Wrapping up the prelims is the first of four rankings-relevant
featherweight contests. On the bottom edge of the top 15, Ige
(18-9, 10-8 UFC) will need a win to stay in contention. The long,
rangy Woodson (13-1-1, 7-1-1 UFC), with a nickname of “The Sniper”
that fits extraordinarily well, wants to crash into the title
picture and get a number next to his name. The third man in the
Octagon will be referee Andrew Glenn, and the fighters gladly touch
gloves before getting to business. Ige immediately looks to
struggle trying to get in on the 6-foot-3 striker, whose limbs are
around seven inches shorter. Woodson keeps to a jab, not tossing
out much more so he can stay light on his feet and get out of the
way from Ige’s looping attacks. Woodson steps in behind a jab,
reddening Ige’s nose up early. Ige swings for the bleachers with a
left hand, buzzing Woodson’s scalp and circling away. Ige hammers
the front leg with a kick, forcing Woodson to pirouette. Woodson’s
two-punch salvo is met with an overhand right from the Hawaiian,
and the fan are on his side as chants for Ige ring throughout the
Kaseya Center. Woodson probes with his jab, and he cannot get out
of the way from the power-focused Ige before Ige lands a couple
strikes. When Woodson goes for a kick, Ige intercepts him with a
kick on the plant leg. Woodson gets off a few punches, and he rolls
with a left hook and jams the body with a kick. Woodson keeps his
hands moving around, waving them back and forth to not show a
pattern. Woodson switches stances to catch Ige coming in with a
knee, and Ige takes it cleanly and connects with three punches on
the way out. Woodson plants a jab on the nose and the one on the
ribs, sneaking in a left hook when Ige crashes the pocket. Ige
misses the mark with one final blow before the round comes to a
close. Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Woodson Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Woodson Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Woodson

Woodson immediately gets back to fighting behind his jab, and Ige
is much more motivated and energized in the second stanza. Coming
in with unorthodox angles, Ige gets in close and slugs to the body.
A right hand from Ige wraps around the guard, and he keeps crowding
the larger man without walking into danger. Woodson rolls with a
punch and slaps Ige’s leg with a kick, and he kicks Ige coming in
but does not dissuade him from a single-leg attempt. Woodson plants
his leg back on the floor and splits off, and the two trade low
kicks. Woodson gets in an uppercut, and he fades back to avoid a
pair of punches aimed in his general direction. Woodson scores a
knee, and Ige cracks him with a left hand. Ige continues plodding
forward, loading up on power, and his leg kick is chained into a
takedown effort. The taller man turned the corner to fight off the
try, and he forces them both to stand. Ige’s left hands have
bloodied up Woodson’s mouth a slight bit, and he pushes away a head
kick to bean Woodson in the dome with a right hand. Woodson wears
it well and stays moving, not allowing Ige to trap or crowd him for
long. Ige spins with a back kick that plants on the ribs, and he
blocks a high kick right at the conclusion of the round. Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ige Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ige Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Ige

Jittery when leaving his corner, Woodson knows that Ige will likely
be going for broke in this round. He stands firm to put punches
together, and he gets away from the worst of it only to eat a
blistering haymaker on the jaw. Woodson stumbles to the side, his
eyebrow cut, and he tries to defend himself. Ige loads up with
everything he has, battering the taller man with a left hand that
knocks him all the way back into the cage. Ige rips the body to
bend his foe over, and he chases the retreating Woodson around the
cage and puts a salvo of punches on the chin. “The Sniper” desperately bends over to go after a takedown, and Ige
stonewalls him and beats on him with a long line of hammerfists. As
Woodson is still going for the takedown and is actively getting
back up, Glenn steps in to stop the fight. Everyone is
confused about the referee intervention, and the commentary booth
loudly laments the incredibly early stoppage. Woodson protests, but
unfortunately, the referee is the sole arbiter of the bout and is
the only one with the power to stop a fight. It is a bad look, but
it is what it is. Even with the questionable nature of the finish,
Ige enters the books as the first fighter to finish the rangy man
with strikes.

