SAN DIEGO – MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 41 event, and you can join us for live play-by-play and official results beginning at 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT).
UFC on ESPN 41 takes place at Pechanga Arena in San Diego. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
In the main event, former bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz (24-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) takes on Marlon Vera (21-7-1 MMA, 13-6 UFC). In the featherweight co-feature, Nate Landwehr (15-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) meets David Onama (10-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC).
Follow along with our round-by-round updates and official results beginning at approximately 4 p.m. ET for the prelims on ESPN/ESPN+ and 7 p.m. ET for the main card on ESPN/ESPN+.
To discuss the show, be sure to check out our UFC on ESPN 41 discussion thread. You can also get behind-the-scenes coverage and other event notes from on-site reporters Simon Samano (@SJSamano) and Ken Hathaway (@kenshathaway) on Twitter.
Enjoy the fights, everyone.
Da'Mon Blackshear vs. Youssef Zalal
Round 1 – Here we go with the first fight of UFC on ESPN 41. Blackshear with a kick heavy attack right off the bell. He’s chewing up Zalal. And Zalal shoots for a takedown a minute in and gets it. He’s working to pass Blackshear’s guard now. Nice elbows from the bottom by Blackshear. Zalal unable to get meaningful offense on top. Blackshear is working on a triangle, and gets some promising positions, but Zalal is able to get out. Two minutes left. Zalal opening up a bit more with ground-and-pound. And Blackshear goes for a leg lock, looks promising. Zalal escapes, but he ends up on the bottom during the exchange. Blackshear secures the back mount and keeps control until the bell. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Blackshear.
Round 2 – Nice right hand starts things here in the second round for Blackshear. He then shoots for a takedown and pins Zalal against the cage. He gets the takedown and is able to get back mount. The back control was very brief, as he was too high. Zalal now on top and immediately gets the back in a scramble. Zalal threaten with a choke, but doesn’t get it. Zalal now loses the back and ends on bottom. What a wild sequence. They scramble and are now against the cage with Zalal doing the pressing. Two minutes left. these two are very even in the grappling. Blackshear reverses the position and he’s now the one pressing Zalal against the cage. Blackshear gets the back mount while standing. He’s looking for a rear-naked choke. One minute left. Oh, it looks tight. It looks tight. The bell rings as Blackshear had a tight rear-naked choke. The bell rings. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Blackshear.
Round 3 – Zalal looking more active here than the prevous rounds. He lands a couple of good leg kicks and combinations. Blackshear fires back with a few shots of his own. Zalal doing the pressuring here. Nice jab by Zalal. And Blackshear connects with a solid right. Zalal onloading on Blackshear. Zalal in a groove now. Blackshear looks tired. He shoots for a takedown, but Zalal defends and keeps the fight standing. Relentless pressure by Zalal. Blackshear with another failed takedown. Man, Zalal is on fire right now. Two minutes left. Nastly body kick by Zalal hurts Blackshear. Blackshear looks in trouble. Good combination followed by anothet nastly body kick drops Blackshear. Zalal on top now landing ground-and-pound. He’s now on mount. Blackshear doing a good job at surviving, but this is a one-way beating. What a round. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-8, Zalal. Overall a tie, 28-28.
Result: Da’Mon Blackshear vs. Youssef Zalal declared majority draw (29-28, 28-28, 28-28)
Photos: Youssef Zalal vs. Da’Mon Blackshear at UFC on ESPN 41: Best photos
Records: Da’Mon Blackshear (12-4-1 MMA, 0-0-1 UFC), Youssef Zalal (10-5-1 MMA, 3-3-1 UFC)
Division: Bantamweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
Referee: Herb Dean
Judging: Sal D’Amato, Michael Bell 28-28, Chris Crail 28-29.
