By: Kevin Thomas
(Photographs by Jason Da Silva - USA Today Sports, Jeff Bottari - Getty Images)
TUCSON, Ariz. -- UFC Charlotte was broadcast on ABC from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Between the prelims and the main card, the sold-out crowd was treated to a fun event. The card featured huge performances, the of birth future stars, finishes, and drama, in addition to some odd referee controversies.
According to Dana White at his press conference after the event, this event was the highest attended UFC Fight Night in the company's U.S. history with 18,712 fans enjoying the display of MMA.
Below is a recap of the night featuring the most notable bouts starting with the preliminary card!
The Preliminary Card:
Bryan Battle K.O. v.s. Gabe Green
The night began with a bang for a hometown hero. Fighting out of Charlotte, North Carolina. Bryan Battle, 28 came to the octagon wearing his heart on his sleeve and energy overflowing.
He made his walk to the cage, his coach slapped him in the face a handful of times to prep him for war, and then Bryan Battle unleashed all his energy onto his opponent Gabe Green with a counter punch knockout finish in just 14 seconds. Bryan Battle now holds claim to the 6th fastest knockout in UFC history.
"Charlotte I love you! I was made by Charlotte! I'm never going to lose in Charlotte! Not in front of my people, not in front of my friends, not in front of my family." Battle said while fighting back tears of joy at his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier.
Mandy Bohm Split Dec. Victory v.s. Ji Yeon Kim
In what was the most bizarre fight of the night, Mandy Bohm defeated Ji Yeon Kim. While Bohm did what was necessary, it seemed that Ji Yeon Kim defeated herself in the cage Saturday afternoon.
During the second round of their fight, it became clear that Kim's coaches wanted her to keep the fight standing as Kim seemed to be getting the better of the striking exchanges. Kim seemed to simply not be listening to them.
Once the horn blew, ending the second round, Bohm was getting off the top of Kim who had Bohm in a guillotine attempt at the end of the round. Kim then kicked Bohm in the chest to get Bohm off of her after the round had already concluded.
Right before the beginning of the third and final round the referee, Larry Carter. Removed a point from Kim for the transgression after the previous round.
"Oh, he's taking a Point! That was a bit delayed... You address it right away" Daniel Cormier said on the ABC broadcast, expressing his dislike for the timing of the deduction.
During the third and final round, Kim seemingly needed a finish yet to avoid a draw yet was content to clinch and throw knees to the back of Bohm's left leg.
Coach John Wood in Kim's corner was visibly confused and frustrated with the performance of his fighter who was not listening to his instruction as he yelled into the cage, "Ji Yeon we have to finish this fight, Let's go! Let of that and start striking! Ji Yeon!"
As another coach in her corner muttered "She's not listening," Kim illegally kneed Bohm in the head which brought an end to the fight via judges scorecard due to Bohm not being able to continue. Bohm could be heard telling Carter that she could not see well enough out of her left eye to finish the fight.
Carter then removed another point from Kim during the judging of the card. This caused about an 11-minute delay after the fight where the two combatants and their coaches stood around the octagon as the judges deliberated and redeliberated upon their decision.
During the decision-making process, commentators Jon Anik, Dominick Cruz, and Cormier made light of the situation they were in and contextualized the out-of-the-ordinary nature of their situation
"We have seen everything, except this, it's new, very rarely do you see something new," said Cormier of the debacle.
Douglas Silva De Andrade Una. Dec. v.s. Cody Stamann
Cody Stamann is appealing his unanimous decision loss to Douglas Silva De Andrade after what he deems a poor decision by a referee.
In round one Stamann landed a heavy takedown on De Andrade that caused an eruption from fans. The eruption subsided after Andrade landed an illegal up-kick which Stamann protested immediately to referee Wayne Spinola.
Spinola then stood the two fighters up to evaluate the situation but did not return the fighters to the position that they were in at the time of the up-kick.
This action by Spinola is a violation of what is supposed to happen per the rules of the UFC. The fighters were supposed to be returned to the ground, the point of the foul, so as to not penalize the fighter in the dominant ground position.
Stamann went on to lose the first round on the judge's scorecard and the fight via unanimous decision.
Matt Brown K.O. v.s. Court McGee
"The Immortal" Matt Brown walked into the octagon at 42 years of age with the most finishes in UFC welterweight history with 14, 2nd most knockouts in UFC history with 12, and the third most wins in UFC welterweight history.
Then he entered the octagon and shut McGee's lights off with just 51 seconds remaining in round one.
