My UFC Fight Night 123 Overview (December 8, 2017)

UFC Fight Night 123

Fresno, CA

Save Mart Center

Network: UFC Fight Pass (Prelims & Early Prelims)

Commentators: Brendan Fitzgerald & Paul Felder

My Picks: Ortega, Benitez, Moraes, Holtzman, Anders, Lopez, Carmouche, Sanders, Perez, Dvalishvili, Perez, Ramos & Giles

Early Prelims

Fight #1

Middleweight

Antonio Braga Neto vs Trevin Giles

• I give the first round to Giles although ABN very well could have won it after the takedown and ground work.
• I definitely give round two to Giles.
• Giles stops ABN on the feet in the third round.
• Giles remains undefeated.
• They hate it when you ask for a bonus after the fight. Why not just let your work do the talking?

Winner by TKO in 2:27 of round 3: Trevin Giles

Fight #2

Lightweight

Davi Ramos vs Chris Gruetzemacher

• I give all of the rounds to Ramos.
• Kind of a meh fight.
• Ramos chokes Gruetzemacher out in the third round.

Winner by rear naked choke in :50 of round 3: Davi Ramos

Fight #3

Bantamweight

Alejandro Perez vs Iuri Alcantara

• The majority of this fight was not too thrilling as both fighters did not seem like they wanted to engage much.
• Perez knocked Alcantara down near the end of the third round. Alcantara then returned with a knee that sent Perez back into the corner.
• You know they didn't like your fight when they don't give you a post-fight interview.

Winner by unanimous decision: Alejandro Perez

Prelims

Fight #4

Bantamweight

Merab Dvalishvili vs Frankie Saenz

• I give all three rounds to Saenz.
• In real-time, this was another fight that wasn't too fun to watch. It was more bearable at a faster playback speed. I hope the whole show isn't like this. Much to respect to these fighters. I know that it takes a lot of intestinal fortitude to be in these fights and it's all a game of tactics in there. Neither man wants get hit and if both guys really respect what each other can do then sometimes you have a stalemate. In this fight, it almost seemed to me that Dvalishvili was content to wrestle Saenz down and hold him while Saenz would do his best to work his way out of whatever situation he was in.
• Dvalishvili shakes his head in disapproval. Even if he did win a split decision here, I think he still probably lost in the UFC's eyes. The fact that Saenz didn't get promo time may add some water to that thought (what does that even mean?).

Winner by split decision: Frankie Saenz

Fight #5

Bantamweight

Carls John de Thomas vs Alex Perex

• Perez comes from Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series. That show is my favorite form of MMA programming with the Snoopcast on!
• I spy Anthony Kiedis in the front row. Legendary figure. He's always at these shows.
• de Thomas is on the defensive for a lot of this fight. He got out of a precarious submission position in round one but wasn't able to do the same in round 2.

Winner by D'Arce Choke in 1:54 or round 2: Alex Perez

Fight #6

Bantamweight

Luke Sanders vs Andre Soukhamthath

• Fun fact: Sanders is Becky Lynch's boyfriend.
• Soukhamthath stops Sanders in the second round.
• It feels really good to see him celebrate in there.
• See, I could live with Andre dropping hints for the bonus but then he lost me when he outright asked. I hope he gets it but history indicates that your chances lower if you beg for the bonus!

Winner by TKO in 1:06 of round 2: Andre Soukhamthath

Fight #7

Flyweight

Alexis Davis vs Liz Carmouche

• Frank Trigg is a ref now?!
• This wasn't a bad fight. The story of the fight seemed to be Davis' submission technique versus Carmouche's power because that's what Carmouche would utilize to get out of a lot of the precarious positions that Davis had her in. Kind of a close fight.
• The right side of Davis' face is just beyond swollen.
• The crowd doesn't seem to agree with the judge's decision.
• Felder actually tells her not to listen to the crowd which would be a heel line in wrestling. I don't think I've ever heard Joe Rogan flat out say not to listen to the crowd.
• Not much of a promo afterwards. Just the ol' "whatever the boss wants" stuff. The boss wants you to create some buzz either in the fight, on the mic or both

Winner by split decision: Alexis Davis

Main Card

Fight #8

Bantamweight

Alberto Morales vs Benito Lopez

• This main card review is brought to you by Market Basket Apple Juice. This stuff is amazing ice cold, or should I say...ice chilled? But no seriously, it is.
• The undefeated Lopez is from Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series (Snoopcast versions) which is my favorite MMA program around.
• Holy smokes, what a fight. Morales knocks Lopez down but Lopez immediately strikes back with a flying knee that sends Morales reeling. They starts throwing some wild leather before Lopez locks in a really tight guillotine that Morales braves out of.
• Morales has Lopez pinned against the fight for the rest of round 1 as Lopez just glances at the clock at every available opportunity.
• The rest of the fight wasn't as crazy. It seems like both of these guys may have maxed out their energy in that first round.
• Lopez looks like he has a broken nose. He said that Morales had caught him in round 3 that may have lead to it.
• Lopez wins by unanimous decision. I honestly thought that Morales had won the fight and he wasn't my fight pick.
• Lopez looking like Shield-era Seth Rollins with that hair.

