Brian Stann vs. Alessio Sakara (Josh Hedges/UFC)
Main card televised coverage begins at 3 p.m. Eastern
The UFC visits Sweden for the first time Saturday for its second live card on the Fuel TV cable network.
UFC on Fuel TV: Gustafsson vs. Silva takes place at the Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, and HeavyMMA will bring you round-by-round and fight-by-fight live coverage of the main card, which airs at 3 p.m. on Fuel TV and features a main event between Sweden’s Alexander Gustafsson and Thiago Silva. Gustafsson is on a four-fight winning streak, all stoppages, and is a more than 2-to-1 favorite in the fight in front of his countrymen. Silva returns for the first time since January 2011 after serving a one-year suspension for a failed drug test, testing positive for steroids after a win (now no contest) over Brandon Vera at UFC 125.
Other action on the main card includes the co-main event between Brian Stann and Alessio Sakara. Plus, the highly touted Siyar Bahadurzada makes his UFC debut against Paulo Thiago. And in his first fight at featherweight after dropping down from 155 pounds, Dennis Siver faces Diego Nunes. Siver missed weight Friday on his first attempt, coming in at 147 pounds. But he was able to make the weight on his second attempt after the official weigh-in event was over.
Brad Pickett vs. Damacio Page
Round 1: Page comes out swinging, and Pickett does too. Pickett lands a good shot and winds up on top on the ground. Page looking for an armbar and some upkicks, but they get back to standing and throwing big bombs and kicks again. Big knee from Page, and then a lovely double-leg takedown. But Pickett is back up quickly and gets a slam of his own. Great fight so far. Pickett looking for ground and pound, and he lands a couple big shots. The pace slows, and Pickett works well from Page’s guard. With a minute left, Page gets back to his feet and he’ll work some jabs and kicks. Flying knee just misses, and Pickett uses it to for a double-leg. Page looks for a choke, but it’s not there. They go back to standing with 15 seconds left, but Pickett finishes strong with another takedown. It’s a 10-9 first round for Pickett on the HeavyMMA card.
Round 2: Pickett gets an early slam, but Page pops back up and lands a couple shots. But Picket – “One Punch” – lands a giant left hand that wobbles Page and puts him on his butt. Pickett moves in quickly to look for the finish. Page survives for now and has a brief body triangle. Pickett traps Page’s arm and starts landing big bombs. Pickett is right up against his own corner and is listening to instructions from his American Top Team coaches, including teammate Mike Brown. But Page survives it all, gets out and winds up on top. Page will look for a choke of his own. They split up and Pickett lands two big uppercuts and he again will look to finish. Page is hurt, and Pickett takes his back looking for a rear naked choke. He gets one hook in. He flattens Page out, and that’s it. Pickett gets the tap for his first win in the UFC – and it’s the fifth submission of the night in seven fights.
Result: Brad Pickett def. Damacio Page, submission (rear naked choke), 4:05 Round 2
DaMarques Johnson vs. John Maguire
Round 1: We touch gloves and we’re off. Inside leg kick opens for Johnson and it nearly is too high to the mommy-daddy parts. He brings one again, though. Then another. And Maguire pushes forward and ties Johnson up, then gets a takedown. Johnson in guard and looking for a choke and to push his way out. Johnson looking for a triangle, then an omoplata. But Maguire spins with it, survives it and Johnson is back into guard. Nice attempts from Johnson, though. But good on Maguire for surviving them. Johnson still working to scramble out. Maguire trying to pass and does, getting into side control. Maguire goes back to his feet and gets a nice front headlock, then takes Johnson’s back. With 20 seconds left, he won’t have enough time to finish and he looks content to ride out the round on points. Maguire gets the round 10-9 on the HeavyMMA card.
Round 2: Maguire opens with a fake, then gets a takedown, but Johnson stays with it and rolls it over and gets on top. Johnson tries to walk Maguire to the fence. Maguire looks for a triangle, but Johnson gets to side control, then looks for a possible guillotine. But Maguire push-kicks off nicely and we’re back to the feet. High kick from Johnson seems to have Maguire wobbled. A couple inside leg kicks seem to have him aggravated. But Maguire survives and gets a takedown. Johnson in guard and looking to land some short elbows off his back. Johnson looks for an arm, but Maguire moves into half guard. Johnson has Maguire’s left arm and is still trying to free it for a kimura. But Maguire steps over, grabs Johnson’s left arm for a textbook straight armbar. And that’s it. Johnson has to tap.
Result: John Maguire def. DaMarques Johnson, submission (armbar), 4:40 Round 2
Dennis Siver vs. Diego Nunes
Round 1: Here we go. Siver starts in the middle in his first fight at featherweight. He had perhaps a rough weight cut, not making it on his first try. So we’ll see if that’s a factor. Siver tries to counter a Nunes leg kick, then comes with back-to-back high karate kicks. Spinning backfist from Nunes misses. Body kick from Siver. More leg kicks from Siver. Good right from Siver counters an outside leg kick from Nunes. Left-right from Siver lands, then another left as he continues to check Nunes’ kicks. Good left from Nunes, but Siver follows with body-head. High spinning back kick from Nunes just misses, and with 10 seconds left in the frame he lands a series of nice knees. It’s a very close first round, but HeavyMMA is going to go with Siver 10-9.