Featherweight action continues with Andrew Glenn as the referee.
Woodson is in the center of the Octagon and throws a high kick.
Padilla runs inside, lands a knee and then falls down. Woodson
takes advantage and goes into the guard of Padilla. Woodson tries
to pass but Padilla manages to get up and land a knee to the body.
Woodson gets backed up against the cage and eats a series of knees
and elbows. Padilla is very aggressive and keeps a great pace.
Woodson lands a left hook and is firing back well. Padilla lands a
nice 1-2. Woodson lands a nice leg kick. An uppercut from Woodson
stuns Padilla momentarily. A straight right from Woodson hurts
Padilla, and he follows up with another leg kick. Woodson has
really found his range and is landing well. 10 seconds left in the
round and Woodson lands a duo of uppercuts. Padilla backs up and gets flattened by a series of hooks. The fight
is waved off with two seconds left! What a TKO by
Woodson.

Typically a fan-favorite, Caceres (21-14, 1 NC; 16-12, 1 NC UFC)
will be entering hostile territory when he engages with Woodson
(11-1-1, 5-1-1 UFC) at the Enterprise Center tonight. Both
featherweights have designs on moving up the crowded featherweight
ladder, and a win will do wonders for the victor. This intriguing
striking affair will be governed by referee Jason Herzog, who
starts the match when the two touch ‘em up. Caceres starts off with
a long jab and a body kick, and he tosses a rear-leg head kick as
Woodson dances out of the way. Woodson flicks out a jab and
stumbles “Bruce Leeroy” and scores a trio of powerful calf kicks.
Woodson snipes his foe with a left hand, forcing Caceres to turn
partially, and then he beans the lead leg with another kick.
Woodson counters a leg kick with a left hand, and he chains a kick
of his own behind it. Caceres jumps forward to score left, and
Woodson stands firm and knocks him back. Caceres crashes the pocket
and looks to trade, and Woodson circles away and gets off a leg
kick on the way out. Caceres aims a few punches as Woodson ducks
away, looking to time the movements. Caceres flies by his foe with
a front kick, and Woodson whips a head kick at him as Caceres’ hair
moves with it. Caceres comes forward and they smack chests
together, and Woodson backs away but eats a left on the way out.
Caceres lunges with a left, and Woodson is there greeting him with
his own lengthy punches. They both trade hands briefly, and Woodson
ends his own series of strikes with a body kick. Woodson kicks low
with both legs, and he gets knocked back to the wall from a
combination. Woodson fakes a knee to make Caceres think twice about
charging forward recklessly, and he swings a body kick that Caceres
blocks. Caceres spins with a back kick, and due to the motion of
his opponent, the kick smashes directly into the cup. Herzog calls
time as Woodson’s face contorts in pain, but Woodson does not take
long to recover before signaling he is good to go. They get back to
hit, with Caceres timing a leg kick to connect with a left hand.
Woodson snaps the head back with a jab and follows with a right
hook, and both men whip head kicks at one another. Caceres lets his
hands fly wildly, and Woodson slips and moves. The two men share a
brief embrace as the round ends. Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Woodson Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Woodson Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Woodson

Fists are bumped, and Caceres leaps into action with a Superman
punch that misses by a slight margin. Caceres goes upstairs with a
hook kick, and Woodson slides to the side and chambers to fire a
body kick. Woodson crowds “Bruce Leeroy” with a trio of punches
that knocks Caceres off-balance, and Caceres retains his footing as
he bounces off the wall. Caceres gains a full head of steam and
rips the body with a few punches before going up top, as he presses
Woodson back and up against the cage wall. Caceres pressures
forward, checking a leg kick and connecting with a few shots.
Woodson lances out a few straight punches, and Caceres’ own blows
go wide. Caceres spins with a back fist and keeps turning to throw
a hook at the end of it, and Woodson looks surprised but moves out
of the way in a hurry. Caceres ducks a few punches but cannot avoid
the snappy jab of his foe, and every impact or dodge makes his hair
shake and might resonate more with the judges. Woodson meets him in
the middle and trades, ultimately backing off when Caceres goes to
the body. Caceres gets off a body kick, and Woodson pushes him away
to reset. Woodson comes up short on a pair of hooks, and Caceres
finds a right to the body and left to the head. Caceres whiffs on a
huge left hook, and he chases “The Sniper” around and checks a few
leg kicks before swarming the taller man. Woodson scores a knee on
the break, and Caceres disengages with a right hand. Caceres plods
forward, faking up high to kick the lead leg, and he walks through
a few punches but eats some coming back. The super close round ends
with both men landing strikes at the same time. Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Caceres Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Caceres Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Caceres

