UFC London Preliminary Card Results: Charles Byrd Chokes Out John Phillips

It’s once again fight day here at LowKickMMA, and the talent on display tonight (Saturday, March 17, 2018) will come from in the form of UFC London. Headlining the card are Fabricio Werdum and Alexander Volkov, but there’s a whole bunch of great fights also taking place on the preliminary section of the card.

Charles Byrd vs. John Phillips in a middleweight bout finishes off the UFC Fight Pass preliminary card. In round 1, Byrd is making sure to maintain mount so he’s not posturing all the way up. He hitting punches and elbows but not anything too hard. Well, those two elbows were. Shoulder strikes now. Phillips tries pushing down on the hips and gets back to half but he a few rights when his hands weren’t protecting his head. Byrd passes to side now knee-on-belly, the cage preventing him from escaping. Byrd gets the back and slaps on a rear-naked choke. It was across the chin and he just crushed his face.

Danny Roberts vs. Oliver Enkamp is next in a welterweight bout. In round 1, Enkamp bails on his double leg against the cage and hits a knee and left hook on the break. Enkamp working Roberts lead leg with oblique kicks. A counter left hook folds Enkamp

Danny Henry vs. Hakeem Dawodu is next in a featherweight bout. In round 1, Henry clocked Dawodu with a  straight right and then latched onto a murderous high-elbow guillotine choke. Dawodu was seemingly defenseless.

Paul Craig vs. Magomed Ankalaev is next in a light heavyweight bout. In round 1, Craig with side kicks and then a body kick that gets caught. Ankalaev doesn’t take advantage. Craig leg kicks. Overhand left for Ankalaev then a rushing left hook. He goes to the body hard as Craig backs up to the cage. Low blow from Craig halts the action. Craig continues to kick the legs and body to maintain distance but not landing all that hard. He shoots but gets stuffed and eats some knees to the body. Ankalaev turns Craig around. He lands a big left but Craig ducks under and gets a takedown. Ankalaev nearly reverses him but Craig consolidates top position. Ankalaev gets his hips to the fence and gets in on Craig’s hips and gets on top with a minute left. In round 2, Lead head kick for Craig to start the round but Ankalaev looking more aggressive. He lands a hard leg kick then pushes forward swinging hammers. Craig able to circle out. Another big left for Ankalaev. Seems like he might be pacing himself a bit while Craig ineffectually kicks from long range. Craig shoots but gets stuffed and put on the cage. Ankalaev hits hard on the clinch break. Back at range, Craig hits a nice counter right hand then a takedown. Ankalaev gets his hips to the cage again. Again, Ankalaev is able to sit up into Craig’s hips gets his own takedown right to side control. Ankalaev lands elbows to the body and face. In round 3, Craig is standing up to Ankalaev’s left hand so far. The Dagestani is controlling the fight but his output is pretty low. Craig shoots and gets stuffed again. Ankalaev this time gets to a wrestling ride and hits a few hard shots before Craig is able to get up. Ankalaev powers Craig down again and is pounding on him. Craig hits a triangle in the last seconds of the fight and wins it. What a comeback by Craig!

Kajan Johnson vs. Stevie Ray is next in a lightweight bout. In round 1, They’re both southpaw now but Kajan switching stances a bit. Kajan with the low calf kick. Ray hits a spinning back kick to the body. Johnson hits a leg kick that stumbles Ray then a body kick. Ray misses a wheel kick. He’s having a hard time closing Kajan down, who is using good lateral movement. Low leg kick for Ray who then blocks a head kick. Johnson circling on the outside, feinting and switching directions to keep distance. Ray keeps looking to run Kajan into a wheel kick but no luck. Johnson goes to the body with front kicks and has occasional head kicks blocked. In round 2, More circling for Kajan and another missed wheel kick for Ray to start the round. Johnson lances Ray with a cross that nearly knocks him down. He chases with a head kick, takedown. Ray uses a guillotine to threaten and nearly gets on top but Johnson slips out and almost jumps on the back. Has to settle for knees on the cage, takedown. Ray uses the cage to stand but Johnson again has a rear waistlock. He hits a few knees and takes Ray down again. Ray pops right up this time. He hits some Browne elbows as he defends another shot. He gets his own takedown but Kajan is right up. Johnson is slower now and Ray is head hunting with bombs. He lands a hard leg kick. Kajan ducks under a cross but Ray stuffs him down. In round 3, Low leg kick from orthodox to open R3 for Johnson. Then he hits a nice counter left hook after slipping a Ray shot. A right lands for Ray. Johnson again to circle along the fence but he’s slower now and Ray hits a pair of hard shots that Johnson can’t quite counter. They tie up. Stand-up with 90s left. Leg kick for Johnson answered by superman punch from Ray. Johnson looks slow and tired. Ray changes levels for a takedown. Johnson got the split decision win.

Opening the UFC Fight Pass prelims is Mark Godbeer vs. Dmitry Sosnovskiy in a heavyweight bout. In round 1, Sosnovskiy pushes stiffly forward to start but Godbeer shucks him off. Leg kick and jab for Sosnovskiy. They tie up and Godbeer pushes Sosnovskiy into the cage but gets reversed. The Russian knees the legs then drags Godbeer down. Full guard. Sosnovskiy works mild g&p, passes briefly to side control but Godbeer reclaims guard. As soon as he does the ref stands. them up. Godbeer lands a hard 2-piece as soon as they stand. They dirty box. Sosnovskiy shoots but Godbeer sprawls and gets on top in guard. In round 2, Sosnovskiy is winging tired, sloppy punches to start R2. He’s able to tie up before eating a bad counter. Sosnovskiy again hits the same sacrifice takedown to guard. Sosnovskiy sits back for a leg, can’t get it, and Godbeer gets to a wrestling ride. As he tries to take the back, he slips off and Sosnovskiy gets back on top. Godbeer is able to sit out and get back on top in guard. Sosnovskiy is working on a kimura grip and nearly gets swept into mount but Godbeer gets his arm free. Godbeer works the body and now another standup. He is immediately rocked! He shoots, gets reversed and Sosnovskiy goes right to the mount. Sosnovskiy locked in the rear-naked choke for the win.

Here are the results:

PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass/1:45 p.m. ET)

Middleweight: Charles Byrd def. John Phillips via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:58 of R1

Welterweight: Danny Roberts def. Oliver Enkamp by knockout (punch) at 2:12 of Round 1

Featherweight: Danny Henry def. Hakeem Dawodu via Technical Submission (Guillotine Choke) 0:39, R1

Light Heavyweight: Paul Craig def. Magomed Ankalaev via submission (triangle choke) – Round 3, 4:59

Lightweight: Kajan Johnson def. Stevie Ray by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Heavyweight: Dmitiry Sosnovskiy def. Mark Godbeer by submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:29 of Round 2