UFC 197 Preliminary Results: Sergio Pettis Defeats Chris Kelades

It’s once again fight day here at LowKickMMA, and the talent on display tonight (Saturday, April 23rd, 2016) will come in the form of UFC 197. Headlining the card are Jones and Ovince Saint Preux, but there’s a whole bunch of great fights also taking place on the preliminary section of the card.

Sergio Pettis (14-2) vs. Chris Kelades (9-3) closes the UFC 197 preliminary card on Fox Sports 1 in a flyweight bout at UFC 197. The story of the fight was Pettis trying to take the fight to the ground and keep it there. In round one, Pettis was using a lot of movement in this round and Kelades was having a hard time closing the distances. In round two and three, both fighters had their moments not only on the feet but on the ground as well. After three rounds, Pettis got the decision win.

Danny Roberts (13-1) and Dominique Steele (14-7) met in a welterweight bout at UFC 197. Not a ton of action in this one. In round one, Steele caught him with a big right hand, and Roberts dropped. Steele picked him up and slammed him. He swarms him with some strikes. Roberts would get up and land some knees in the clinch. Steele slammed him down with one minute to go. In round two, Roberts started to get tired in this round and the amount of strikes he was throwing slowed down. In round three, Steele continues to work for takedowns in this round, and Roberts was so tired that he put up a fight, but it wasn’t much. Roberts was given the decision victory.

Carla Esparza (10-3) and Juliana Lima (8-2) met in a women’s strawweight bout. After a slow start in round one, things started to heat up. Esparza got a double-leg takedown midway through the round, and the fight stayed there for the round. In round two, Esparza came out and got a double-leg takedown right away. Esparza was in half guard and worked her over with strikes for the entire round. The same thing happened in the third round. Lima tried to sweep off her back late in the round and did. She got on top in half guard and worked her over with strikes. The judges gave Esparza the win by decision.

Glaico Franca (13-4) vs. James Vick (9-0) opened the Fox Sports 1 preliminary bouts at UFC 197 in a lightweight bout. In the first round, Franca stunned him with a short strike then took him down within the first 30-seconds of the round. Franca dominated the round with his ground and pound. In the second round, Franca got his right eye checked out after it was poked. The fight goes on. Vick started to let his hands go in this round and did the same in the third round. After three entertaining rounds, the judges gave the win to Vick by decision.

Cody East (12-2) vs. Walt Harris (8-4) in heavyweight bout finished off the UFC Fight Pass preliminary card. After both guys throwing bombs for most of the fight, the end came, and it was for East. Harris landed a huge left hand then swarmed him with strikes to end the fight.

Marcos Rogerio de Lima (13-4-1) and Clint Hester (11-6) met in a light heavyweight bout. This one did not last long. De Lima dropped him with a left hook and swarmed him with strikes from top half guard. De Lima worked him over for the new few minutes with strikes then locked in the arm-triangle choke for the win.

Opening the UFC Fight Pass prelims was Efrain Escudero (24-11) vs. Kevin Lee (12-2) in a lightweight bout. Lee was landing right jabs early and has the reach advantage. In round one, Escudero was trying to take the fight to the ground but just couldn’t take him down. Lee hurt him with an uppercut and then took him down with a minute to go. In round 2, Escudero ducked under and got a takedown early. Lee popped right up. Escudero was more aggressive in this round. In the third round, Lee took him down mid-way through the round and worked him over with strikes. After three rounds, the judges gave the win to Lee by decision.

Here are the results:

Preliminary Card: (FS1 – 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT)

Sergio Pettis def. Chris Kelades via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Danny Roberts def. Dominique Steele via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Carla Esparza def. Juliana Lima via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

James Vick def. Glaico Franca via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Preliminary Card: (UFC Fight Pass – 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT)

Walt Harris def. Cody East via TKO (strikes) at 4:18 of R1

Marcos Rogerio de Lima def. Clint Hester via submission (arm-triangle choke) at 4:35 of round 1

Kevin Lee def. Efrain Escudero via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)