UFC Fight Night 35 Prelims Results: Six Great Fights Open The Night
UFC Fight Night 35 is underway and the early prelims are in the books. First up was a Lightweight scrap between Charlie Brenneman and Beneil Dariush. The grappling ace Dariush made a very impressive debut, rocking ‘Spaniard’ with a big left hand and finishing him on the mat with a rear naked choke; Great first round submission.
Finally on the free prelims card was a Lightweight tilt between Vinc Pichel and Garett Whiteley. The first round was a tight affair with a great mixture of striking and grappling and Pichel had Whiteley in trouble in the second with big punches. The final round was very entertaining but it was Pichel who finished stronger with his wrestling and groundwork. Pichel wins by unanimous decision.
On to the Fox Sports Prelims and we have a Flyweight scrap between Alpetkin Ozkilic and Louis Smolka. This fight was an awesome affair with very explosive striking exchanges. Both guys were hurt in the opening round but the second was all Smolka; big knees to the body and straight rights to the jaw were the story here.
The young Hawaiian battered Ozkilic in the final round with precise boxing, and the fight could have been stopped in the final stanza as Smolka dominated his way to a decision win.
Trevor Smith took on Brian Houston at Middleweight next, in a battle between two huge 185ers. The first round was a closely contested affair, which saw some good submission attempts from Smith in the final minute. Houston stuffed multiple take down attempts in round two and cut Smith deep on the forehead.
The final round saw Smith looking pretty gassed out as the crowd started to chand and boo. Smith started to land some good shots, but too late on in my opinion. The judges score it for Smith.
Lightweights Elias Silverio and Isaac Valie-Flagg went at it next and the skinny on this fight was that Silverio is a scary 155er. The Brazilian used his length and power to dominate IVF on the feet and the mat. Silverio was unlucky to have a point deducted for an ‘illegal’ knee which actually hit the chest in round two.
Silverio once again turned it up in round three and landed some big combinations. The Jackson’s fighter had no answer for Silverio’s ground and pound attack in the last round and the Brazilian moves to 10-0, snapping IVF’s 12 fight win streak with a decision.
Lastly on the prelims was a 155lb. scrap between Ramsey Nijem and Justin Edwards. The TUF 18 housemates put on a thoroughly entertaining fight, with plenty of heavy-handed exchanges. The first round was pretty much even, but the second was a different story. Nijem landed a flush knee and then a front kick to the jaw of Edwards, then chased him to the mat and took his back. Unable to finish, but Nijem surely stole the round.
Nijem busted Edwards up in the final round, opening a nasty cut over the left eye. A late flurry from Edwards proved to be unfruitful, as Nijem’s left hook carried him to a unanimous victory.
Results
Beneil Dariush def. Charlie Brenneman by submission (rear naked choke) round one
Vinc Pichel def. Garrett Whiteley by unanimous decision
Louis Smolka def. Alpetkin Ozkilic by unanimous decision
Trevor Smith def. Brian Houston by split decision
Elias Silverio def. Isaac Valie-Flagg by unanimous decision
Ramsey Nijem def. Justin Edwards by unanimous decision
