UFC 217 Preliminary Card Results: James Vick Finishes Joseph Duffy

It’s once again fight day here at LowKickMMA, and the talent on display tonight (Saturday, November 4th, 2017) will come from in the form of UFC 217. Headlining the card are Michael Bisping and George St-Pierre, but there’s a whole bunch of great fights also taking place on the preliminary section of the card.

James Vick vs. Joseph Duffy in a lightweight bout closes the preliminary card on FOX Sports 1. In round 1, Duffy pressuring early. Vick tries a side kick upstairs, then a low kick but neither land. A body kick does but he falls for a second. Duffy trying to inside, working the body. Vick jabbing but backing up a lot. Leg kicks, jabs go both ways. Cross for Vick. Vick steps in with a pair of hard straight punches then an uppercut. Duffy jabs the body then lands overhand right upstairs. Vick still high and backing near the fence too much for my liking. In space, he’s looking good. Vick catches front kick, sweeps leg. Vick gets right up but then gets tripped by a leg kick. In round 2, They trade crosses but Duffy’s lands harder. Vick tries elbow, blocked. Duffy goes to the body again before clinching. He hammers the body while Vick looks for the plum and lands a knee. Duffy lands a slapping body kick then a body jab again. Vick is throwing but having a hard time landing clean. Duffy high kick. Vick lands another counter jab, calf kick. Double jab now. Duffy body kick, leg kick. Step-in jab, calf kick for Vick again. The big counter right hand drops Duffy and follow up hammerfists stop the fight 1 sec before buzzer.

Mark Godbeer vs. Walt Harris is next in a heavyweight bout. In round 1, Both big men throw head kicks, partially blocked. Harris going to the body and upstairs again. Left cross for Harris. He ducks under across for an easy takedown. Gets the mount but Godbeer threatens a leg lock, gets his guard back. Harris lands an elbow in guard, working Godbeer back to the cage. Short punches for Harris. Passes to half, keeps raining down blows. Couple of big lefts land for Harris. Godbeer not able to better his position but hasn’t been hurt yet. Godbeer works to his feet. Harris cross lands but eats a left hook. Harris lands a knee to the groin then a head kick as the referee tries to halt the action. The fight was called and Harris was DQ’d.

Corey Anderson vs. Ovince Saint Preux is next in a light heavyweight bout. In round 1, Overhand right, left hook for Anderson. He has OSP on the back foot. He ducks under a left hook to get in on OSP’s hips again. OSP so far staying upright, forcing Anderson back up to clinch. Spinning back elbow, combo for Anderson before shooting in again. Anderson is playing this very smart so far, not standing in front of OSP any longer than he has to and making him work. OSP lands a knee to the body as Anderson shoots in again after a brief striking exchange. Late OSP flurry has Anderson wobbled. In round 2, a head kick from OSP knocks Anderson’s mouthpiece out and has him wobbled again! He creates space and asks the referee for the mouthpiece. OSP escapes again. He slips a shot and clips OSP with an overhand and follows it into another shot. He finally clasps the hands then dumps OSP. Anderson landing elbows from the wrestling ride. Threatening to take the back as OSP tries to stand. OSP gets up but Anderson sticky. Anderson drags OSP down and lands series of lefts, grinding OSP. OSP gets up but Anderson giving him no space. In round 3, Anderson leg kicks to start the round then just ducks a lancing left. Anderson short on 1-2. OSP left hook then kills Anderson with a head kick. That’s a wrap.

