To the heavyweight division now, the place former interim champion Ciryl Gane faces Alexander Volkov, whom he outpointed in 2021. The winner of this one may very well be subsequent for reigning interim champ Tom Aspinall, except the Briton is allowed an opportunity to unify the belts with Jon Jones.

Gracie really has Nate Diaz in his nook tonight.

Kicks from each fighters; Mitchell’s a little bit more durable. Gracie, in his trademark style, jumps and pulls guard from a clinch. That didn’t take lengthy.

Mitchell lands in half-guard and is joyful to remain there. He finally results in Gracie’s guard, and all Gracie does is maintain Mitchell.

A reasonably uneventful spherical, as feared. Boos in Las Vegas.

Gracie is shedding the putting exchanges, and he appears to be like as if he actually doesn’t look getting hit, so he jumps guard once more.

Mitchell works in Gracie’s guard however finally stands and lets him again up. Aaaaaaand Gracie jumps guard once more…

Followers instructed the UFC that this could be an terrible struggle, and that it was a joke to have it on the primary card; and it’s been precisely each of these issues. Sterling vs Evloev, which ought to have been on the primary card, was an attention-grabbing bout.

Gracie fails an armbar and a triangle.

OH! Gracie jumps guard YET AGAIN, however as quickly as they land on the mat, Mitchell finishes Gracies with two vicious elbows!

Bryce Mitchell def. Kron Gracie through third-round KO (elbows, 0:39)

Staying within the featherweight division, it’s Bryce Mitchell vs Kron Gracie.

Followers have questioned why this struggle is on the primary card, and why Aljamain Sterling vs Movsar Evloev wasn’t.

Mitchell and Gracie are each elite grapplers (the latter coming from the well-known Gracie jiu-jitsu household), however neither has impressed just lately.

Anyway. Will we see two grapplers flip into strikers on this bout, as typically occurs?

Mitchell, who stated this week he doesn’t imagine in seatbelts, sprints to the ring draped in an American flag – and to the sound of “Cotton Eye Joe”.

Landwehr tries to do what he does greatest: brawl. However he throws himself off-balance, and Choi chases him to the mat.

Choi has a crucifix and is touchdown punches and elbows. He pilessssss on these photographs, and finally the referee steps in! There’s the TKO!

Dooho Choi def. Nate Landwehr through third-round TKO (floor strikes, 3:21)

Onto the UFC 310 primary card! A featherweight banger, doubtlessly, with this primary match-up: Nate Landwehr vs Dooho Choi.

Landwehr runs throughout the ring instantly. Choi with an excellent uppercut. Now a left hook that drops Landwehr to a knee. One other nice uppercut. Such clear work by Choi up to now, and Landwehr is barely throwing.

Landwehr tries a clinch, however Choi outmanoeuvres him, journeys him, and takes the again. He drags down Landwehr, however the American finally stands and will get free.

Extra success for Choi on the ft. He’s boxing so crisply tonight.

Good spinning again elbow by Landwehr, however Choi’s low kicks are working properly, too.

Pretty throw by Choi, who lands in aspect management. He steps into mount and thinks about an arm-triangle choke, however opts in opposition to it.

Choi takes the again. He controls Landwehr for some time, till the American explodes free. However again on the ft, within the clinch, Choi journeys Landwehr once more.

Right here’s what Smith instructed the UFC about his late pal and coach Scott Morton this week:

“Him and I’ve educated every single day or twice a day, rattling close to on common, six days per week since I used to be 17 years outdated. And he was my coach, however that was one of many smaller components of what he was. That man was my greatest pal. He was my mentor, older brother, father determine.”

Now he tells Joe Rogan: “I don’t even give a f*** in regards to the struggle. This man was my greatest pal. I believed I may push it down, however I couldn’t even management it strolling out right here. I don’t know what number of occasions I can do that with out him.”

Smith provides that it’s “most likely” his closing struggle.

Smith grabs a single-leg after a feeling-out interval on the ft, however Reyes is ready to slip free.

First rate overhand proper for Smith, then we’ve a short pause within the motion on account of an unintentional eye poke on Reyes.

Again underneath approach. Each males are touchdown straight punches. Lead uppercut by Reyes, from a southpaw stance.

Smith walks onto a sequence of jabs, and Reyes provides some crosses now. Smith felt these.

Trio of stiff jabs by Reyes now, and Smith sticks his tongue out at his fellow American.

Smith goes for a single-leg, however Reyes defends with some nasty elbows! It’s already 42-0 to Reyes in vital strikes on this spherical!

Smith is kneeling on the mat now, nonetheless consuming elbows and punches. Reyes strikes into half-guard, the place he lands extra strikes.

Reyes has now reached 127 vital strikes – I imagine within the struggle, somewhat than this spherical.

And referee Marc Goddard lastly steps in. Reyes will get the TKO.

Dominick Reyes def. Anthony Smith through second-round TKO (floor strikes, 4:46)

To the light-heavyweight division now, the place Anthony Smith faces Dominick Reyes.

This can be a assembly of former title challengers; in 2019, Smith was simply outpointed by then-champion Jon Jones, who gained an especially controversial determination in opposition to Reyes in 2020.

Smith is preventing regardless of the passing of his coach and shut pal Scott Morton final month. Morton died of a coronary heart assault at simply 47 years outdated.

Smith appears to be like extremely emotional.

Subsequent up, Vicente Luque vs Themba Gorimbo at welterweight.

Gorimbo steps in for UFC legend Nick Diaz, who was unable to make it via his coaching camp.

OH! Luque drops Gorimbo early with a brief proper hook, then snatches an anaconda choke! He places Gorimbo OUT COLD!

Vicente Luque def. Themba Gorimbo through first-round submission (anaconda choke, 0:52)

This may very well be the deciding spherical. Evloev misses with a spinning again fist, and Sterling makes use of his momentum in opposition to him, timing a body-lock takedown to perfection.

Evloev stands in opposition to the fence, however he’s dumped to the mat. As soon as once more the Russian will get again to his ft, however he’s trapped in opposition to the cage wall.

He manages to roll free, and within the ensuing scramble, Evloev results in Sterling’s guard! Sterling stands however is dragged down, and Evloev is engaged on taking the again…

One minute for Sterling to outlive a submission, and he could nicely take this struggle – though it has been shut all through… We’ll go to the scorecards.

Movsar Evloev def. Aljamain Sterling through unanimous determination (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).

Wow. Flawed approach, in my view. That was a reasonably clear 29-28 to Sterling.