The featherweights meet in the middle, and Caceres strikes first
with a spinning back kick. Caceres keeps his spinning going, but
ultimately pulls up short before throwing another strike. Woodson
slips to the side and kicks the body, and he gets off a right hand
before Caceres can reach him back. Woodson brings up a knee, and he
has a head kick bounce off the raised guard of his foe. Caceres
races after his man with long right hands, and Woodson keeps him at
bay with kicks to the side. Caceres goes with a heavy right to the
body in the midst of a combo, and he returns fire with a few right
hands. One concussive right hand stuns Caceres momentarily, but
“Bruce Leeroy” uses the spirit of the Last Dragon and spins with a
back kick and unleashes a flurry of punches before Woodson can
escape. Woodson keeps to his own range with long, snappy jabs, and
Caceres nails the body and pins with a back fist that smacks “The
Sniper” in the head. Caceres does not take many steps back as he
keeps his volume up, and Caceres rifles off jabs and left hooks.
Caceres attacks the body with a left hand and a kick, and his
momentum presses them up to the cage. Caceres goes to the body a
few times before breaking off, and he ducks a jab when resetting.
The head movement from Caceres is keeping him from taking a lot of
flush shots, but Woodson still reaches him with short combinations.
Caceres starts grinning after eating shots and throwing back with a
vengeance, and a right hand of his clips “The Sniper.” Caceres
kicks the front leg and spins but does not fire off anything,
instead turning about to keep plodding forward. Caceres avoids a
step-in knee but absorbs a few punches up top. Caceres ducks a
right hand and blocks a head kick, and Woodson stands firm and gets
off a right hand. Caceres walks through the fire, points to the
ground and tries to force a brawl with the technical striker.
Woodson engages to an extent, and the two men throw down until the
final bell. Like many of the other decisions earlier tonight, this
one is going to be close. Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Caceres (29-28 Caceres) Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Caceres (29-28
Caceres) Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Caceres (29-28 Caceres)

It’s a likely firefight at featherweight as Jourdain and Woodson
take to the cage, with Jerin Valel there to make sure things stay
nice and clean. Jourdain immediately goes for a head kick, perhaps
to give the tallest man in the division something to think about.
Woodson switches stances constantly in the opening moments,
sticking out a fast, long jab from both sides. A minute and a half
in, neither man has committed to much in the way of full-speed
power shots. Woodson catches Jourdain cleanly with a straight from
each side. Jourdain comes in with a low stance, shoulder-rolling,
but can’t get off any punches before he is forced to retreat.
Jourdain lands a hard leg kick, then a solid punch upstairs.
Woodson goes southpaw and snaps Jourdain’s head back with a right
straight. Jourdain moves in and tries to corner Woodson against the
fence, but Woodson puts his hands on his foe and pushes him aside
as he slides out of the pocket. Jourdain steps in and runs right
into an intercepting knee from Woodson. Jourdain lands a slapping
spin kick at the horn. Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Woodson Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Woodson Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Woodson

Jourdain wades forward behind a trio of punches but Woodson steps
back, evades and lands a clean counter on the end of it. Jourdain
comes in with another combo that clatters off the guard of the
taller man. Woodson lands an outside leg kick. Jourdain responds
with one of his own a second later. Two minutes in, Woodson is
beginning to flow, waving his hands and switching stances before
launching long single punches. Jourdain drops for a single-leg and
gets it, but can’t finish the takedown even after running Woodson
to the fence. They end up in a stalemate, with Jourdain trying to
hoist the leg as Woodson counters with an overhook. They disengage
and Jourdain lands a glancing spinning strike on the break.
Jourdain is back to stalking, but continues to have trouble getting
inside against the lanky boxer. Jourdain drops for another takedown
attempt, getting onto Woodson’s hips and driving him into the
fence. Woodson defends calmly, and Jourdain gives it up, launching
another spin kick in an attempt to surprise Woodson on the break.
Jourdain lands a head kick right before the horn. Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Woodson Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Woodson Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Woodson

