UFC On FOX 22 Preliminary Card Results: Paul Craig Submits Henrique da Silva

It’s once again fight day here at LowKickMMA, and the talent on display tonight (Saturday, December 17th, 2016) will come in the form of UFC On FOX 22. Headlining the card are Paige VanZant and Michelle Watson, but there’s a whole bunch of great fights also taking place on the preliminary section of the card.

Henrique da Silva vs. Paul Craig in a light heavyweight bout closed the preliminary card on Fox Sports 1. In round 1, Da Silva clinches with him right out of the gate. Craig scored a takedown midway through the round and worked him over with strikes. Da Silva was bleeding from his eyebrow. They were stood up with 30-seconds to go, and they exchanged to the bell. Da Silva was bleeding badly. In round 2, Craig cuts the cage off at the start of round 2. Da Silva is exhausted and gets caught in an armbar. Da Silva taps and this one is a wrap.

Cole Miller and Mizuto Hirota met in a featherweight bout. In round 1, Hirota came out, clinched with him and took him down. Miller scrambled back to his feet. Miller drops Hirota early with a right hand and jumps on a choke, but gave up position to Hirota. Hirota took him down and landed some big shots from top position. Miller was allowed to get back to his feet. Hirota scored a takedown with over a minute to go. In round 2, Hirota scored an early takedown. Miller worked him over with a leg submission but let it go and got top position. Hirota scrambled and got on top with two minutes to go. Hirota worked him over with strikes and elbows. In round 3, Hirota scored another early takedown. Miller is getting rag dolled by Hirota at this point. Hirota worked him over with strikes. Hirota kept him pinned down to end the fight. Hirota was awarded the decision win.

Bryan Barberena and Colby Covington met in a welterweight bout. In round 1, Covington clinched with him and scored a takedown with a minute into the round. Barberna scrambled to his feet, but Covington dragged him down again. Barebanna got to his feet, but Covington kept him on the fence. Covington just can’t keep him down. They exchanged to the finish. In round 2, Covington scored an early takedown, but Barberena got back to his feet. Covington’s pressure has just been relentless. Covington took him down halfway through the round and got top position, but Barberna got to his feet. Another takedown for Covington and he’s working to take Barberena’s back. Barberena scrambled to his feet, and they exchanged to the bell. In round 3, Covington scored a takedown midway through the round, but Barbena got back to his feet. They have a wild exchange. Barberena was bleeding from his nose. Covington putting all his energy into a big slamming takedown off the cage. That’ll be the end of this fight. Covington won the fight by decision.

James Moontasri and Alex Morono met in a welterweight bout. In round 1, Morono was throwing a lot of leg kicks early on. Moontasri was using a lot of movement and circling a lot. Moontasri has been the more efficient striker here in this round. Moontasri doing well to land long punches as a changeup. They exchange to finish the round as the fans boo. In round 2, Morono starting to lands some big shots now. Moontasri tried to clinch, but Morono started busting him up with combos and cutting off the cage. He tried to force Moontasri into a box and leading to some big shots. Morono doing good work inside. Moontasri starting to show some limitations. Morono lands a spinning back fist to end the round. In round 3, big right hand from Morono lands and he have Moontasri rocked bad. Overhand Morono right rocks Moontasri up against the cage. Morono crushing him with strikes. Moontasri survives the onslaught. They exchanged to the bell. The judges gave Morono the decision win.

Josh Emmett and Scott Holtzman met in a lightweight bout. In round 1, good right-hand lands for Holtzman, and we get a stop in action for a low blow. We get underway, and an eye poke stops action now. Emmett starting to get more creative with his entries, but Holtzman’s wide base making that wrestling tough. Emmett took him down, but Holtzman got right back to his feet. Emmett landed a flying knee strike, and they clinch. Holtzman landed some solid knees from this position. Holtzman took him down with just over a minute to go and worked him over with strikes. In round 2, Emmett scores an early takedown, but Holtzman scrambles back to his feet. They have a nice exchange. Late in the round, they clinch up against the fence. Emmett really looking slower standing at range. Hands are still sharp, but they’re dropping low. Big flying knee from Emmett to end the round. In round 3, Emmett went for a takedown early in the round but just couldn’t get it as he was tired. Halfway through the round, Emmett scored a takedown, but Holtzman got right back to his feet. They exchanged to end the round. Emmett scored the decision win.

