 of 6
Grigory Popov 8 of 12 66% 4 of 7 1 of 2 3 of 3 7 of 9 0 of 1 1 of 2
3 Davey Grant 17 of 39 43% 10 of 27 6 of 9 1 of 3 11 of 32 3 of 3 3 of 4
Grigory Popov 7 of 25 28% 2 of 17 3 of 6 2 of 2 7 of 23 0 of 1 0 of 1
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Grigory Popov vs. Davey Grant

Round 1
Hot on the heels of the UFC's 500th event, we turn to Moscow for an early morning of fights. We begin this trek at the bantamweight division, where Russia's Popov (13-3, 0-1 UFC) searches for his first win inside the Octagon against Grant (10-4, 1-3 UFC). Our referee to kick off the card is Vyacheslav Kiselev. We touch gloves -- something we did not see very often at UFC 244 last week -- and we are now underway. Grant hops forward and throws a few low kicks, and Popov tries to return and whiffs. The Brit sneaks in a side kick, and then spins for a spinning back kick. Utilizing another couple stepping side kicks, one goes a little low so Kiselev pauses the action momentarily. We resume, and Grant changes his attack to swing heavily for one to the calves of the Russian. He lands another, and Popov takes it without issue. Grant scores one more of those side kicks to the torso, and he is very elusive dancing around the edge of the cage. As Grant comes in to kick again, Popov looks to counter, so suddenly Grant hits a takedown and gets his man down. As Popov scrambles, Grant stands up to drop down some heavy ground-and-pound, but Popov is able to get to his feet. The Brit very much wants this fight to take place on the canvas, so Popov lands a few sharp elbows but Grant drags him to the floor once more. From his back, Popov wings some power elbows, and as Grant tries to avoid damage, Popov spins out and briefly ends up on top. Grant breaks free and the two get back to their feet. Although Grant just barely misses with a spinning wheel kick, Popov gets out of the way in time as the two men trade body kicks to conclude the round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Grant
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Grant
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Grant

Round 2
A tap of gloves begins the second frame, where Popov is now on the outside circling away trying to find his kicking range. As Popov jabs from the outside, Grant leaps in with a knee, and partially connects as Popov bounces off the cage wall. A solid leg kick from Popov is check, and Popov adjusts his stance as they trade kicks again. Once more, Grant catches Popov in the cup, and Popov protests that Grant needs to be more careful. We pause, Grant is warned, and we resume rather quickly. Popov, who seems to be irritated by the low blows, chases Grant down with kicks. As Popov commits to a body kick, Grant times a perfect right hand counter right on the button, and Popov practically ignores it. As they jockey for position, Popov gets Grant down, but Grant swings around and snags hold of Popov's back. Unable to land any strikes of merit, he does manage to briefly put all of his weight on Popov to pull the Russian down, and is low on Popov's back. Popov takes advantage of the position and sets up a kimura. Although he cannot secure the submission, he reverses position and switches to an armbar. Grant tries to hook his leg to hold on and break up the attempt, and he pushes off the fence and turns over to end up on top, free of danger. Standing up to rain down a long punch, Popov rolls with the position and gets on top -- albeit briefly. The round ends with Popov on his back trying to score some elbows.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Grant
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Grant
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Grant

Round 3
The two men embrace to start the last round, and after kicking at one another, it is now Popov that catches Grant in the cup. The kick is much more emphatic than the previous two by Grant, and Grant is in pain but shakes it off faster than he probably should. Popov is apologetic, and we start up again. Risking another low blow, Popov rips a high inside leg kick that bothers Grant. As the Brit shoots in for a takedown, the Tiger Muay Thai standout catches him with a knee on the way in. Grant presses forward, possibly dazed, and still manages to hit the attempt. Popov rolls out of it and pulls for a leg lock, and Grant grabs the cage multiple times to try to get out of position and his hand gets slapped away. Grant survives, and we are back on the feet for about three seconds before Grant dives in for a low double leg takedown. This time, Popov grabs the fence to try to get up, but Grant pulls the legs out as he eats elbows for his efforts. Popping back up, Popov stings Grant with a big right hook, and then a short left elbow. Grant has notably slowed, and Popov is trying to chase him down but the Brit gets out of the way of any significant offense. As Grant tries for a side kick like he landed well in the opening round, it has little power on it so Popov shrugs it off and presses forward. With mere seconds left, Popov flies at him with a kick, but the fight is now over.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Popov (29-28 Grant)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Popov (29-28 Grant)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Popov (29-28 Grant)

