Greg Hardy wins his first UFC victory after Dmitrii Smoliakov's TKO

The UFC clearly wanted to shine the spotlight on Greg Hardy, placing the former NFL's disgraced star at the parallel night in Sunrise, Fla., While he was 0-1 in the promotion with only four professional fights. And in the end, the brightness of this projector did not expose him as a neophyte heavyweight, because his agility and power – especially this power – allowed him to work quickly with Dmitrii Smoliakov for his first victory in UFC.

Hardy used a uppercut right to break the ground of the Russian wrestler, a former training partner of the American Top Team in South Florida, before embarking on the TKO assault at 2:15 of the first round.

"I wanted to make sure it was not the same as last time," said Hardy, who had lost his UFC debut in January due to a disqualification. after touching an opponent on the ground at the knee. "Do not petrol, make sure the shots count."

Hardy, 30, a former Pro Bowl defenseman, was shunned by NFL teams after a conviction in 2014 for assaulting a woman and uttering threats. Even after the annulment of the conviction on appeal, no team came to call. But the UFC did it, inviting Hardy last year to participate in Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender series, where he won two first-round knockouts to qualify.

His debut did not go as planned, but on Saturday he harassed Smoliakov (9-3), 36, who had lost his previous two UFC fights by stoppage, before making the big start.

"Every day, I'm better," Hardy said. "Every month, I am more and more violent, more mean in the Octagon, more humble and peaceful outside of that, I have just become my own, I love this sport."

Perry leads the dance in the hit parade with Oliveira

Alex Oliveira danced to the octagon and "Platinum" Mike Perry danced while waiting inside. Then the two welterweight turned the cage into an eight-sided mosh pit, slamming all the way through, with Perry taking a step forward to win a unanimous decision.

It was a much needed victory for Perry (13-4), who had lost three of his previous four fights. He took office halfway through the second round when he put Oliveira down against the cage and spent an extended period of punches. When Oliveira finally got back on his feet, he dislocated a toe just as the round ended.

However, the fight continued and Perry also led the dance in the third round. He fought smartly, exchanging with Oliveira (19-7-1, 2 NC) while varying his angles of attack. At one point, Oliveira turned her back on the cage and motioned for Perry to enter. "Platinum" was forced, getting several punches, including the one that split the guard and smacked Olive's head as the crowd chanted "Perry! Perry! Perry!"

The three judges scored the bout 29-28.

Teixeira resists the victory

Glover Teixeira resisted a barrage by the mighty Ion Cutelaba and eventually silenced the light heavyweight, taking over the stand-up trades before leading the fight to the mat in the second round. From there, the 39-year-old put his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt to work to sink into a strangled choke on the back for the 3:37 arrival of Round.

Teixeira (29-7) won his second consecutive fight – for the first time since 2016 – after being rocked in the first round by Cutelaba, who was faster and with his punches. But the 25-year-old Moldavian (14-4, 1 NC), who was coming off two knockouts in the first round, was unable to finish his job and his attacks became much slower. This allowed Teixeira, former title challenger, to regain his spirits and begin to lead the dance in the manner of the veteran that he is.

Sandhagen Wins Shared Decision For UFC's Biggest Victory

Cory Sandhagen played the matador in front of John Lineker's riders for about 14 minutes, 45 seconds of their bantamweight fight, then had to postpone a Brazilian state-of-the-art submission attempt to win his third victory at home. UFC – and most of the promotion – by split decision.

Sandhagen (11-1) was sixth in a row, and it was not easy against the mighty Lineker (31-9), ranked 7th overall in the ESPN at 135 pounds. Lineker, who has won eight of his last nine games, has dropped 8 inches, which has meant a serious drawback in terms of reach, which Sandhagen has used to his advantage. But clever movement and attacks from all angles were also part of the winning formula for the rising prospect in a fight that deserved to be billed as the main event.

Roberts remains undefeated with a smart win

Roosevelt Roberts had explosive moments, repeatedly separating Thomas Gifford's head back with some striking combinations during the light-weight battle, but his best weapon was patience in a unanimous decision victory that had brought his record at 8-0.

The 25-year-old, who grew up in Hollywood, Florida, faced Gifford's granitic chin and unorthodox take-over game (17-8, 2 NC), which had a five-game winning streak in a row. his UFC. beginning. Gifford submitted 13 bids and was active from the bottom to each defeat. But Roberts, who had won all his previous bouts by stoppage, was clever not to open up to the submarines and kept control throughout the course, the three judges having scored the three rounds in his favor.