Woodson stands his ground as Jourdain advances, tagging him with a
couple of glancing short punches, before circling out. Jourdain,
looking perhaps to change things up, rushes forward with a flurry
of hooks, then throws a spinning back elbow that comes up short.
They collide and clinch, and it’s Woodson who ends up on Jourdain’s
back standing against the fence. Jourdain hits him with a hard shot
on the break, then immediately pursues and charges forward. He’s
landing more, his relentless forward pressure clearly making
Woodson uncomfortable. At the midpoint of the round, Woodson is
back on the outside, and he counters a kick with a long uppercut to
the body. Jourdain throws a spinning back kick, then another, but
he’s out of range both times. He throws a third, with similar lack
of success. Woodson hits his man with a body punch. Jourdain grabs
a snatch single-leg, but cannot finish, and the takedown shutout by
Woodson continues. With 45 seconds to go, Jourdain is throwing
haymakers and spinning attacks, looking for a moment of
fight-changing offense. Woodson goes for a reactive takedown and
Jourdain grabs a guillotine, falling to his back and closing his
guard as he does so. The choke is tight but time is short, but
Woodson pops his head out at the 10-second clapper and is throwing
punches from top position at the horn. Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Woodson (30-27 Woodson) Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jourdain (29-28 Woodson) Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Woodson (30-27 Woodson)

Justin Brown will officiate this matchup. Buzukja is the fourth
proposed opponent for Woodson. Buzukja jabs forward agains the
lanky Woodson. Woodson probes with a front kick and leg kick.
Another leg kick spins Buzukja around. Buzukja lands a big right
and follows with a combination. He pressures Woodson against the
fence and ties his man up. Woodson spins him around and breaks
free. They trade punches before Woodson slides away. Woodson goes
back to working the low kicks. Buzukja stalks his man, but Woodson
uses his array of kicks and long punches well. Woodson kicks the
body, then lands a jab. Woodson stops Buzukja with a stiff jab.
Buzukja follows a body kick with a right hand and they clinch
against the fence. Woodson turns his foe around and drops for a
takedown. Buzukja denies the shot and reverses for a takedown
attempt of his own. Buzukja brings a knee to the midsection before
Woodson frees himself. Buzukja pressures with a low kick and a
right to the body. Woodson responds with a rapid fire combination
to the body. Now Woodson is finding a rhythm, and he lands another
multi-punch combination near the fence before Buzukja shifts gears
for a takedown try. Woodson breaks free. They trade before the
horn, with a body shot from Buzukja being the most notable offense. Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Woodson Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Woodson Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Woodson

Buzukja pressures with punches but can’t find the range. Woodson
with a front kick and a jab. Woodson lands a clean 1-2 moments
later. Buzukja lands a right near the fence then changes levels.
Woodson defends with his back to the cage, then spins the
Longo-weidman product around. A pair of knees and a flurry of body
shots hurts Buzukja, and Woodson stays on the assault before
grounding his adversary. Woodson punches the ribs and hunts for a
choke with Buzukja in a crouched position. Woodson switches from an
anaconda to a guillotine choke, but thus far Buzukja is defending.
Woodson continues to alternate chokes, but Buzukja is wise to it
and works his way up. Woodson drags him back down immediately.
Buzukja defends with a kimura, but Woodson spins around and hunts
for a kimura of his own in north-south. Buzukja frees himself but
he finds himself ensnared in a front headlock. Woodson transitions
to the back, but he falls to his back, which allows Buzukja to tee
off with a salvo of punches. Woodson returns to his feet and urges
his opponent onward. Buzukja attacks again before the horn, but
nothing substantial lands. Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Woodson Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Woodson Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Woodson

Back at range, Woodson sticks a jab and a stiff combination.
Buzukja moves forward and eats a left hand. Woodson lands a
combination to the body and briefly gets a takedown. Buzukja
scrambles up and drives Woodson into the fence. Woodson deftly
transitions to Buzukja’s back, but he can’t fully take back
control. Woodson backs away from the clinch and throws a jab in the
center of the Octagon. Buzukja lands a body shot but eats a hook in
return. Buzukja misses on some punches and looks for a takedown
enar the fence. Woodson reverses and drags his foe down. He laces
up one leg and makes Buzukja carry his weight. Buzukja gets to a
knee, then stands. Woodson snaps him back down with a front
headlock. Buzukja defends against potential chokes on all fours,
then stands. Woodson punishes him with a knee as they stand and
then a clean right lands. Buzukja is still moving forward despite
absorbing plenty of punishment. A front kick by Woodson lands clean
on his foe’s chin. Woodson steps in and lands a nice knee to the
chin, then dodges a Buzukja offering before the final horn. Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Woodson (30-27
Woodson) Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Woodson (30-27 Woodson) Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Woodson (30-27 Woodson)

