Bantamweight prospect Miles Johns bounced back from the lone loss of his pro career with an emphatic third-round knockout of Kevin Natividad in the opener.

Johns got off to a solid start, working his jab with great efficiency and marking up Natividad’s forehead in the process. Add in a couple quick takedowns and Natividad had some work to do as round two commenced. Natividad put in that work, but so did Johns in a close round that likely went to the Texan. In the third, the Hawaiian pressed in an attempt to turn the fight around, but as the two broke from a clinch, a single right uppercut from Johns ended matters, with the official time of Chris Tognoni’s stoppage 2:51 of round three.

With the win, Johns moves to 11-1. Natividad falls to 9-2.

Official Result: Miles Johns def. Kevin Natividad by KO at 2:51 of Round 3

After eight years away from the UFC, light heavyweight Dustin Jacoby returned to the Octagon via Dana White’s Contender Series, and in his first fight back, he impressively halted Justin Ledet in a single round.

Jacoby sent a message with his first right hand, and while he ate a couple 1-2s from Ledet, he roared back with kicks to the leg that dropped the Texan. Ledet rose, but a right uppercut sent him back down, bringing in referee Chris Tognoni to halt matters at 2:38 of the opening round.

Official Result: Dustin Jacoby def. Justin Ledet by TKO at 2:38 of Round 1

With a full camp under his belt, welterweight veteran Jason Witt got his first UFC win in his second trip to the Octagon, submitting Cole Williams in round two.

Witt dumped Williams to the mat in the opening 20 seconds and got down to business, keeping his foe grounded for the rest of the round as he fired off ground strikes, cutting Williams’ forehead in the process.

In the second, Witt went right back to work, putting Williams on the mat again. This time, he finished matters with an arm triangle that forced the tap at 2:09 of round two.

With the win, Witt moves to 18-6. Williams, who missed weight for the bout at 175.5 pounds, falls to 11-3.

Official Result: Jason Witt def. Cole Williams by submission (arm triangle) at 2:09 of Round 2

Back in action for the first time since a 2018 motorcycle accident sidelined him, Sean Strickland was in fine form as he won a three-round unanimous decision over Jack Marshman in middleweight action.

Scores were 30-27 across the board for Strickland, now 21-3. Marshman, who missed weight for the bout at 187.5 pounds – falls to 23-10.

Strickland controlled the first round behind stiff punches and good work from range as he kept Marshman from landing his own punches. In the final 30 seconds, though, Marshman rocked his foe with a flush shot that clearly got Strickland’s attention.

Strickland was back on track in the second, and it was showing on Marshman’s face, but the Welshman wasn’t backing down as he kept throwing at the Californian, who shouted out during the frame that Marshman had a “head like a brick.”

Strickland kept jawing at Marshman, and the Welshman answered back, the two landing punches each step of the way.  And though Strickland was clearly in control, Marshman took every shot and kept throwing, his toughness never in question.

Official Result: Sean Strickland def. Jack Marshman by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Strickland kept jawing at Marshman, and the Welshman answered back, the two landing punches each step of the way.  And though Strickland was clearly in control, Marshman took every shot and kept throwing, his toughness never in question.

Official Result: Sean Strickland def. Jack Marshman by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Bantamweight prospect Adrian Yanez followed up his summer win on Dana White’s Contender Series with another impressive victory, as he knocked out Victor Rodriguez in the first round.

Rodriguez looked to negate Yanez’ striking with his grappling attack early, but once the two separated, Yanez began tagging Rodriguez with several right hands. Rodriguez swung back and tried to shake it off, but the Texan kept coming, with a left kick to the head sending his foe down and out. The official time of referee Herb Dean’s stoppage was 2:46 of round one.

With the win, Yanez moves to 12-3. Rodriguez falls to 7-3.

Official Result: Adrian Yanez def. Victor Rodriguez by KO at 2:46 of Round 1

In his first fight with the Factory X squad in Colorado, Alexander Hernandez was on target from start to finish against Chris Gruetzemacher, halting the Ultimate Fighter alumnus in the first round.

It was basically a flawless victory for Hernandez, who was too fast and accurate for Gruetzemacher, who had no answers for the varied standup attack of the Texan, who rattled Gruetzemacher with a left and then let loose with a barrage of strikes that brought in referee Mark Smith to halt the bout at 1:46 of the opening stanza.

With the win, Hernandez moves to 12-3. Gruetzemacher falls to 14-4.

Official Result: Alexander Hernandez def. Chris Gruetzemacher by TKO at 1:46 of Round 1

Brazilian lightweight Thiago Moises snapped Bobby Green’s three-fight winning streak with a close, but unanimous, decision over the California vet.

Scores were 29-28 across the board for Moises, now 14-4. Green falls to 27-11-1.

Saldana came out fast, engaging Green on the feet while also mixing in some grappling work. Green was unbothered by Moises’ aggression, and after avoiding any trouble on the ground, he settled into a striking groove until Moises rattled him briefly with a right hand. After Green shook the blow off, he went back to work, Moises staying right with him every step of the way.