Sato gets TKO in his debut at UFC

Takashi Sato debuted at the UFC with resounding success, covering Ben Saunders with a perfectly straight right hand and chasing him down to the canvas with a flood of punches and elbows for get the TKO at 1:18 of the second round.

Sato (15-2), a 28-year-old who had previously played Pancrase in his native Japan, won for the seventh time in eight games. His last six wins have been by knockout. The accuracy of Sato's feet made the evening disappointing for Saunders (22-12-2), who lost his third straight game as he was fighting on the outskirts of his hometown of Fort Lauderdale.

Sakai won the victory over Arlovski

Augusto Sakai did not usually see his fights sliced ​​by judges on the side of the cage, as he faced Andrei Arlovski during his heavyweight clash with 10 knockouts out of 12 wins. But the 27-year-old Brazilian (13-1-1) now has reason to love the score cards, after two of the three judges scored the fight in his own way despite being punched by Arlovski, 40 years old. long. According to statistics from the UFC, Arlovski dominated Sakai 75-42 during major strikes.

For Sakai, it was his fourth straight win, his second inside the Octagon. Arlovski (27-18, 2 NC), a former UFC champion, has not won his last four fights though he's well-behaved and he's moved effectively for most of the three rounds.

Esparza inflicts his first career loss to newcomer UFC Jandiroba

Carla Esparza trusted her fight, even against a fighter who won 11 victories in 14 wins and 11 caps. It served him well to defeat his first career loss, Virna Jandiroba, of the UFC, by unanimous decision.

Esparza (14-6), the UFC's first featherweight champion, ended a two-game losing streak by beating the fight relentlessly, reversing the position after being dismantled and using threats of withdrawal for to strike. One judge gave him the three rounds, while the other two scored 29-28.

Jandiroba (14-1) is an old Invicta titlist, as is Esparza.

Burns stages a patient game in the field

Gilbert Burns welcomed Mike Davis to the UFC with less hospitality. He took him to the canvas during the first and second rounds, controlling him with punches and threats of submission and patiently waiting for the opening for an end that he got at 4:15 in the morning. Round 2 via starter bare-back.

Burns (15-3), a four-time world champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, was confident in his ground game so as not to rush things into the lightweight fight. Davis (7-2), who made his debut at UFC, resisted as long as he could before Burns won the third victory of his last four fights.

Methodical Miller wins by submission

Jim Miller had the whole family – his wife and four children – sitting in the front row next to the cage, so you knew he was not going to disappoint. He just did what dad did. He went to work. The 35-year-old, who arrived after losing five of six people and who is also ravaged by lyme disease, took Jason Gonzalez to the canvas at his first opportunity and quickly finished him with a rear throttle. 2:12 in the first round.

For Miller (30-13, 1 NC), it was a 32nd record participation in the UFC and his 19th promotion victory, the fifth of all time. The bid was his eighth as a lightweight UFC, more than any other 155-pound weight. He crossed Gonzalez (11-5) for a takedown and completed throttling with fluid efficiency.

"I know how good I am," he says afterwards.

Hill ends his series of two decisive defeats

It was clear from the beginning that Jodie Esquibel led the way at Angela Hill and that Angela Hill had nothing to break. And while Hill was a little touched, his smooth movement and precise shots gave Esquibel a nod and won him unanimously, putting an end to a double slip.

Hill (9-6), who had just struggled last month, took a slow pace as the weight-of-straw battle continued and in the third round she simply could not not miss. Esquibel (6-5) bore evidence of these punches on his bruised and bruised face but continued to arrive until the end. It was his third consecutive loss.

Two judges scored the match 30-27 and the other 29-28.

Dhiego Lima starts the night with a counter-perforation screen

Court McGee dropped Dhiego Lima with a big right hand and the fight was over. Unfortunately for McGee, the fight did not end with a coup de grace, but with the horn of the third round. His overthrow turned out to be too small, too late in the eyes of two judges, while Lima had been dismissed.

Lima (14-7), a two-time finalist in "The Ultimate Fighter", had the upper hand over the TUF 11 champion with a good counter-hitter all along. These left hands did not stop the aggressive McGee (19-8), but allowed the Brazilian welterweight to maintain his distance and win his second consecutive victory.

One judge scored the match 30-27 for Lima, while the other two 29-28, one favoring each fighter.