Fight Ready product Saldana has won two of three Octagon
appearances since appearing on the Contender Series, while fellow
Contender Series alum Woodson carries a 3-1 UFC mark into this
featherweight matchup. The 6-foot-2 Woodson will enjoy a five-inch
reach advantage over his opponent. Mike Beltran will be the third
man in the cage. Saldana probes with a front kick early. Woodson is
warned to watch his fingers. Saldana avoids a big right from his
foe and continues to employ a kick heavy attack against his rangy
foe. Woodson throws some long punches and a cople leg kicks as he
tries to find the range. Woodson counters a body kick with a right
hand and Saldana nods in acknowledgement. A leg kick lands for
Saldana. A glancing body kick lands for Woodson. Saldana kicks at
the body. Woodson stumbles forward and falls to the canvas after
Saldana lands a check hook. Saldana doesn’t go in for the kill,
instead allowing Woodson returns to his feet. A left jab sends
Woodson to his seat. Saldana, with arms outstretched, makes a
serious error by stepping in and landing a knee to his downed
opponent. He thinks the fight is over for a moment, but Beltran
lets him know it’s a foul. A point is taken and the action resumes
after a minute and a half. An oblique kick lands for Saldana.
Woodson moves forward behind a job and body kick, and he secures a
body lock. Saldana reverses position and separates. Saldana takes
Woodson’s legs out from under him briefly with a low kick. Woodson
kicks at the body. Saldana moves in with an overhand right and a
right hook. Saldana launches himself off the fence with a superman
punch and they trade punches until the horn. Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 9-9 Tyler Treese scores the round: 9-9 Noah Gagnon scores the round: 9-9

Saldana kicks the body and Woodson misses a counter. Saldana with
an oblique kick to the knee followed by a leg kick. Another leg
kick for Saldana. A body kick lands for Saldana as Woodson moves
forward. A stiff left jab by Woodson snaps his opponent’s head
back. Woodson switches to southpaw and lands a left. Saldana whiffs
on a wild spinning back fist. He kicks at Woodson’s legs again.
Woodson works behind his jab, but Saldana’s head movement is solid.
Saldana lands a nice left jab. Saldana ducks under a Woodson punch
for a nicely-timed takedown at about the 2:15 mark. He’s inside
Woodson’s guard. Woodson is framing an omaplata, but Salanda
escapes. Saldana now finds himself trapped in a buggy choke,
though, and it looks like he might be in trouble here. Saldana is
doing all he can to alleviate the pressure on his neck, but he’s
got another minute to survive. Woodson holds on to the choke, but
it looks like Saldana will hang on. He give Beltran the thumbs up
as the round draws to a close. Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Woodson Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Woodson Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Woodson

Woodson opens up with a left hook. Woodson forces the clinch, but
they quickly separate. Saldana lands a hard low kick. Woodson
counters a front kick with a straight left. Woodson counters
Saldana with a right and then lands a nice jab. Saldana shoots for
a takedown and shoves his man into the fence. Woodson maintains his
balance as Saldana thinks about taking the back. Woodson breaks the
grip and Saldana misses a spinning back fist on the exit. A
straight right lands for Woodson. Saldana changes levels again and
shoves Woodson into the fence. Woodson separates and circles away.
The pace has slowed significantly, and Saladana misses another
spinning back fist. A leg kick connects for Saldana. Saldana with a
body kick. The exchanges are pretty slow and sloppy now, as both
men appear to be fatigued. Saldana feints a shot and then lands an
uppercut. Another spinning back fist for Saldana, but it’s blocked.
Saldana is stuffed on a shot and pulls Woodson on top of him.
Woodson threatens with a choke briefly, but Saldana scrambles to
his feet. That’ll bring a merciful conclusion to the bout. Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Saldana (28-28) Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Saldana (28-28) Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Saldana (28-28)