Leslie Smith vs. Irene Aldana women’s bantamweight bout opened the Fox Sports 1 preliminary bouts. In round 1, they come out aggressive, and Smith was pressing forward looking to finish while Aldana was backtracking. Smith drops her with a right hook and tried to finish on the ground with strikes, but Aldan gets up. Smith stays on her, but Aldana landed some good combos and stunned her. They clinch up against the fence, both landing elbows, and strikes. An all out scrap just broke out. They have a wild exchange to end the round. In round 2, they have a nice striking exchange for the majority of the round. Aldana landing good single shots. Smith still busier with her flurries. Aldana landed a good combo with two minutes to go. They have kept a great pace up for this round. Excellent fight. In round 3, Aldana lands best shots countering a charging Smith, but eating too much volume and spending too much time back to the fence.Smith opening up again with a flurry, backing Aldana off and she’s got all the momentum in this round. They clinch late up against the fence but then they separated and exchanged to end the round. The judges awarded Smith the decision win.

Takeya Mizugaki vs. Eddie Wineland in a bantamweight bout finished off the UFC Fight Pass preliminary card. Talk about a short night. Mizugaki on the back foot a bit kicking at range early. Wineland dropped him twice, and the second time it was with a right hand. Wineland finished him on the ground with strikes.

Hector Sandoval and Fredy Serrano met in a flyweight bout. In round 1, Sandoval with the big early takedown and a couple clubbing shots. Serrano got to his feet. Serrano with a nice stepping knee strike. Sandoval has Serrano hurt again after landing a right hand. Doesn’t seem like Serrano has much idea what’s coming at him next. They exchanged to the bell. In round 2, Sandoval opens the round with a jumping guillotine, but Serrano got out of it. Sandoval clinched with him up against the fence, but they separated and exchanged to the end of the round. In round 3, Sandoval takes down Serrano again in this round and controlled him on the ground for the majority of the round. After a dominating performance, the judges gave Sandoval the decision win.

Bojan Velickovic vs. Sultan Aliev in a welterweight bout opened the UFC Fight Pass preliminary card. In round 1, they had a feeling our process early. Velickovic doing a lot more feinting than he is actually presenting meaningful offense. Aliev on his first takedown attempt and he’s got Velickovic down. Aliev works him over with strikes from guard with two minutes to go. Velickovic scrambles to his feet with seconds to go, and they clinch to end the round. In round 2, after exchanging early in the round, Aliev scored a trip takedown midway through the round and worked him over with strikes from guard. Aliev kept him on the ground for the rest of the round but didn’t do much damage. In round 3, Aliev scored a takedown early in the round and got guard in top position. Velickovic with some good submission attempts but none have been so close to finishing the fight. Velickovic was landing some good shots off his back. Aliev kept him on the ground for the rest of the round. The judges awarded Aliev the decision win.

Here are the results:

PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX Sports 1/5 p.m. ET)

Light Heavyweight: Paul Craig def. Henrique da Silva via submission (armbar) – Round 2, 1:59

Featherweight: Mizuto Hirota def. Cole Miller via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

Welterweight: Colby Covington def. Bryan Barberena via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Welterweight: Alex Morono def. James Moontasri via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Lightweight: Josh Emmett def. Scott Holtzman via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Female Bantamweight: Leslie Smith def. Irene Aldana via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass/3:30 p.m. ET)

Bantamweight: Eddie Wineland def. Takeya Mizugaki via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:04

Flyweight: Hector Sandoval def. Fredy Serrano by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)

Welterweight: Sultan Aliev def. Bojan Velickovic via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 30-27)