UFC 211 Preliminary Results: Slugfests Highlight Year’s Biggest Card

It’s once again fight day here at LowKickMMA, and the talent on display tonight (Saturday, May 13th, 2017) will come in the form of UFC 211. Headlining the card are Stipe Miocic and Junior dos Santos, but there’s a whole bunch of great fights also taking place on the preliminary section of the card.

Eddie Alvarez vs. Dustin Poirier in a lightweight bout closes the preliminary card on FX. In round 1, check hook for Alvarez, but having some issues with range. Right hook for Poirier who stuffs a shot. Body kicks land for  Poirier. Alvarez was working the body with punches. Nice lefts for Poirier and kicks. Nice right, then a left for Alvarez. Leg kick for Poirier. In round 2, Alvarez starts the round with nice combination backing Poirier up. He shoots, has to fight off a choke against the fence.

They trade inside. Poirier back to kicking, lands short uppercut then a jab. Alvarez’s right eye is bloody. Poirier wobbles Alvarez, Eddie fires back. They’ve both hurt each other! Poirier had Alvarez in all kinds of trouble, landing flush but Eddie firing bombs back. Both still up. Alvarez failed on the first few takedown attempts, finally got one. He hit Poirier with an illegal knee as Poirier was on one knee. Herb Dean waved off the fight, and this one is done. The fight ends in a no contest due to an illegal knee.

Chas Skelly vs. Jason Knight is next in a featherweight bout. In round 1, Skelly was already coming after Knight with a couple of flurries. But Knight right there to throw hands back. Skelly clinches and lands a takedown, Knight working his patented rubber guard. Knight being very offensive w/ his guard, Skelly out. Knight attacks a kimura from a weird position then stands up after Skelly goes to his back to defend. Skelly clinches, gets reversed to end the round. In round 2, Chas lands harder but more connecting for Knight.

A body kick stumbles Knight. Skelly seems to be tiring. Chas left, Knight right. Knight was going in for a takedown. Skelly looking for the guillotine, and Knight just changes to outside and hits a slam. Knight went for a crucifix, lost control Skelly up, and they’re just trading bombs at the bell. In round 3, Knight dropped him with a right uppercut and then continuous unanswered strikes to end the fight.

Chase Sherman vs. Rashad Coulter is next in a heavyweight bout. In round 1, Sherman falling short with his punches and kicks. He lands a leg and body kick, but his head kicks are short. Coulter was not throwing much. Coulter was trying to land one big right hand. Meanwhile, he’s getting outpointed and outboxed. Coulter now comes forward swinging. The leg kicks have taken their toll on Coulter, and he staggers back into the cage. He wings a huge overhand but misses. They exchanged to the bell. In round 2, big right for Coulter but he eats a massive knee and then some leg kicks.

Coulter slips and goes to his back, Sherman pounces. Coulter gives up his back, Sherman on top bludgeoning him. But Coulter manages to get up swinging. Sherman was letting him land bombs. Sherman is tired at this point but continues to land leg kicks. Sherman landed an elbow that drops Coulter and finished the fight. Wild one right there.

Marco Polo Reyes vs. James Vick in a lightweight bout opens the FX preliminary bouts. Vick with a big right hand to knock Reyes down and then followed up with strikes to end the fight.

Jessica Aguilar vs. Cortney Casey in a women’s strawweight bout finishes off the UFC Fight Pass preliminary card. In round 1, Casey coming out throwing all the hooks, putting Aguilar on the back foot. Aguilar lands a leg kick though, and Casey fell quick. After working to her feet, Casey rocks Aguilar with a powerful flurry on the fence. Aguilar ducks for a single Casey rolls for a leg. Aguilar drags Casey toward center-cage, but upkicks are giving her problems. She goes into closed guard briefly. They had a wild exchange near the end of the round. Casey clinched with her, and they slug it out to end the round.

In round 2 Casey comes out firing, lands a knee to Aguilar’s mug, but Aguilar eats it and takes her down. But Aguilar can’t get much going. Aguilar was moving forward. She lands a combo but eats two streams of hard punches in return. Now Aguilar more tentative to engage. Aguilar with a takedown but again can’t get on top with Casey’s long powerful legs. Casey tries tying up a leg and eats a few shots.

In round 3, long powerful punches coming again from Casey with the body and high kicks punctuating things. Aguilar was able to land a couple but outgunned. Casey grabs the Thai plum, whips Aguilar into the fence and unleashes a stream of punches. Aguilar escapes but mouth/nose very bloody. They’re clinched on the fence trading knees when Casey disengages to land more brutal punches. Aguilar was hanging tough, trying to clinch. Aguilar able to dump Casey, but can’t get on top and Casey right up again. Aguilar lands a few nice counter right hands but too little. The judges gave the win to Casey by decision.

Gabriel Benitez vs. Enrique Barzola is next in a featherweight bout. In round 1, Benitez attacking with straight punches and nasty body kicks. Straight left hurts Barzola. Barzola in on his first takedown. And Benitez is up. Barzola with another takedown, but Benitez able to stand after some brief ground and pound. Benitez’s kicks have taken a lot of the spring out of Barzola, but he walks forward. He lands a nice counter right and a takedown.

In round 2, Benitez is staying active whenever his back hits the mat and getting right up. None of his patented guillotine attempts though. Barzola briefly clinched with him up against the fence midway through the round. Barzola took him down, but Benitez got back to his feet. After some exchanges, Barzola clinches with him up against the fence.

In round 3, Barzola took him down early in the ring. Now Barzola has taken the back, finally consolidating position. Tight rear-naked choke but fended off by Benitez, who scrambles up to his feet. Benitez is urgently throwing hands, but Barzola is game, staying up in his grill. Benitez with his back to the fence too much. Benitez up once again, but he’s not making up enough of the gap in the standup as Barzola throwing right back. Benitez knockdown to end the round. The judges gave the win to Barzola by decision.

Opening the UFC Fight Pass prelims is Gadzhimurad Antigulov vs. Joachim Christensen in a light heavyweight bout. Antigulov landed a solid right hand and took him down. Antigulov got guard on top. Antigulov got his back and worked him over with strikes. Antigulov locked in the rear-naked choke for the win.

Here are the results:

PRELIMINARY CARD (FX/8 p.m. ET)

Lightweight: Eddie Alvarez vs. Dustin Poirier declared a no contest (illegal knee) – Round 2, 4:12

Featherweight: Jason Knight def. Chas Skelly via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 0:39

Heavyweight: Chase Sherman def Rashad Coulter by TKO (strikes) at 3:36 of Round 2

Lightweight: James Vick def. Polo Reyes via TKO (punches) at 2:39 of R1

PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass/6 p.m. ET)

Strawweight: Cortney Casey def. Jessica Aguilar via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Featherweight: Enrique Barzola def. Gabriel Benitez by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Light Heavyweight: Gadzhimurad Antigulov def. Joachim Christensen via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:21 of R1