Round 2: Spinning back kick lands from Nunes, but Siver mostly blocks it. He tries for it again, but it’s not there. High kick from Siver. Traded kicks and misses. Spinning kick to the body from Nunes. Siver comes forward under a spinning back fist and looks for a takedown after a short clinch. But with 3:30 left, they go back to the middle. Siver ducks away from a faked spinning back kick. So Nunes definitely has Siver’s attention. They trade lefts. Good front kick from Siver, who then misses a counter right hook. Low kick from Siver gets Nunes just a short break. They start back up and Siver ducks under one and nearly gets a takedown, but lands a punch on the way out. Spinning back kick from Siver now is partially blocked. Nice front kick now from Siver. Then he lands a big left on the way back out of a clinch. Good second round, and it’s close again. But HeavyMMA will go Siver again – also just barely – 10-9.
Round 3: Good left and right after a leg kick from Siver. Siver gets rocked, though, by a Nunes hook. He pops back up, though, and lands a left of his own. The stat line says the total strikes in the fight is right down the middle – dead even. Siver again looks for a takedown, but again can’t get it. They keep trading kicks. Nunes clinches up and looks for a knee. But Siver breaks out of there. Nunes again tries to clinch and Siver pushes out of it. Siver is cut around his left eye, though. Spinning back kick from Nunes is ducked under again by Siver. And again Siver tries for a takedown, and again Nunes defends. Nunes hits the canvas just for a moment but is right back up and lands a spinning kick to the midsection. HeavyMMA gives the third to Nunes 10-9, but the fight to Siver 29-28. It really could go either way.
Result: Dennis Siver def. Diego Nunes, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Paulo Thiago vs. Siyar Bahadurzada
Round 1: Highly anticipated debut for Bahadurzada, an Afghan fighter who trains and lives in Amsterdam. He takes the middle, but neither fighter … well, bam. That’s it. Thiago comes in after 30 seconds, and Bahadurzada lands a right hand under the chin. And Thiago is out. Absolutely out. Flat on his face. Well. That was an interesting debut.
Result: Siyar Bahadurzada def. Paulo Thiago, knockout, 0:42 Round 1
Brian Stann vs. Alessio Sakara
Round 1: Outside leg kick from Stann to start. Then another one after a Sakara missed left. A third leg kick is countered by Sakara nicely with a right hand, though. Body shot from Sakara. Stann gets inside and they start landing nicely, both of them. But then big knees from Stann. Three of them. He gets wobbled himself, but he comes in and starts landing good shots on the ground. He can’t get the finish and he gets into Sakara’s guard. A really good start for Stann as Sakara looks to recover a bit here. And then out of nowhere, from the guard, Stann lands two big lefts to the chin and he’s out. Stann stops himself, even before the referee gets in to stop it. Last time we’ve seen someone knock an opponent out from the guard, it was Scott Jorgensen against Ken Stone at the TUF 13 Finale.
Result: Brian Stann def. Alessio Sakara, knockout, 2:26 Round 1
Alexander Gustafsson vs. Thiago Silva
Round 1: They swing early. Gustafsson dances outside as Silva looks for leg kicks. Big right hand from Gustafsson rocks Silva and he hits the canvas. Gustafsson gets in and cant’ finish. But back on the feet, Silva is cut and Gustafsson comes in for some more damage. He ducks away from a left from Silva. Leg kick misses from Silva. The crowd is going bananas with a soccer-style chant for Gustafsson. He again dances away from a Silva strike, showing beautiful range so far. Silva lands a left and right. But Gustafsson answers with three of his own. The Gustafsson comparisons to Jon Jones are probably quite accurate. A win here could get him a title shot soon, that’s for sure. Good kick from Silva to Gustafsson’s lead leg. Head kick from Gustafsson is blocked, and Silva tells him to bring more of them. It’s a 10-9 first round for Gustafsson on the HeavyMMA card.
Round 2: Outside leg kick from Gustafsson early. Silva is coming forward nicely, but Gustafsson just takes him and flips him to the ground. Gustafsson looks for a way to get in as Silva is content to stay on his back. But the ref lets him back up. Nice right from Gustafsson, who then comes inside. He’s mixing it up nicely with kicks and jabs, and he’s moving around everywhere. Uppercut from Gustafsson just misses. Silva staying patient, but also covering up a lot from Gustafsson’s offense. Silva jabs his way into some space. Then nearly eats a front kick. Silva slips a punch and lands a nice right hand that has Gustafsson hurt for a moment. But Gustafsson stays on his feet and tries to stay on the offensive. Big right hand just misses, and then Gustafsson ducks under another right. Spinning back kick from Gustafsson just misses, and Silva tries to answer with one of his own. Silva pushing forward still with jabs. Nice front kick from Gustafsson just before the bell. It’s a closer second round, but Heavy will still give it to Gustafsson, 10-9.
Round 3: Gustafsson staying light on his feet, bouncing around. Both guys looking for their opening here in the last. Silva right hand misses. On the inside, both guys hit a couple nice shots. Silva is pushing forward more. If Gustafsson wasn’t landing the shots he is, it could be argued he wasn’t aggressive enough. But he’s landing plenty. Silva’s forehead is beginning to swell. The stat counter says Gustafsson has landed at a 78-38 clip. Less big action this round, but with 90 seconds left Gustafsson can cruise on in. But with four straight finishes, he’d probably like a fifth. Knee from Gustafsson nearly lands flush, and he follows it with a nice right hand. Silva with some nice right hands to end the fight. But it’s another 10-9 round for Gustafsson and HeavyMMA has him winning 30-27.
Result: Alexander Gustafsson def. Thiago Silva, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)