Featherweights come up next on the docket, when “The Sniper”
Woodson (8-1, 2-1 UFC) will try to snipe Anglin (8-2, 0-1 UFC) and
hand his Scorpion Fighting System-based opponent his second loss in
two walks to the Octagon. The third man in the cage is referee Herb
Dean, who is still wearing his credential lanyard as he bears
witness to a glove touch that precedes the melee. Dean removes it,
thanks to play-by-play commentator Brendan Fitzgerald’s cries, and
the fighters get after it immediately. Anglin pressure his
opponent, landing a few strikes on the way in, but Woodson is right
there to give them right back. With long, rangy blows, he backs
Anglin off briefly, and a few low kicks continue this. Anglin
swarms forward, and Woodson wears it well and chops the legs a few
times. This cycle continues, with the shorter Anglin closing the
distance with a brief barrage, only to pull back and get sniped
with longer blows from “The Sniper.” Woodson lands a one-two around
the guard, and he steps forward with a high kick that easily finds
the head of his foe. Woodson sits down on a leg kick, and an
uppercut surprises Anglin. Anglin steels himself and attacks, with
a wide, looping pair of punches. Woodson sticks him and moves,
kicking him in the head as he shifts around, and Anglin crashes in
to try to take him down. Woodson easily stays upright to turn
Anglin around, and he knees his foe in the chest sternly before
shoving Anglin away. Woodson gets off a solid calf kick and a front
kick that splits the guard. A jab appears to have shaken Anglin up,
and Woodson’s accuracy is giving him problems as he seems to find
his home with basically every strike. Anglin attacks with a few
punches, and he spins with a back kick that sends Woodson
ricocheting off the wall. A kick from Woodson brushes into the cup,
and Dean calls a pause but Anglin waves him off to continue.
Woodson thanks him by laying into Anglin with a fierce barrage of
blows that appears to hurt Anglin. Woodson rips the body a few
times, and Anglin doubles over and shells up against the wire.
Woodson pressures him with more strikes, and when Anglin circles
out, he loops a high kick up top. Woodson targets the body with ferocious shots that
would make Bas Rutten stand up, and Anglin keeps a stiff upper lip
but is in big, big trouble. Woodson wags his finger at him, and
then proceeds to deliver a left hand square on the liver that makes
Anglin’s legs shut down. Anglin falls to his knees, and one more
punch to the same spot from “The Sniper” shuts Anglin down for
good. Dean sees that Anglin has had enough, and he calls a stop
to the fight. It was beautiful body work for Woodson that got the
job done, who set the body shots up with pummeling strikes up
top.

We move along to the featherweight division with a match between
sharp strikers as “The Sniper” Woodson (7-1, 1-1 UFC) takes on “The
Moroccan Devil” Zalal (10-4, 3-2 UFC). Keeping his head on a swivel
is referee Keith Peterson, who destroys all the nonsense in the
building. A touch of gloves to start things off, and Woodson
reaches out with several long strikes and takes advantage of his
sharp jab early. Zalal returns fire with a calf kick, and Woodson
changes stances and walks face-first into a punch. “The Sniper”
snipes at Zalal’s legs with his own calf kicks, and the preeminent
strike thus far is a kick down low. Zalal advances and looks to
close the distance, crowding Woodson and getting past his reaching
jabs. Zalal gets off a few punches on the outside, and “The Sniper”
chases after him but is reaching and lunging recklessly. Zalal
corners his foe into the cage, and he starts to rip into Woodson,
only to eat a stiff counter. Zalal backs off, rushes back in and
ducks low for a double. The Glory MMA & Fitness representative
stuffs the takedown, and he gets a break to fire off a few distance
kicks. Woodson clocks Zalal with a one-two, and he just whiffs with
a high kick. Zalal takes a kick to the body as he stays loose and
on his bike, trying to find his way back in. Both men fire off
spinning kicks, but it is Zalal that connects with one to the body.
“The Sniper” snipes with a left hand, only to be greeted with a
takedown attempt. Like before, Woodson defends it well, and hacks
at Zalal’s head with a couple elbows. Woodson punches the thigh and
body as he is pinned to the wire, and he makes Zalal pay for the
attempt with a few strikes on the inside before breaking. Zalal
backs off, and he attacks one final takedown right before the
10-second clapper. When he lands it, Woodson stands up, and the
round ends. Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Zalal Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Zalal Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Zalal

