John Lineker vs John Dodson headlines UFC Portland

UFC Fight Night 96 results: Dodson vs. Lineker

UFC Fight Night 96 results: Dodson vs. Lineker

Yesterday, for the fifth time in his professional mixed martial arts career John Lineker had missed weight.   Tonight he headlined UFC Fight Night 96 in Portland, Oregon, opposite fellow bantamweight, John Dodson.

Lineker forfeited 20 percent of his purse to Dodson for coming in at 136.5 pounds.

After missing weight four times at flyweight (125-pounds) Lineker was forced to move up to bantamweight (135-pounds). He had three successful weigh-in attempts at the new weight class, until this.

Tonight while he may have looked as if he received more damage, it was Lineker who kept pushing Dodson up against the fence and controlling the pace.  Lineker showed much improved cardio and he really pushed Dodson to the limit allowing him to win the judges’ over on the scorecards.

The fight card had an unusually late start, not coming on television on the east coast until 11 p.m., an hour later than the normal 10 p.m., starting time.  The car began on UFC Fight Pass before transitioning to FOX Sports 2 and then later FOX Sports 1 for the main card.

Cody East's head after elbows from Curtis Blaydes at UFC Portland
Cody Easts head after elbows from Curtis Blaydes at UFC Portland

In the evening’s co-main event, former Bellator lightweight champ Will Brooks went up against Alex Oliveira.  Oliveira too missed weight yesterday, except he did it by more than five pounds.

Oliveira would injure Brooks’ ribs during the fight and because of it, Brooks winced and grimaced in pain with every move.  The fight was stopped via TKO in the third and then Oliveira decided to taunt Brooks.  Brooks threw his mouthpiece at Oliveira in return.

The biggest upset of the night came as late replacement and UFC newcomer Brandon Moreno submitted rising flyweight start Louis Smolka inside the first round.   Before the fight started, UFC commentators were stating that Smolka questioned why there is an Ultimate Fighter Season 24 competition when he felt he could challenge for the UFC flyweight title.

Nate “The Great” Marquart recorded his 35th professional victory after knocking out Tamdan McCrory via head kick in the second round.

Cody East suffered a TKO loss in the second bout on UFC Fight Pass.  He lost to Curtis Blaydes via TKO from elbows.

Official UFC Fight Night 96 weigh-in results included:

MAIN CARD (FS1, 11 p.m. ET)
John Lineker defeated John Dodson via split decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
Alex Oliveira defeated Will Brooks via TKO – Round 3, 3:30
Zak Ottow defeated Josh Burkman via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Brandon Moreno defeated Louis Smolka via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 2:23

PRELIMINARY CARD (FS2, 9 p.m. ET)
Henrique da Silva defeated Joachim Christensen via submission (armbar) – Round 2, 4:43
Andre Fili defeated Hacran Dias via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Shamil Abdurakhimov defeated Walt Harris via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos  defeated Keita Nakamura via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass, 7:15 p.m. ET)
Nate Marquardt defeated Tamdan McCrory via KO – Round 2, 4:44
Ion Cutelaba defeated Jonathan Wilson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Curtis Blaydes defeated Cody East via TKO – Round 2, 2:02
Ketlen Vieira defeated Kelly Faszholz via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

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