UFC Fight Night 54: MacDonald vs Saffiedine Results:
Main Card:
Rory MacDonald def. Tarec Saffiedine via (T)KO (Round 3, 1:28)
In the main event, young Canadian superstar MacDonald locked horns with the final welterweight champion of Strikeforce, Saffiedine. Round one saw MacDonald control the center of the octagon with his range striking. Towards the end of the round, he caught a Saffiedine leg kick and used it to take him down. In round two, it was more of the same, with MacDonald continuing to stalk Saffiedine, and Saffiedine doing little more than constantly switching his stance. The end came in round three, when MacDonald dropped Saffiedine with an overhand right-left uppercut combination. Saffiedine fell to his hands and knees, and the Canadian followed him down. The finish was a few punches later, when referee Herb Dean jumped in to stop MacDonald’s ground-and-pound. With the finish, MacDonald likely put himself in line for a shot at the winner of December’s Johny Hendricks vs Robbie Lawler welterweight title fight.
Raphael Assuncao def. Bryan Caraway via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Assuncao and Caraway squared off in a battle between two top bantamweight contenders. In round one, Assuncao controlled the pace by defending Caraway’s takedown attempts and keeping him at distance with leg kicks and counter punches. Round two started with more of the same, until Caraway finally got the takedown he was hunting for with three minutes left in the frame. Unfortunately for Caraway, as he tried to scramble to Assuncao’s back, the Brazilian managed to return to his feet. Caraway landed a second takedown moments later, which Assuncao quickly reversed again. Assuncao finished the round picking Caraway apart on the feet with more counter shots. Round three saw a gassed Caraway fail to acquire a takedown, including getting himself caught in a tight guillotine from Assuncao. He was able to escape, but it was to no avail, as Assuncao rode out the rest of the round, including landing a takedown of his own. It was hard-fought, yet clear-cut unanimous decision win for Assuncao.
Chad Laprise def. Yosdenis Cedeno via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
In his UFC lightweight debut, TUF Nations welterweight winner Laprise took on Cuban striker Cedeno. After feeling each other out on the feet for the opening two minutes, Laprise landed a takedown, and worked his way to mount, and eventually to Cedeno’s back. With thirty seconds left, Cedeno managed to escape, and they finished the round exchanging lightning quick strikes. Round two went exactly the same at the start, with two minutes on the feet, followed by a Laprise takedown, back take, and Cedeno escape to concluded the round. Round three was contested mostly on the feet with, Laprise stalking his Cuban opponent. Laprise sealed the victory with two takedowns in the final minute. The Canadian earned a unanimous decision win.
Elias Theodorou def. Bruno Santos via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
In a middleweight contest, TUF Nations middleweight winner Theodorou squared off with stocky Brazilian Santos. The opening frame was filled with mostly clinch fighting along the fence, plus two takedowns sprinkled in by Santos. Round two was contested mostly from striking range, with neither fighter managing to land any definitive shots. With ninety seconds left in the round, Santos caught a Theodorou kick, and used it to take him down and take his back. In round three, Santos took Theodorou’s back again, but couldn’t secure a submission. Theodorou returned to his feet, and finally got a couple takedowns of his own, but he couldn’t find a finish either. The close fight ended as it began, with both fighters clinched up against the fence. The judges gave Theodorou the unanimous nod in his home country.
Nordine Taleb def. Li Jingliang via split decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29)
The next fight pitted two welterweights with identical records against each other, as Chinese fight Jingliang took on two-time TUF competitor Taleb. Round one was close, with both fighters displaying strong leg kicks and solid hands. Jingliang failed on two takedown attempts, and Taleb emphatically closed out the round with a big double leg takedown. Round two was more of the same, except both fighters managed to succeed on a takedown attempt. Round three was even more of the same, minus the takedown attempts from Jingliang. Taleb managed to get one, though, and in the end, the judges sided with Taleb in the close striking battle, awarding him a split decision victory.
Mitch Gagnon def. Roman Salazar via submission – rear-naked choke (Round 1, 2:06)
The main card got kicked off with heavy favorite Gagnon taking on late-replacement Salazar. After an initial feeling out process of about ninety seconds, Salazar tried to take his Canadian opponent to the canvas. But Gagnon reversed course, and turned Salazar’s takedown attempt into one of his own. Gagnon quickly took Salazar’s back, and as Salazar stood up with Gagnon on his back, the Canadian sunk in a rear-naked choke. As Salazar fell back to the mat, Gagnon cinched up the choke, and elicited the tap to secure his fourth straight win.
Preliminary Card:
Daron Cruickshank def. Anthony Njokuani via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Olivier Aubin-Mercier der. Jake Lindsey via submission – inverted triangle choke (Round 2, 3:22)
Paul Felder def. Jason Saggo via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Chris Kelades def. Patrick Holohan via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Albert Tumenov def. Matt Dwyer via (T)KO (Round 1, 1:03)
Pedro Munhoz def. Jerrod Sanders via submission – guillotine choke (Round 1, 0:39)
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