LAS VEGAS -- We're live at the Apex for UFC Vegas 102. Jared Cannonier vs. Gregory Rodrigues headlines tonight's card, while Calvin Kattar vs. Youssef Zalal serves as the co-main event. Rodrigues currently sits as a -250 favorite in the main event, and you can take him to win by KO, TKO or disqualification at +110 odds.
Oddsmakers are expecting a finish regardless of who comes out on top, as Vegas currently has the fight tabbed at -345 to NOT go the distance. Zalal is currently a -480 favorite for the co-main event against Kattar, though that fight between two proficient wrestlers is expected to go the distance.
The full main card is as follows:
Middleweight, five rounds: No. 7 Jared Cannonier (17-8) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (16-5)
Featherweight, three rounds: No. 10 Calvin Kattar (23-8) vs. Youssef Zalal (16-5-1)
Middleweight, three rounds: Edmen Shahbazyan (13-5) vs. Dylan Budka (7-4)
Lightweight, three rounds: Ismael Bonfim (20-4) vs. Nazim Sadykhov (9-1-1)
Middleweight, three rounds: Rodolfo Vieira (10-2) vs. Andre Petroski (12-4)
Jared Cannonier vs. Gregory Rodrigues (-250)
Cannonier defeats Rodrigues by fourth round KO/TKO, 0:21
WHAT A FIGHT! Jared Cannonier wins an absolute slugfest by TKO in the fourth round. Rodrigues opened the fight with a vicious assault and nearly ended things a few times in the first, scoring two knockdowns. The problem was, Rodrigues' first round attack completely gassed him and opened a window for Cannonier to batter him for the remainder of the fight. Cannonier opened a cut under Rodrigues' eye in the second and knocked the Brazilian down with a combo in the third, nearly ending the fight right there before Rodrigues was saved by the bell. It took Cannonier mere seconds to finish the job in the fourth. Cannonier said in his post-fight interview that he didn't hear the bell at the end of the third round and he thought he had won the fight right there. He wondered why everyone wasn't reacting the same way he was. Well, he didn't have to wait long to see that reaction.
Calvin Kattar vs. Youssef Zalal (-450)
Zalal defeats Kattar by unanimous decision (28-29, 28-29, 28-29)
That was an uninspiring effort from Kattar, to say the least. He was fighting like a fighter ready for retirement in the first two rounds and it cost him the fight. Kattar was forced to swing for the fences in the third round and he landed a handful of heavy strikes to send Zalal on the retreat, but it was just too little, too late. The crowd booed Zalal heavily during his post-fight interview and one of the most audible fans yelled "Boring". I wouldn't say it was boring, but Zalal certainly could have pressed harder to give the fans in attendance more of a memento. Zalal landed 57% of his strikes but was 0-for-4 on takedown attempts, while Kattar landed just 30% of his strikes.
Edmen Shahbazyan (-700) vs. Dylan Budka
Shahbazyan defeats Budka by first round KO, 1:35
There won't be an upset in this one. Shahbazyan hits Budka with an absolute bomb in the first round and Budka took a long, dramatic tumble to the ground. Daniel Cormier called it the "chicken dance" while conducting the post-fight interview. Shahbazyan landed 7 of his 15 strike attempts, while Budka landed only once on sixteen attempts. The matchmakers did a good job with the first two fight, but Budka didn't even belong in the same universe as Shahabazyan in that one.
Ismael Bonfim (-220) vs. Nazim Sadykhov
Sadykhov defeats Bonfim by first round TKO, doctor stoppage
Wow. Referee Mark Smith calls the fight in between the first and second rounds due to a cut under Bonfim's eye that he sustained in the closing moments of the first. The cut didn't even look that bad ringside but according to the broadcast Bonfim told the doctor he couldn't see, which reasonably facilitated the stoppage. That's an incredibly unfortunate loss for Bonfim, who won the first round and nearly ended the fight himself before Sadykhov stole it. Two relatively big upsets to start the main card here at UFC Vegas 102. Maybe that spells good luck for Jared Cannonier and Calvin Kattar later.
Rodolfo Vieira (-270) vs. Andre Petroski
Petroski defeats Vieira by unanimous decision (28-29, 28-29, 28-29)
Petroski took the first round by a slim margin, but it looked like he was running out of gas as Vieira took control in the second by landing 60% of his significant strikes in the round. Petroski's demise, however, turned out to be a false alarm. He re-established control in the third and dominated the final moments of the fight. Vieira was actually more accurate with his striking throughout the fight, but the legendary grappler managed just one takedown in 11 attempts. Petroski intentionally kept things upright and while his striking was enough to get the win, it was far from impressive. For what it's worth, Petroski used his post-fight call out on Bo Nickal.