Not only did he tie "the black beast" Daniel Lewis for the most Knockouts in UFC history with 13 but he got a $50,000 performance bonus to go with it.
"There's nothing I love more than being in here. The worst part of being in here is in about 30 seconds, I gotta step outta here, that's what I hate," said Matt Brown during his post-fight interview.
The Main Card:
Carlos Ulberg K.O. v.s. Ihor Potieria
Carlos Ulberg earned a performance of the night bonus with his punishing knockout of Ihor Potieria. The finishing blow was a check left hook right behind the ear of the Ukranian fighter. Ulberg then put a stamp on it with hammer fists before the referee called the fight.
Ian Machado Garry K.O. #15 Daniel Rodriguez
Still undefeated, Ian Garry is the real deal. He talks the talk and he walks the walk. Garry predicted the outcome of the fight six weeks ago when he told Co-Host of the Ringer MMA Show, Petesy Carroll, "I can tell you how I'm going to knock him out... Right high-kick. Anything else, I didn't mean it"
With a right high-kick that he set up with his lightning-quick jab, Garry became the first fighter to knock out Daniel Rodriguez.
Garry's victory over Rodriguez is just one fight on his 7 fight plan to the welterweight championship. By punching his spot in the top 15 he is one step closer to completing that plan. His plan has been to fight two fighters ranked 10-15, then two fighters ranked 5-10, two fighters ranked 1-5, and finally "The Future" sees himself winning the championship in the following bout.
Garry has been vocal about his plans to "earn," his shot at the title. He wants to "leave no doubt," that he deserves what he earns. He is well on his way to earning that respect among many in the sport.
He is one of just two active Irish UFC fighters, his fellow countryman, and UFC legend Conor McGregor said this of Garry via Twitter during the broadcast, "When you call your shot and hit it, that’s special. The Shot Caller Club has a new entry, Ireland’s Ian “The Future” Garry!"
"You're attacking my family. You're attacking my family. " This is what light-heavyweight contender Anthony Smith told Johnny Walker during their bout. Walker was in fact, not attacking Smith's family. Smith was drawing on internal motivators and possibly from a past home invasion experience in a fight he was losing all throughout and needed a push.
In what was an impressive and methodical performance from a usually wild and unpredictable fighter, Johnny Walker showed a new side of himself. Using leg kicks, defense, and traditional striking techniques to defeat Smith.
While his performance likely won't end up in any highlight reels, Walker's headed to the top 5 of the division very soon.
Smith's lead left leg which features a surgically repaired ankle was a problem during the fight as Walker kept firing leg kicks that went unchecked by Smith. Once his mobility was compromised Smith began to look like he was running uphill with an elephant on his back.
Smith was struggling. To close the distance, evade kicks and punches, and implement his own gameplan which seemed to be predicated on Walker making a plethora of mistakes, he did not.
Smith removed his gloves during the reading of the decision but never said he was retiring. Dana White said in his press conference appearance that Smith was hinting to those behind the scenes, that retirement could be coming soon for the contender.
Jailton Almeida takes down every heavyweight that stands across the octagon from him. No really. Now 5-0 in the UFC, Almeida's gameplan is clear and it's seemingly unstoppable. Double leg takedown, work to mount, choke opponent until victorious, repeat.
Only absorbing 9 total strikes and just 2 significant strikes in his 5 UFC fights. Almeida looks unstoppable. The big, dancing, and jovial BJJ black belt has yet to meet his equal.
Jairzinho Rozenstruik, a K.O. artist, was set against Almeida as a way of testing Almeida's ability versus a top-level heavyweight striker. Although, it was as if Almeida was given the answer key before he entered the Spectrum Center that night.
His first takedown attempt was unsuccessful but he did get Rozenstruik to the ground on his second attempt and they stayed there. The ground is where Almeida is making the big boys look like children. He only needed 3 minutes and 43 seconds to earn the finish. Rozenstruik did his best in the ground positions but "Malhadinho" was just too much for him.
What's next for Almeida? He's eyeing number six-ranked heavyweight Tai Tuivasa. Almeida called out Tuivasa during his post-fight interview and during his post-fight press conference through a translator.
Almeida's ceiling is whatever he wants it to be. He looks to be a serious threat in the heavyweight division with some pundits beginning to hypothesize how Almeida would fair against the current champion and pound-for-pound #1, Jon Jones. Fans have yet to see him truly put to the test and overcome adversity in a fight and yet, nobody can wait to see what he does next in that cage.
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