Woodson marches out of his corner to engage, and Zalal is right
there to meet him. A few reaching punches from Woodson score, and
Zalal fires back with some calf kicks and a clubbing right hand.
Woodson does not let him of the hook, as he pressures Zalal towards
the cage, landing a few punches to varying targets. Zalal looks to
brawl, and Woodson eats a right hand while trying to jab his way
out of danger. “The Moroccan Devil” throws hands until ducking down
for a takedown attempt, and Woodson keeps his wits and balance
about him as he pushes away and shakes his head. Zalal answers this
with another double, forcing the striker to defend with his back on
the cage wall. Zalal turns it into a single, and he elevates
Woodson in a moment only to set him back down where there is
nothing to it. Woodson fires off an elbow to get Zalal to back off,
and he tattoos Zalal’s body with a kick on the way out. Woodson
goes up high with a kick, and Zalal ducks and weaves with a counter
right hand. Zalal dodges another looping high kick, and Woodson
grabs hold of him to clinch up on his own terms. Woodson lands an
elbow and loads up on a few shots, but Zalal dances out of the way
as he escapes. Zalal swipes with a left hand on the way in, and
Woodson responds with three punches up top. Both men trade hacking
calf kicks, and Woodson catches Zalal coming in with a stiff knee.
Zalal eats it like a traditional Moroccan dish and gathers himself,
only to take a few jabs on the chin. The momentum shifts keep
occurring as one lands in volume, and the other answers with their
own salvo. Zalal pushes in to grab hold of Woodson’s right leg, and
Woodson snatches up a guillotine choke and pulls guard to fall to
his back and secure it. Time expires before he can get a tap. Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Woodson Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Woodson Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Woodson

There is a glove touch to begin the last round, and there is
immediate action as Zalal goes low with a kick. Woodson tags him
with a left hand, and he follows it with a solid one-two. Zalal
lands a few of his own, only to duck down to pursue a single leg
takedown. Woodson keeps his back on the fencing and splits his legs
to stuff the attempt, where he stands Zalal back up and turns him
about. Woodson tries to get off a few knees, and Zalal does not
like these so he bails and backs off. Woodson rushes after him to
push the pace, and Zalal drops down for a double. “The Sniper” is
forced to stave off the try instead of getting strikes off, and he
keeps his hand pressed on the back of Zalal’s neck to stop the
takedown from succeeding. Woodson pushes off and lands a knee to
the liver, and he flicks out a front kick to follow suit. Zalal
scores a leg kick, and he whiffs on a huge left hook. Zalal’s hands
are by his waist as he escapes, and Woodson is chasing him down
with strikes. Zalal breaks up this advancement with a double that
turns into a single, and Woodson stands tall and keeps it from
succeeding. With Woodson stuck against the fence, he signals to
Peterson that he is being held and not doing anything with it.
Zalal answers with a single, and Woodson latches on to a guillotine
choke to defend the position. “The Moroccan Devil” notices this,
and he lets go, where Woodson thanks him with a body kick. When
Zalal shoots in for a takedown, Woodson meets him in the middle and
snags on to a guillotine choke. Zalal squirms his neck out, escapes
a potential triangle setup, and rolls through. Woodson follows him,
but the two stand up to bang it out to the final bell. Both men
flail wildly and recklessly, and they laugh as they largely do not
connect. The round ends, and the featherweights embrace after an
exhausting battle. Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Woodson (29-28 Woodson) Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Woodson (29-28
Woodson) Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Woodson (29-28 Woodson)