In the second, the back and forth action continued until Moises got hold of Green’s leg with a little over three minutes left. But after some dicey moments, Green got loose and returned to his feet, where he began to open up more with his strikes as Moises’ work rate dipped. Moises finished the round strong, landing some right hands in the final stages.

The third was another close one, but Moises had a lot of ground control before the two slugged it out to the final horn, and that control time may have been the deciding factor on the scorecards.

Official Result: Thiago Moises def. Bobby Green by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Middleweight up and comer Kevin Holland became the first UFC fighter to reach four wins in 2020 as he defeated late replacement Charlie Ontiveros via submission.

Ontiveros fired off some unorthodox techniques to start the fight and Holland responded with a takedown. Ontiveros tried for a guillotine choke, but that just bought him some time before Holland got loose and landed a series of strikes as he worked from side control. Midway through the round, Ontiveros rose, but Holland dragged him back to the mat, and the Texan verbally tapped due to an apparent neck injury. The time of the finish was 2:39 of round one.

Holland moves to 20-5 with the win. Ontiveros falls to 11-7.

Official Result: Kevin Holland def. Charlie Ontiveros by verbal submission at 2:39 of Round 1

Former NFL star Greg Hardy picked up an important victory in his heavyweight bout with Maurice Greene, halting the “Crochet Boss” in the second round.
 
After the two traded kicks, Hardy rattled Greene and put him on the mat with a couple right hands. A series of thudding ground strikes followed, but Greene took everything well, but he was having trouble improving his position. Midway through the round, Hardy stepped back and let Greene up, and the two fought at a measured pace for the rest of the frame.
 
Greene got dropped with a left early in round two, and this time Hardy didn’t let him off the hook as a series of unanswered strikes brought in referee Herb Dean to stop the fight at 1:12 of the second stanza
 
Hardy moves to 7-2, 1 NC with the win. Greene falls to 9-6.
 
Official Result: Greg Hardy def. Maurice Greene by TKO at 1:12 of Round 2

Featherweight contender Bryce Mitchell improved to 5-0 in the Octagon in the UFC Fight Night co-main event, as he scored a hard-fought three-round unanimous decision over Andre Fili.

Scores were 29-28 and 30-27 twice for the No. 15-ranked Mitchell, now 14-1. Fili falls to 21-8.

Mitchell scored a slick takedown to open the bout, putting Fili on his back in the opening minute. Mitchell worked his way into the mount, but Fili later scrambled to his feet until being grounded again. Mitchell stayed busy from the top position to keep the fight on the mat, but Fili finally got free with a little under a minute left. That time on the feet didn’t last long, though, with Mitchell adding another takedown before the horn.

Fili was able to stay on his feet for much of round two, landing some solid shots before Mitchell took him down with two minutes to go. After some ground control from “Thug Nasty,” Fili got upright and landed a kick late that sent Mitchell’s mouthpiece flying, likely wrapping up the round for him.

The fight went to the mat in the opening minute of round three, Mitchell in control. Fili exploded back to his feet, but another takedown by Mitchell followed, that basically being the story of the fight.

Official Result: Bryce Mitchell def. Andre Fili by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

“Enjoy your moment today.”
 
The words from Anderson Silva to Uriah Hall after their UFC Fight Night main event epitomized the class and adherence to the martial arts ethos the Brazilian has always shown, and while what is expected to be the former middleweight champion’s final UFC fight didn’t go his way, Silva’s legacy as one of the best ever is untouched.
 
Today was Hall’s though, as he stopped Silva in the fourth round of what was an emotional victory for the 185-pound contender.
 
“Hats off to the legend and what he’s done for the sport,” said Hall. “I know the job was to get out there and get the W, but to separate those emotions, that was work itself, and I was honored to share that moment with him.”
 
It was a war of nerves in the early going, neither fighter engaging as they circled each other. A trade of leg kicks 90 seconds in was the extent of it until Silva began to open up his offense slightly. A hard kick from Hall was followed by a flurry by Silva, who began pressuring his opponent. Hall got off a few hard jabs before the end of the round, but it was Silva who outworked the New Yorker.
 
The second was a close one, Silva doing what he did in the first while Hall got a little busier. “Prime Time” appeared to be respecting the Brazilian icon too much, unwilling to press the attack.

Hall began landing some of his best shots of the fight in the third, and while they didn’t bother Silva, they were scoring points. In the final two minutes, a fight broke out, the two trading shots back and forth, with Hall drilling and dropping Silva with a right hand just before the end of the round. With a few more seconds, it could have been over for “The Spider,” but the horn intervened.
 
In the second minute of the fourth, another right hand put Silva down, and Hall poured it on, firing strikes on his grounded opponent until referee Herb Dean had seen enough, stopping the bout at 1:24 of round four.
 
With the win, the No. 10-ranked Hall moves to 17-9. The 45-year-old Silva falls to 34-11, 1 NC.
 
Official Result: Uriah Hall def. Anderson Silva by TKO at 1:24 of Round 4