Winner by unanimous decision: Benito Lopez

Fight #9

Middleweight

Eryk Anders vs Markus Perez

• Someone's 0 will go after this fight as both of these guys are undefeated.
• The story of this fight is Perez being more at home on the ground and Anders being more at home on his feet. Although after a few rounds of fighting, Anders' power seems to be overriding any real threat from Perez on the ground.
• Anders calls out Lyoto Machida after the fight. Machida is like Bisping where all of the young fighters all call him out because he's a legend and these guys think they can take him at this stage in the game. As Vondas from The Wire would say "Niko smart".

Winner by unanimous decision: Eryk Anders

Fight #10

Lightweight

Scott Holtzman vs Darrell Horcher

• Horcher was in a pianful motorcycle accident in 2016 just a month after his UFC debut. He returned in June of this year and picked up a victory.
• Ins't there a clause in the UFC contract that forbids you from riding a motorcycle?
• Mike Beltran is the ref for this fight. His beard and him are on the nefarious Disco Inferno's "Disco List". Probably the best segment on Konnan's Keepin it 100 podcast.
• Looks like we got ourselves a wrestling match in round 1 here as Holtzman had Horcher on the ground and pretty much kept him there.
• Brendan Fitzgerald said in the intro to this fight that it was up to these to please the crowd tonight. Doesn't look like this was the case as the story of the fight was just Holtzman pinning Horcher down for most of the fight.
• No post-fight interview for Holtzman which is pretty much the company's way of saying "Good job, man. Good win. Not a fun fight though, fam."

Winner by unanimous decision: Scott Holtzman

Fight #11

Bantamweight

Marlon Moraes vs Aljamain Sterling

• Moraes beat John Dodson recently and Sterling beat Renan Barao this past Summer so these two are looking to bring it tonight. 
• A minute into round 1, Moraes hits a devastating kick to the head that ends the fight. Sterling was out cold but in the dabbing position which could spawn a whole flurry of memes. Possible knockout of the year contender?
• Moraes is a class act. He seems more worried about Sterling's condition after the match rather than celebrating his win. Class act through and through.

Winner by KO: Marlon Moraes

Fight #12

Featherweight

Jason Knight vs Gabriel Benitez

• I'm a big fan of Benitez ever since his season on TUF.
• A minute into round 1 Knight has Benitez against the cage and Benitez suddenly grimaces. Gabriel just says "Come oooonnnn, maaaan" so whatever it is, it sounds like something to be a little bit ashamed of.
• Is it a busted glove? Nah, can't be that. He didn't bite him, did he? Naah, couldn't be that. Small joint manipulation? That is illegal in MMA. Looks like that's what it...Oh wait, he DID bite him? What in blazes?!
• Knight gets a point taken away because of this.
• Right before the start of round 2, they actually show a still image of Benitez's finger in Knight's mouth and point out the spot where Benitez tells the ref that he's being bit.
• Benitez gets a finger in the eye in round 2. Looks like Knight is going to work the heel role in this match. Or maybe the cool heel since the crowd boos this and Knight isn't at all pleased but the replay says it all. I hope everyone in this arena gets bitten in the finger and poked in the eye. That way they'll have some perspective the next time UFC comes to Fresno.
• Benitez wins by unanimous decision. The foul definitely helped out.
• Gotta say, it feels good to go against the Vegas odds and win. Although if this match didn't have all of the fouls and Knight came in either with a different gameplan or headspace, I feel this fight could have swung the other way.

Winner by unanimous decision: Gabriel Benitez

They show Anthony Kiedis in the crowd, he's been there since fight #1. Much love and respect to him. As a musician, he's the name that always pops up after a show when people come up to talk to me. He's definitely an influence and it shows.

They also show Urijah Faber who is one half of my favorite commentary team in the business today. #Snoopcast.

Fight #13

Featherweight

Cub Swanson vs Brian Ortega

• Ortega looks like he's got a tight D'Arce choke on Swanson near the end of round 1. Swanson is definitely saved by the bell. 
• He's got to be wary of Ortega's submissions going into round 2.
• Ortega submits Swanson with a standing guillotine in round 2. He impressively readjusts his position to tighten the guillotine even more. This leads to the tap.
• Ortega remains undefeated.
• Ortega wants to wait and challenge the winner of the possible Max Holloway/Frankie Edgar fight.

Winner by submission in 3:22 of round 2: Brian Ortega

Overall Thoughts

Not a must-see show. It had some good fights but it came off generally as just another show. The UFC still has so many shows in their schedule that this is bound to happen. I think I'm going to give my fight of the night nod to Morales/Lopez. My KO of the night is definitely going to Moraes. No doubt about that. As far as my picks went, I went 10-3 which isn't bad.