Almeida vs Garbrandt | Barao vs Stephens | Saffiedine vs Story | Camozzi vs Miranda | Masvidal vs Larkin | Burkman vs Felder | McMann vs Eye | Trujillo vs Rinaldi | Collier vs Uda | Koch vs Campbell | Sterling vs Caraway | de la Rocha vs Milstead
UFC Fight Night Almeida vs Garbrandt main card
Main event: Cody Garbrandt defeats Thomas Almeida
Garbrandt wins by 1st Round TKO
More from Fight Night Las Vegas: Results | Stephens tops Barao; Story, Camozzi win | McMann, Trujillo, Collier, Koch take prelim wins | Caraway turns tables to defeat Sterling | Backstage interviews: Lorenz Larkin, Paul Felder | Octagon interviews: Bryan Caraway | FIGHT PASS customers: Watch Caraway-Sterling, Milstead-De la Rocha on Demand
Co-main: Jeremy Stephens defeats Renan Barao
Jeremy Stephens spoiled Renan Barao’s featherweight debut with a unanimous decision win in the co-main event, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28. Stephens landed the bigger shots throughout, but Barao was game and hung in there, using his speed to keep Stephens off balance at times. The final strike count had Stephens with the 55-43 advantage in significant strikes.
Rick Story defeats Tarec Saffiedine
Rick Story blitzed Tarec Saffiedine for three rounds and out-landed the Belgian en route to a unanimous decision win (29-28, 29-28, 30-27).
They said it:
Rick Story: “I’ve been calling Matt Brown out a few times for the past five years. It would be fun to fight Matt Brown just because that stylistic matchup is awesome for me. We both go in and get hit, and just put on a great show. He’s ranked above me and it would do something good for me. Besides that, throw anyone in-front of me. I’m ready.”
Tarec Saffiedine: “His pressure didn’t worry me really. I just didn’t get the angles I wanted and when I got up against the cage I stayed too long. I just need to go back and work on everything in training.”
Chris Camozzi defeats Vitor Miranda
Chris Camozzi had a superior game plan and executed it perfectly to capture a unanimous decision victory, (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). Camozzi out-struck Vitor Miranda in every round and landed some big ground & pound on his way to victory. Camozzi has now won two in a row to start 2016 and said after the fight he’s hoping for a top 10 opponent next time out.
They said it:
Chris Camozzi: “You know this is an honest answer. I have no idea who is in the top-ten other than the top two or three guys. The middleweight division has been switching and changing like crazy. I don’t really care who it is. It’s just a body for me, but for me to go up the rankings I need to fight guys above me.”
Vitor Miranda: “I went for his back in the first-round but he rolled and grabbed my ankle, so I had to keep fighting that so he didn’t lock my leg up. When I know the guy is a grappler I try to avoid those exchanges and get out fast. He did well and managed his energy with the punches and kicks he threw. I needed to do that better.”
Lorenz Larkin defeats Jorge Masvidal
Lorenz Larkin and Jorge Masvidal were game to trade and that’s exactly what they did for three rounds. In the end, “Da Monsoon” was able to capture the split decision win, 29-28, 28-29, 29-28. Masvidal out-struck Larkin, 60-58 and 48-44 (sign. Strikes) and each fighter landed a single takedown.
They said it:
Lorenz Larkin: “Keep him guessing that’s what my coaches were saying. Don’t just stick to the same thing. That’s what I did and it paid off. The last time I came out to Vegas it didn’t go my way. I just didn’t want that feeling again.”
Jorge Masvidal: “I don’t know how to win decisions. I just go out here and fight. I wanted to tire him out and work the body. I knew I hurt him with the knees in the clinch, but that eye poke was good for him. It allowed him to catch his breath and get back in it.”
Paul Felder defeats Joshua Burkman
Paul Felder outlasted Josh Burkman in a war to kick off the main card on FS1. “The Irish Dragon” out-struck Burkman, 53-41 to help him wrap up the win despite getting taken down three times in the fight. Both guys threw some big shots throughout the fight and it was Felder who was able to maintain his composure and do a little more for the win.
They said it:
Paul Felder: “I couldn’t find my range at all in the first-round. I think that was my toughest challenge losing the first-round. We knew we had to come out and have a really good second-round and I caught him with that elbow. That elbow kind of changed the tide.”
Joshua Burkman: “I could of controlled the clinch better when we had exchanges on the cage. I think when he went for the takedown late and I stuffed it, that showed how close the fight really was. I think I landed some good front kicks to the leg that I guess didn’t get counted. I just need to improve on my weight if I plan on staying at 155-pounds.”
UFC Fight Night Almeida vs Garbrandt FS1 prelims
Sara McMann defeats Jessica Eye
A tentative Jessica Eye seemed determined to stuff the takedowns of wrestling phenom Sara McMann, but the Cleveland native couldn’t stop them all and fell by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). McMann’s wrestling is arguably the best in the women’s bantamweight division and the threat of the takedown took Eye completely out of her game. In the end, McMann landed two takedowns and out-struck McMann, 66-21.