The Official Result
Davey Grant def. Grigory Popov via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Technical Submission (triangle choke) R1 0:59
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Manny Bermudez 0 4 of 6 66% 4 of 6 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:17
Davey Grant 1 3 of 5 60% 3 of 5 0 of 0 --- 2 0 0:21
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Manny Bermudez 0 4 of 6 66% 4 of 6 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:17
Davey Grant 1 3 of 5 60% 3 of 5 0 of 0 --- 2 0 0:21
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Manny Bermudez 4 of 6 66% 1 of 2 0 of 1 3 of 3 4 of 6 0 of 0 0 of 0
Davey Grant 3 of 5 60% 3 of 5 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 4 0 of 0 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Manny Bermudez 4 of 6 66% 1 of 2 0 of 1 3 of 3 4 of 6 0 of 0 0 of 0
Davey Grant 3 of 5 60% 3 of 5 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 4 0 of 0 1 of 1
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Manny Bermudez vs. Davey Grant

Round 1
Grant uses kicks to keep Bermudez on the outside early, but the American walks straight inside and blasts Grant with a heavy right hand. Grant goes crashing to the canvas, where Bermudez follows and sets up a mounted armbar, then rolls to guard, where
Bermudez switches to a triangle. Grant struggles and rolls, trying to escape, but the choke is locked on tight
and the Englishman opts to goes to sleep instead of tapping.

The Official Result
Manny Bermudez def. Davey Grant via Technical Submission (Triangle Choke) R1 0:59
Submission (armbar) R3 3:56
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Damian Stasiak 0 36 of 84 42% 44 of 93 2 of 2 100% 0 0 1:29
Davey Grant 0 10 of 39 25% 18 of 47 4 of 9 44% 1 1 4:16
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Damian Stasiak 0 7 of 20 35% 11 of 24 2 of 2 100% 0 0 1:03
Davey Grant 0 3 of 10 30% 8 of 15 1 of 2 50% 0 1 1:35
2 Damian Stasiak 0 26 of 53 49% 28 of 55 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:26
Davey Grant 0 5 of 21 23% 8 of 24 2 of 4 50% 0 0 1:30
3 Damian Stasiak 0 3 of 11 27% 5 of 14 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Davey Grant 0 2 of 8 25% 2 of 8 1 of 3 33% 1 0 1:11
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Damian Stasiak 36 of 84 42% 23 of 67 11 of 14 2 of 3 20 of 56 13 of 22 3 of 6
Davey Grant 10 of 39 25% 7 of 27 3 of 12 0 of 0 8 of 35 1 of 3 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Damian Stasiak 7 of 20 35% 3 of 15 2 of 2 2 of 3 5 of 17 1 of 1 1 of 2
Davey Grant 3 of 10 30% 2 of 7 1 of 3 0 of 0 2 of 8 1 of 2 0 of 0
2 Damian Stasiak 26 of 53 49% 17 of 42 9 of 11 0 of 0 12 of 29 12 of 21 2 of 3
Davey Grant 5 of 21 23% 3 of 13 2 of 8 0 of 0 5 of 20 0 of 1 0 of 0
3 Damian Stasiak 3 of 11 27% 3 of 10 0 of 1 0 of 0 3 of 10 0 of 0 0 of 1
Davey Grant 2 of 8 25% 2 of 7 0 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 7 0 of 0 1 of 1
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Davey Grant vs. Damian Stasiak

Round 1
Stasiak grabs hold of Grant’s first kick and spins him to the floor a few feet away from the fence. Grant throws up his legs, blocking a pass and scrambling back to his feet after pushing Stasiak away. Grant swings and misses with a few spinning strikes before running Stasiak against the wall and taking him down. Stasiak sits up and powers back to his feet, eating a solid right hand along the way. Stasiak looks for a trip takedown at the wall, but it’s blocked by Grant. The bantamweights hit the ground in the whizzer, and Stasiak turns it to his advantage with a bodylock. Grant pushes him off, and the 135ers are back to striking with two minutes on the clock. Grant dodges a high kick, pings Stasiak with a left hook and then shoots for another takedown at the fence. Grant wrestles Stasiak to the floor with 30 seconds left, but 10 seconds later, Stasiak has swept into top position, where he finishes the round.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Grant
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Stasiak
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-10