Mickey Gall vs. Randy Brown in a welterweight bout opens the FOX Sports 1 preliminary bouts. In round 1, Brown looks to pressure early, flashing his jab. Surprised he wants to move forward, could run into a takedown. Gall does not look comfortable striking. He lands a big right but he’s turned his back on Brown to retreat twice already. Clinch. Brown kneeing in the clinch, Gall trying to hold on and potentially get this fight to the floor. Brown lands takedown, side control. Hard hammerfist for Brown as Gall reclaims guard. Brown has him stuffed up against the cage. Brown stands, misses lunging right. Gall was busted open on his forehead. Full guard once again for Gall. Brown lands elbows, continues to stuff sub attempts. Brown keeping Gall crammed against the cage. In round 2, Blood streaming down Gall’s face and he’s on his bike early. He shoots, gets stuffed but reversed into top position. Gall passes to side and is smothering him. Short punches and pressure to wear Brown out. 2 min left in the round. Brown reclaims guard but is no closer to getting back to his feet. Gall passes to side control once again. In round 3, Brown starts moving forward and throws an uppercut as Gall shoots. Brown stuffs and goes for ground and pound as Gall sits back. Brown in guard. Brown in top position. Gall’s face is a mask of blood. Brown staying active w/ shots and has Gall stuffed against the cage again. Brown riding out top position for the rest of the rd. Lets him up with 10 seconds left and they get chippy in the clinch at the bell. The judges gave the unanimous decision win to Brown.

Curtis Blaydes vs. Oleksiy Oliynyk in a heavyweight bout finishes off the UFC Fight Pass preliminary card. In round 1, Oleinik tries a clumsy spinning back fist and gets taken down easily but threatens an armbar. Blaydes backs off, then takedown again. Oleinik throws up a triangle but Blaydes passes to side and lands a little ground and. They brawl it out, rock em sock em in the clinch. Blaydes uppercut drops Oleinik but he latches onto a leg as Blaydes hammers him. Oleinik gets up then tries/fails on guard pull. In round 2, Blaydes hits another takedown, in full guard, seems like he’s taking a break. Oleinik starts climbing his guard up, Blaydes stands. Blaydes tries to kick Oleinik in the head as he stands and misses him. The referee stops the fight to have the doctor look at him. This fight is over as Blaydes was awarded the TKO win. Lots of controversy here.

Opening the UFC Fight Pass prelims is Aiemann Zahabi vs. Ricardo Ramos in a bantamweight bout. In round 1, Zahabi presses forward and lands a nice right. Zahabi clinches Ramos on the cage, grinding with occasional knees. Zahabi not getting anything done, tries a trip and gets reversed, reverses back, Ramos winds up on Zahabi’s back as time expires. In round 2, Ramos opens the round with a jab, leg kick, misses a high kick then an uppercut. Ramos nearly lands a head kick, goes to a double jab. Leg kick then misses spinning elbow. Zahabi unable to really get off. Zahabi lands a nice overhand. He’s only throwing one shot at a time, maybe still compromised by early leg kicks. Ramos not pressing. Big uppercut for Zahabi and he keeps the jab pumping. He’s outlanding Ramos in R2 and stuffed a couple shots. Ramos jump knee misses. Ramos high kick, double jab. Zahabi answers with a stiff jab of his own. Ramos triples up on the jab, then Zahabi turns his head with a jab.In round 3, Ramos starts the round with a head kick then jumping switch kick. Jab, high kick for Ramos. They trade punches and Zahabi lands another uppercut as Ramos keeps ducking his head. Spinning elbow kills Zahabi and the fight is over.

Here are the results:

PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX Sports 1/8 p.m. ET)

Lightweight: James Vick def. Joe Duffy via TKO (punches) at 4:59 of R2

Heavyweight: Mark Godbeer def. Walt Harris by disqualification (illegal kick) at 4:29 of Round 1

Light Heavyweight: Ovince Saint Preux def. Corey Anderson via KO (head kick) at 1:25 of R3

Welterweight: Randy Brown def. Mickey Gall via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-27)

PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass/7 p.m. ET)

Heavyweight: Curtis Blaydes def. Aleksei Oleinik via TKO at 1:56 of R2

Bantamweight: Ricardo Ramos def. Aiemann Zahabi by knockout (spinning elbow) at 1:58 of Round 3