They said it:
Sara McMann: “I definitely was comfortable standing with her but I am an Olympic wrestler so I used that to neutralize her counter punching ability. I was a little more comfortable going in to this fight because of my time training with her in the past, but at the same time I was nervous because she wasn’t going to be surprised by anything. I’d love to rematch Miesha as the champion, but if Amanda wins I’d love to rematch her as well. I just hate my losses and I want to get those back.”
Jessica Eye: “I never was intimidated in the fight, but maybe I was just gun-shy to throw punches because she knew what I liked to do. I just needed to throw more punches.”
Abel Trujillo defeats Jordan Rinaldi
Abel Trujillo was in some danger in the second round as Jordan Rinaldi almost was able to lock in a rear naked choke, but “Killa” managed to evade the danger and did enough over the course of 15 minutes to earn the unanimous decision win (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). Trujillo landed some of his best shots in the third and deciding round and finished ahead in significant strikes, 37-21.
They said it:
Abel Trujillo: “I felt kind of sluggish in this fight. I just had to dig deep in my heart for the win.”
Jordan Rinaldi: “Maybe in the next fight when I’m in better shape I can push for more things in later rounds like I did in the first. I felt jitters in my first UFC fight but no excuses.”
Jake Collier defeats Alberto Uda
Jake Collier survived a knee to the head and big haymakers from the bottom to take out Alberto Uda by TKO at 1:06 of the second round. Collier landed a nice spinning back kick that dropped Uda before swarming for the finish. Collier picks up his second UFC win.
They said it:
Jake Collier: “I figured he was going to take me down so I worked clinch wrestling a lot in camp. He hit me with a big knee in the first-round which woke me up actually because in the second-round I felt more focused. I had been practicing that spinning kick to the body because I knew since he was so tall holding his hands up would expose his ribs. Once I got him backed up to the cage I let it rip. Whoever comes up I’m ready for. I’m just here to put on a show for the fans. You will never see a three-round snoozer out of me.”
Alberto Uda: “The plan coming in was to take him to a clinch battle and work on him there. I felt my breathing getting heavy, leading up to the kick, and when he hit me I just felt my legs give out. I don’t think taking this fight on short notice affected anything out there, he just won the fight.”
Eric Koch defeats Shane Campbell
Eric Koch returned for injury after two years on the shelf to submit Shane Campbell by rear naked choke at 3:02 of the second round. Campbell is a former pro kick boxer and Koch did what he had to get a pair of takedowns and bring the fight to the mat where he was able to work and finish.
They said it:
Eric Koch: “A lot of people thought I had added pressure because I haven’t been in the cage for two years, but I felt great. The best I ever have. I’ve been doing combat sports since I was four years-old. I changed my game this time out in Phoenix. I’m rising from the ashes.”
Shane Campbell: “I wasn’t nearly in the shape I’m in typically, but I’m not going to make the excuses as to why I lost. He’s a really good guy on the ground, at least today, and there are things I learned I need to continue working on moving forward.”
UFC Fight Night Almeida vs Garbrandt FIGHT PASS prelims
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Bryan Caraway defeats Aljamain Sterling
In what may anticipated would be a grappling bout for the ages in the bantamweight division in the featured UFC FIGHT PASS prelim bout, Bryan Caraway and Aljamain Sterling didn’t disappoint. Caraway walked away with a split decision win (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) after dominating the final two rounds to secure the win. Sterling was impressive in the opening frame, taking Caraway’s back and attacking throughout the round from back mount and with a full body triangle. But the veteran Caraway was able to implement his game plan in the end and take out the No. 4-ranked 135er.
They said it:
Bryan Caraway: “I got off to a slow start, he’s obviously a good grappler himself, I was just too cautious at first, and when you let someone get to a dominant position he’ll take advantage. I think the theme of this fight was heart over hype. He’s the No. 4 guy and the only ones ahead of him are Dillashaw, Faber and Barao, so I think I should be the next guy up for a shot at the title.
Aljamain Sterling: “I thought I had him with the full nelson in the first round. He was able to tolerate it better than most because he isn’t as muscular so he could bend and maneuver. I feel like I burned myself out in that first round and that did it for me.”
Adam Milstead defeats Chris de la Rocha 
Chris De La Rocha brought what seemed like the entire state of Washington with him against Adam Milstead and did everything he could to try and last under a few heavy barrages from Milstead. But in the end, De La Rocha just couldn’t hang and the ref stopped the fight by TKO at 4:01 of the second round. Milstead landed 58 brutal significant strikes in the bout and rearranged De La Rocha’s facial structure before the stoppage came.
They said it:
Adam Milstead: “Early on it was an adrenaline dump I experienced in there, but I felt I could continue to push a fast pace the whole time which I did. The opportunity is a dream come true and I set out early on to get in UFC. Once I got this opportunity I wanted my win, and now with that win I will continue to set new goals.”