Round 2
Grant tags Stasiak with a flurry of punches to the body, followed by a knee to the face. Stasiak slows the pace with a brief clinch, quickly broken up by Grant, who wants to continue striking from range. A left hook from Grant gets Stasiak moving sideways around the edge of the fence. Grant shoves him against the wall with a knee to the gut, backs up to sling more punches. It’s all Grant so far, halfway through round two, but Stasiak scores another takedown after catching a kick. Grant quickly posts and stands, drilling Stasiak with a knee to the face off the stand-up. Stasiak circles away, tries a spinning kick, then shoots low and takes down Grant once again. Grant hunts for an armbar from the bottom, can’t get it, and now Stasiak advances to half guard on the Englishman’s right side. Stasiak is framing up an arm-triangle choke, but he abandons it to drop punches from full mount. Grant is only mounted for a few seconds before he kicks off the fence and sweeps. Grant looks for a no-hooks rear-naked choke and winds up being flipped onto his back again for the final 15 seconds.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Grant
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Grant
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Grant

Round 3
Stasiak waits for Grant to come forward with punches and then changes levels to try a takedown, but Grant pushes him away. Grant switches between southpaw and orthodox stances as he follows Stasiak around the edge of the cage. Stasiak changes levels again, and this time his single-leg attempt yields a takedown. Grant rolls to his knees, Stasiak straddling his head, and then climbs back to his feet. Stasiak immediately tries another takedown, a double-leg this time, but Grant is ready for it and forces the smaller man to the floor. Now it’s Grant working from top position with half a round remaining. Stasiak whips his legs around and catches a lightning-fast armbar, and it looks tight. Grant refuses to tap out at first, but when Stasiak rolls onto his side and fully extends the limb, Grant has to submit.

The Official Result
Damian Stasiak def. Davey Grant via Submission (Armbar) R3 3:56
Decision (unanimous) (30–26, 30–26, 30–26) R3 5:00
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Davey Grant 0 105 of 162 64% 112 of 172 2 of 2 100% 3 1 5:15
Marlon Vera 0 83 of 168 49% 95 of 180 1 of 2 50% 0 0 1:54
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Davey Grant 0 30 of 52 57% 31 of 53 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:27
Marlon Vera 0 41 of 84 48% 41 of 84 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Davey Grant 0 43 of 67 64% 46 of 70 0 of 0 --- 0 1 1:00
Marlon Vera 0 31 of 57 54% 38 of 64 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:54
3 Davey Grant 0 32 of 43 74% 35 of 49 1 of 1 100% 3 0 3:48
Marlon Vera 0 11 of 27 40% 16 of 32 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Davey Grant 105 of 162 64% 62 of 113 28 of 34 15 of 15 61 of 109 19 of 21 25 of 32
Marlon Vera 83 of 168 49% 39 of 114 32 of 42 12 of 12 75 of 156 2 of 5 6 of 7
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Davey Grant 30 of 52 57% 11 of 29 9 of 13 10 of 10 27 of 49 3 of 3 0 of 0
Marlon Vera 41 of 84 48% 12 of 50 19 of 24 10 of 10 40 of 83 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Davey Grant 43 of 67 64% 25 of 48 13 of 14 5 of 5 21 of 40 12 of 13 10 of 14
Marlon Vera 31 of 57 54% 19 of 41 10 of 14 2 of 2 25 of 49 1 of 2 5 of 6
3 Davey Grant 32 of 43 74% 26 of 36 6 of 7 0 of 0 13 of 20 4 of 5 15 of 18
Marlon Vera 11 of 27 40% 8 of 23 3 of 4 0 of 0 10 of 24 0 of 2 1 of 1
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Marlon Vera vs. Davey Grant