At a scheduled 150-pound catchweight contest, the unbeaten Woodson
(7-0, 1-0 UFC) will welcome Erosa (22-8, 1-4 UFC) back to the
Octagon after his second UFC release last year. In charge of the
cage will be referee Keith Peterson, and unlike the previous fight,
there will be no nonsense here. They touch gloves and start
swinging, with Woodson firing a quick one-two right out of the
gate. Woodson stings Erosa with a jab, and Erosa’s face is already
showing a little reddening. Woodson slaps in an inside leg kick,
and despite being the taller fighter, ducks a spinning back fist
with ease. Woodson keeps Erosa at bay with long punches and low
kicks, but Erosa closes the distance to land his own left hand.
“Juicy J” attempts to chop down the lead leg, so Woodson follows
suit with a similar kick. Woodson tags Erosa with a piston-like
jab, and Erosa’s knees buckle for a brief moment. Woodson sticks
him with another left coming in, and follows up with a heavy right.
Erosa swings a low kick, and this makes Woodson pick his leg up. A
jab from Woodson sees a one-two come right after, and Erosa eats
them without concern. Erosa backs him up against the fence, and
drops low for a takedown, but Woodson stuffs it with ease. Woodson
blocks a head kick, and Erosa charges forward with punches that are
all blocked. Erosa again spins with a back fist, and Woodson blocks
it only to fire back at him with quick punches. Erosa pushes
forward to throw knee up the middle, and clinches up with the long,
rangy fighter. Erosa rips an elbow over the top, but Woodson blocks
it as they separate. Woodson throws a long right hand, and Erosa
walks him down and kicks low only to spin with a back fist that is
again defended. Erosa closes the distance to sneak an uppercut
through the guard, and he falls to the ground to entice Woodson to
follow him. Woodson stands and looks at him, and the round is
over. Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Woodson Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Woodson Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Woodson

They touch gloves to start out the second stanza, and Woodson
sticks out a long left jab, but stays in place a little too long
and eats a body kick on the way out. They go tit-for-tat, with
Woodson keeping his jab flowing while Erosa throws a leg kick or a
right hand, until “Juicy J” tries to take the fight down. Woodson
stands him up, but absorbs a hard elbow while Erosa tries to put it
to him. Erosa continues to walk him down while Woodson circles away
and jabs his way out, but Erosa practically ignores those jabs to
come in and throw heavy uppercuts, elbows and body punches. Erosa
tries to blast him with a left hook from downtown, and Woodson sees
it coming a mile away. Woodson keeps touching Erosa with jabs,
disrupting his opponent from getting combinations going. Woodson
steps up with a tall knee, and misses but lands a hard right hand.
Erosa smiles at him and throws back with a fury. The two trade
heavy leather in the pocket, and Erosa ends his flurry with a
thudding punch to the liver. Erosa sneaks up a few punches and
Woodson blocks most of them but takes some on the chin. Erosa has
his foot on the gas, and Woodson is trying to defend himself but
Erosa rips him to the body with another left. Woodson tries to get
into a brawl with him with his back against the fence, and Erosa is
landing the more serious strikes, marking up the nose of the
undefeated fighter. A few power jabs from Woodson back him off for
a moment, but Erosa keeps the relentless pace while shrugging off
these punches coming. Erosa pops him in the chops with a left hand,
and Woodson responds in kind with one that is harder. The two slug
it out to the bell. Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Erosa Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Erosa Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Erosa

Woodson begins the third round putting it to Erosa, but “Juicy J”
bites down on his mouthpiece and throws heavy punches and leg
kicks. Erosa drops down and tries to sweep the legs out like the
annoying kick that could irritate a friend playing “Mortal Kombat,”
and Woodson laughs it off and lands his own leg kick. Erosa pushes
the pace on him, and Woodson nails him on the chin that puts Erosa
down hard. When Woodson follows him down, Erosa tries to set up a
leglock, so Woodson pulls out of it and stands back up. Erosa walks
him down, winging punches as they land practically at will. Woodson
stands him up with a left-right, and Erosa changes levels to try to
take the fight down. Woodson stuffs it, pushes him away, and takes
a deep breath. As Erosa resets to come back at him, Woodson throws
a few more jabs out. Erosa charges in, lifts Woodson up and throws
him down. Woodson stands back up, and Erosa pulls him right back
down. This time, when Woodson walks back to his feet, Erosa slaps on a
brabo choke in an instant. Woodson tries to turn around and yank
himself free, and Erosa follows him down with the choke as tight as
can be. Erosa rolls on top with the brabo locked up and Woodson’s
neck torqued, and Woodson is forced to surrender lest he fall
asleep. Wow! What a fight, and what a win for short-notice
replacement Erosa, who becomes the first fighter to beat the highly
touted prospect.

Sean Woodson

Fight History

Fighter Skills Radar

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Striking Profile

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Grappling Profile

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Conclusions Summary