Split Verdict Sends Jared Cannonier Past Sean Strickland at UFC Fight Night 216

Jared Cannonier’s performance was not the kind that inspires long-term hope in the Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight division, but it was enough to get the job done.

Thudding leg kicks and occasional bursts of power punches spurred Cannonier to a split decision over former King of the Cage champion Sean Strickland in the UFC Fight Night 216 headliner on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. All three members of the cageside judiciary struck 49-46 scorecards: Sal D’Amato for Strickland, Derek Cleary and Junichiro Kamijo for Cannonier.

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Neither man established much of a framework for victory, hence the discrepancies in the scorecards. Cannonier (16-6, 9-6 UFC) was effective with kicks to the lower extremities for much of the back-and-forth affair. Strickland (25-5, 12-5 UFC), meanwhile, managed distance with a consistent jab, then picked up the pace in the middle rounds. He aimed his shots almost exclusively at the head. Cannonier continued to attack at all levels and turned up the heat late, when he seemed more willing and able to sell out on his punches upstairs.

Tsarukyan Stymies Frustrated Ismagulov

Repeated takedowns and a time-stealing clinch carried Arman Tsarukyan to a unanimous decision over Damir Ismagulov in their three-round lightweight co-main event. All three cageside judges scored it the same: 30-27 for Tsarukyan (19-3, 6-2 UFC), who bounced back from his June 25 defeat to Mateusz Gamrot.

Ismagulov (24-2, 5-1 UFC) was never afforded the chance to establish any kind of offensive rhythm. Tsarukyan attacked his legs relentlessly, securing takedowns in all three rounds. Those efforts slowly wore down Ismagulov. Tsarukyan advanced to the former M-1 Global champion’s back in the second and third rounds, threatening the neck with chokes and bleeding precious seconds off the clock.

The loss was Ismagulov’s first since Sept. 20, 2015 and snapped a remarkable run of 19 straight victories.

Albazi Wrecks Replacement Costa

Xtreme Couture’s Amir Albazi took care of former Lux Fight League champion Alessandro Costa with punches in the third round of their flyweight showcase. A short-notice substitution for Brandon Royval, Costa (12-3, 0-1 UFC) bowed out 2:13 into Round 3.

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Albazi (16-1, 4-0 UFC) overcame a tepid start and seized the reins. He decked Costa with a two-punch combination in the second round, moved into top position and assaulted him with ground-and-pound. That set the stage for the third. There, Albazi floored the Dana White’s Contender Series alum with a ringing right uppercut, chased him to the canvas and mopped up the rest with follow-up punches.

The setback closed the book on Costa’s seven-fight winning streak.

Caceres Kick KOs Erosa

“The Ultimate Fighter” Season 12 quarterfinalist Alex Caceres rebounded from his March 12 loss to Sodiq Yusuff and did so in style, as he chopped down Julian Erosa with a head kick and follow-up punches in the first round of their featherweight feature. Erosa (28-10, 6-6 UFC) checked out 3:04 into Round 1, his three-fight winning streak having run its course.

The two men traded leg kicks for much of the encounter. Caceres (20-13, 15-11 UFC) exploded out of nowhere with the head kick that dropped the Xtreme Couture export where he stood. Dazed and confused, Erosa was in no condition to defend himself from the punches that followed.

Caceres, 34, has rattled off six wins in seven appearances.

Dober Rallies to Stop Green

Elevation Fight Team’s Drew Dober cut down former King of the Cage champion Bobby Green with punches in the second round of their lightweight showcase. Dober (26-11, 12-7 UFC) drew the curtain 2:45 into Round 2.

Operating out of his unconventional hands-down stance, Green (29-14-1, 10-9-1 UFC) tore into his opponent with quick punching bursts throughout a lopsided first round. Dober retreated to his corner with a bloody nose and in search of answers for the fast-twitch strikes being fired in his direction. He eventually backed Green to the fence, triggered a wild exchange and flattened him with a clean left hook. Dober added a follow-up shot for good measure before referee Keith Peterson could arrive on the scene.

Dober now finds himself on a three-fight winning streak.

Patient Oleksiejczuk Buries Brundage

Former Thunderstrike Fight League champion Michal Oleksiejczuk put away Cody Brundage with punches in the first round of their featured middleweight attraction. Oleksiejczuk (18-5, 6-3 UFC) slammed the door 3:16 into Round 1, authoring his fastest finish in more than three years.

Brundage (8-3, 2-2 UFC) struck for a takedown inside the first 15 seconds and managed to maintain control for a time before allowing the Pole to reverse into top position. Oleksiejczuk got busy with his ground-and-pound, increasing the intensity of his punches and elbows with each passing second. A sweeping left forced Brundage to turn away from contact and rendered him defenseless to the barrage of punches and hammerfists that followed.

Oleksiejczuk has won four of his past five bouts.

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