Round 1
A rematch over five years in the making comes up next in the so-called “featured fight of the night,” when “Chito” Vera (16-7-1, 10-6 UFC) tries to exact revenge against Grant (13-4, 4-3 UFC). The hands will be full for referee Mike Beltran, who will be looking to keep track of this bantamweight battle. There is a touch of gloves to check things in, and Vera leads the dance by taking the center of the cage. Grant circles on the outside, chipping at his foe with a leg kick, and Vera fires right back with a push kick. Grant replies in kind, and he steps forward with a side kick to the chest. Grant keeps his kicking arsenal on full display, with kicks low, to the body and up high. Vera sits down on a pair of leg kicks to slow this down, with both connecting square on the calf. Grant tries to pay him back, but Vera pays them no mind and blocks a subsequent head kick. Grant slings a right hand over the top, and digs a left to the body. “Dangerous” releases a dangerous front kick right to the solar plexus, and he has a head kick just miss the target. Grant slips and attacks the body, and Vera is largely standing still in the center of the fence ready to counter. Vera grabs him so that he can knee him in the chest, but Grant shoves him away. Vera allows him to so this so that he can plant a one-two on the chin, and the Ecuadorian protects himself from a speedy head kick in time. When Vera commits to a calf kick, Grant counters with two punches, and Vera is ready for them. Vera stabs at the body with his toes, while keeping a high guard in case the looping punches zoom towards him. A kick for Vera makes him fall over, and when he stands, Grant tags him with a few punches. Vera grabs his leg in a follow-up kick and puts Grant on his back. Vera fights off a quick armbar attempt to climb over to a dominant position, but Grant spins around to get to his knees. Vera threatens with a guillotine choke, and when he cannot get it, he scores a knee and a few punches that open up a cut on Grant’s forehead. Grant drives his left hand in the liver, and Vera exhales before returning fire with some thudding leg kicks. Grant jumps forward with a stomp kick to the knee, and he follows it with a spinning, flying head kick. Vera laughs it off and starts to slug it out with him, and the two bantamweights trade to the head and body. A spinning kick from Grant is too close to score successfully, and Vera continues to target the lead leg. Vera barely blocks a pair of punches in time, and when Grant sprints away, Vera catches him with a head kick. Grant wears it well, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Grant
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Grant
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Grant

Round 2
Vera marches down Grant in the early going of the round, hacking at his lead leg and chaining punches together. The Brit is right there for him to sling heavy leather, and Vera has busted up the cut a little more. The bantamweight brawlers go strike-for-strike until Vera presses in to clinch, which allows him to knee Grant in the face. Vera aims a jumping strike in this position, but Grant shoves him away and gets off a one-two. Grant works the body as his nose continues to bleed, unconcerned all while loading up on huge punches. Vera leaves his punches out a little too long, allowing him to be countered over the top. Grant works the body, and Vera stands right in front of him to slash at him with vertical elbows. The elbows work perfectly, slicing open a cut high on the scalp of Grant. The blood flows right into his eyes, and Vera does some damage with more strikes. Grant spins and nails him with a wheel kick, and Vera marches through and elbows Grant on the chin. The Brit might be hurt, but when they clinch, he grabs his foe and tosses him to the ground. In full guard, Grant rains down blood and thunder – and punches – and Vera throws his legs up to stop it with a triangle. Vera turns it into an omoplata setup when Grant turns, allowing Vera to twist and turn so that he can hook up an inverted triangle. Grant stays calm as he pulls himself out of danger, sliding over to side control to hammer away with elbows. Grant isolates Vera’s left wrist in search of a kimura, but “Chito” sees it coming and shakes it out. Vera tries to kick off the fence, but the Brit keeps him tight to the ground. As soon as Vera sits up, Grant snags him with an arm-in guillotine choke. Vera rolls through, attacks a heel hook, and is able to scramble to get up. Grant now is on his knees, with Vera aiming to shove Grant over and assault him with elbows. Grant connects with harmful upkicks, but Vera powers through and concludes the round with brutal elbows that may have caused more damage on Grant’s face.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Vera

