UFC 206 Preliminary Card Results: Misha Cirkunov Chokes Out Nikita Krylov

It’s once again fight day here at LowKickMMA, and the talent on display tonight (Saturday, December 10th, 2016) will come in the form of UFC 206. Headlining the card are Max Holloway and Anthony Pettis, but there’s a whole bunch of great fights also taking place on the preliminary section of the card.

Misha Cirkunov vs. Nikita Krylov in a light heavyweight bout closed the preliminary card on Fox Sports 1. Krylov was working in his kicks nicely early in this round. Cirkunov shots in and gets a double-leg takedown. Krylov scrambles to his feet midway through the round, and they go back to striking. Cirkunov caught a kick and went for a takedown and got it. Cirkunov got into guard with two minutes to go. Krylov scrambles to his feet and takes Cirkunov down. Cirkunov locked in the guillotine choke for the win.

Olivier Aubin-Mercier and Drew Dober met in a lightweight bout. In round 1, they have a feeling out process early. Dober is busted up and bleeding from his nose. Aubin-Mercier is picking him apart from the outside. Aubin-Mercier’s striking looks crisp. Dober is getting picked apart. Dober slipped but got back to his feet. Dober’s face is a mess. In round 2, Dober knocks him down to open this round and gets guard. Dober works him over with strikes from this position. Aubin-Mercier scrambles halfway through the round and gets his back. Aubin-Mercier locks in the rear naked choke for the win.

Valerie Letourneau and Viviane Pereira met in a women’s strawweight bout. In round 1, they had a feeling out process to begin the round. Letourneau scored a takedown and worked her over with strikes from guard. Pereira was doing her best to defend them. With two minutes to go, Pereira scrambled to her feet and clinched with her up against the fence. Pereira landed some good shots while in the clinch as well as looking to take her down. In round 2, Letourneau is landing some very nice body shots. It’s starting to feel like a sparring session for Letourneau as Pereira isn’t getting much offense yet in the fight. Pereira with a takedown and Letourneau has full guard with less than a minute to go in the round. Letourneau used high guard as defense. She got to her feets with seconds to go left in the round and they exchanged to the bell. In round 3, Letourneau is bigger and better, but still likely drained from a vicious weight cut. This affected her in this round. Pereira stayed in the fight and picked her shots nicely. This one went all three rounds and the judges awarded the decision win to Pereira.

Mitch Gagnon vs. Matthew Lopez in bantamweight opened the Fox Sports 1 preliminary bouts. In round 1, Lopez is dropped by a left hook and he is in bad shape. A series of elbows and punches ensue. Gagon scrambles and gets his back and looks for the rear-naked choke. Lopez scrambled and gets top position. They both go for leg locks to end the round. In round 2, Lopez scores an early takedown and gets in guard and works him over with strikes. Lopez gets his back and works for a rear-naked choke but Gagnon gets out of it. Lopez transitions to full mount and lands some elbows. Gagnon scrambles to his feet but Lopez took him down to end the round. In round 3, Lopez was kicked in the nuts to begin the round. Gagnon got back to his feet but Lopez scored another takedown and pinned him up against the fence in half guard. Lopez got his back late in the round and worked him over with strikes to end the round. Lopez won the fight by decision.

John Makdessi vs. Lando Vannata in a lightweight bout finished off the UFC Fight Pass preliminary card. They come out and exchange leg kicks. Makdessi landed a good jab. Vannata lands a sick spinning head kick that shuts Makdessi’s lights out.

Rustam Khabilov and Jason Saggo met in a lightweight bout. In round 1, Saggo landing nice leg kicks, Khabilov looking for the big power overhands early but not landing. They exchange until there was two minutes ago when Khabilov scored a takedown. Khabilov worked him over with strikes from guard to end the round. In round 2, Saggo and Khabilov trading pressure in this round. Neither guy landing much.Khabilov scored a takedown with two minutes to go and worked him over with strikes from guard. In round 3, Khabilov gets a takedown here midway through the round and works him over with more strikes. Khabilov picks up the win.

Opening the UFC Fight Pass prelims was Zach Makovsky vs. Dustin Ortiz in a flyweight bout. In round 1, Ortiz comes out and clinches with him up against the fence.  Nice work inside from Ortiz, really filling the gaps with strikes inside. They separated. Makovsky landed a sick knee strike to the body but Ortiz shot in and took him down. Ortiz got his back and worked him over with strikes. Makovsky scrambles out and gets to his feet. Ortiz pressured him against the fence once again. Ortiz gets a leg kick caught and Makovski takes the back and goes for an armbar to end the round. In round 2, Makovsky opens the round with a spinning kick. Ortiz clinched with him up against the fence and takes him down briefly but Makovsky gets right back to his feet. Scramble lands Ortiz on top in half guard, another scramble and Ortiz has the back and body lock in. Ortiz works him over with strikes but Makovsky gets right back to his feet. They exchanged to the finish. In round 3, takedown for Makovsky but he gets his neck caught by Ortiz who is threatening the guillotine. Makovsky is free of the guillotine but Ortiz pops up and stands. Ortiz clinches then scores a takedown and gets mount. They scramble and the bell sounds. The judges gave Ortiz the win by split decision.

Here are the results:

PRELIMINARY CARD (8 p.m. ET, FS1)

Light Heavyweight: Misha Cirkunov def. Nikita Krylov by submission (guillotine choke) at 4:38, R1

Lightweight: Olivier Aubin-Mercier def. Drew Dober via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:57 of R2

Strawweight: Viviane Pereira def. Valerie Letourneau via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Bantamweight: Matthew Lopez def. Mitch Gagnon via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-27)

PRELIMINARY CARD (6:30 p.m. ET, UFC Fight Pass)

Lightweight: Lando Vannata def. John Makdessi via KO (Head Kick) R1, 1:40

Lightweight: Rustam Khabilov def. Jason Saggo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Flyweight: Dustin Ortiz def. Zach Makovsky via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)