Round 3
The bantamweights may be bloodied and battered, but they are no less amped up to conclude this rematch. They meet in the center of the cage to touch gloves, and Grant flicks out several jabs. Vera unloads with a left hand, and he has a body kick caught. Grant tosses the leg to the side, making Vera fall over, but Grant cannot capitalize on this. In an exchange, the two slide to the ground, and Vera takes Grant’s back for a moment. The Brit turns over, but he falls into a choke attempt. Vera turns it into an arm-triangle choke as he takes mount, but Grant is tough as nails and he grits it out. When Grant turns, he is able to break free, and the two get back to their feet. Both 135ers trade heavy leather, and Vera does damage but Grant survives. Grant fires back, and a few punches wobble Vera. Vera uses elbows in close range to sting Grant again, and he rips punches to the body when Grant keeps a high guard. As Grant defends himself, Vera drags him to the ground and climbs into Grant’s guard. Grant is able to defend from most of the damaging blows, even kicking off and scoring a big upkick. Vera is able to hop back down and swing brutal elbows on Grant’s forehead, and when Grant’s head bounces off the ground, it is clear that Grant is in big trouble. Grant flails and kicks, and blood continues to flow all over Grant’s face while Vera assaults him with ground-and-pound. A failed triangle attempt from Grant leads to a kimura, but when Grant gets to his knees, Vera takes his back. An unsuccessful scramble from Grant allows Vera to take mount, and Grant struggles and fights back. Grant spins around, gives up his back, and Vera snatches on a rear-naked choke with a fully-locked body triangle. Incredibly, Grant survives the choke, so Vera slips over to take full mount and rides this position until the final bell. What a fight!

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Vera (29-27 Vera)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-8 Vera (29-27 Vera)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Vera (29-27 Vera)

The Official Result
Marlon Vera def. Davey Grant via Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-28, 30-26)
Submission (rear-naked choke) R2 2:10
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Chris Holdsworth 0 15 of 50 30% 41 of 78 1 of 2 50% 1 0 3:49
Davey Grant 0 18 of 44 40% 19 of 45 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:19
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Chris Holdsworth 0 12 of 39 30% 33 of 62 0 of 1 0% 0 0 2:24
Davey Grant 0 14 of 34 41% 15 of 35 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:19
2 Chris Holdsworth 0 3 of 11 27% 8 of 16 1 of 1 100% 1 0 1:25
Davey Grant 0 4 of 10 40% 4 of 10 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Chris Holdsworth 15 of 50 30% 7 of 37 4 of 9 4 of 4 7 of 34 8 of 14 0 of 2
Davey Grant 18 of 44 40% 4 of 21 11 of 18 3 of 5 13 of 34 5 of 10 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Chris Holdsworth 12 of 39 30% 5 of 27 4 of 9 3 of 3 5 of 25 7 of 13 0 of 1
Davey Grant 14 of 34 41% 4 of 18 8 of 12 2 of 4 9 of 24 5 of 10 0 of 0
2 Chris Holdsworth 3 of 11 27% 2 of 10 0 of 0 1 of 1 2 of 9 1 of 1 0 of 1
Davey Grant 4 of 10 40% 0 of 3 3 of 6 1 of 1 4 of 10 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Chris Holdsworth vs. Davey Grant

Round 1
Grant connects with a wide right hand as Holdsworth moves in to clinch and presses the Englishman against the cage. Grant turns it around and separates with a nice left hook to the chin before clinching up again. The bantamweights break and now it’s Holdsworth staggering Grant with a straight right. Holdsworth muscles Grant against the fence and pops him with short lefts as he works for an inside trip. The takedown doesn’t come and the fighters separate again. Holdsworth ties up to try another trip on the fence, but again Grant defends well. Grant whiffs on a pair of hard punches and gets wrapped up, but he reverses Holdsworth with a body lock and tries to throw him down. Holdsworth slips out and winds up on top, in Grant’s closed guard as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Holdsworth
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Holdsworth
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Grant

Round 2
Holdsworth finally completes a takedown and passes to side control about 45 seconds into round two, bloodying Grant’s nose with a head kick shortly before. Grant gives up his back as he tries to stand, and Holdsworth immediately latches on to back control. Holdsworth slaps on a rear-naked choke which forces Grant to tap in just a few seconds.

The Official Result
Chris Holdsworth def. Davey Grant via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) R2 2:10