Josh Quinlan vs. Jason Witt
Round 1 – Both fighters a bit tentative here. They swing hard, but nothing lands flush. Witt shoots for a power double and gets it. In a matter of a few seconds, Quinlan scrambles back to his feet and the fight resumes standing. And bam! What a shot! Quinlan flattens Witt with a brutal right hook. No follow-up shots needed. Witt is still out on the canvas. What a debut by Quinlan.
Result: Josh Quinlan def. Jason Witt via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 2:09
Recap: Josh Quinlan melts Jason Witt with one-punch knockout
Photos: Josh Quinlan def. Jason Witt at UFC on ESPN 41: Best photos
Records: Josh Quinlan (6-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC), Jason Witt (19-9 MMA, 2-4 UFC)
Division: 180-pound contract weight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
Referee: Frank Trig
Tyson Nam vs. Ode Osbourne
Round 1 – Osbourne with a couple of kicks to the middle to start things off. And a nice right hand by Osbourne. Nam staying patient on the outside. Good jab by Nam. Good right hand to the body by Nam. Fun little stand up fight now. We’re halfway through the round. Oh! Massive right hand by Nam. Osbourne went for a flying knee and Nam caught him in midair. What a shot by Nam. He followed up with an extra shot on a downed Osbourne and the referee waives off the fight.
Result: Tyson Nam def. Ode Osbourne via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 2:59
Recap: Tyson Nam counters Ode Osbourne’s flying knee with nasty KO
Photos: Tyson Nam def. Ode Osbourne at UFC on ESPN 41: Best photos
Records: Tyson Nam (21-12-1 MMA, 3-3 UFC), Ode Osbourne (11-5 MMA, 3-3 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
Referee: Jason Herzog
Gabriel Benitez vs. Charlie Ontiveros
Round 1 – Ontiveros comes out hot and lands an axe kick on Benitez. The Mexican fighter closes the distance and pushes Ontiveros against the cage. Control is brief and they break away. Man, Ontiveros connecting hard kicks to the body and legs of Benitez. Three minutes left. Benitez having a tough time finding a target. Good leg kicks by Benitez. He now presses Ontiveros against the cage and lands some good shots from clinch. Ontiveros is cut below the eye. A low blow from Benitez halts the action. The fight resumes. Benitez with a huge right hand! Ontiveros is wobbled. Benitez hits a power double and mounts Ontiveros. He’s now pouring shots on Ontiveros. It’s bad. And the referee has seen enough, the fight is over.
Result: Gabriel Benitez def. Charlie Ontiveros via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:35
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Records: Gabriel Benitez (23-10 MMA, 7-6 UFC), Charlie Ontiveros (11-9 MMA, 0-3 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
Referee: Mike Beltran
Cynthia Calvillo vs. Nina Nunes
Round 1 – And they touch gloves. Nunes takes the inside of the cage, while Calvillo floats on the outside. Good leg kick by Nunes. Another one. Nice right by Calvillo. A leg kick gets caught by Calvillo, and it pushes Nunes to the canvas, but she gets immediately back up. Man, another bog calf kick by Nunes. These are adding up and Calvillo is feeling it. Two minutes left. Very little action happening besides Nunes’ occasional leg kicks. Calvillo attempts a takedown, but fails. Fans are starting to boo. Calvillo with a nice jab to close out the round. A clean 10-9 round for Nunes.
Round 2 – It looks like this is going to be a stand-up battle. Both fighters testing range and connecting here and there, but nothing significant. Fans are getting restless. Calvillo pressuring a bit more here. Calvillo doing a better job here at getting her lede leg out of the way when Nunes attacks with leg kicks. A good leg kick connects by Nunes, but Calvillo shoots for a double and gets it. Calvillo now sitting in Nunes’ guard. Two minutes left. Nunes attempts to get up by pushing away on Calvillo, but is unable to get back to her feet. Calvillo landing some shots here and there from top, but nothing impactful. Oh and a nice up kick from Nunes, as Calvillo stands over Nunes. Nunes finds her way back to the feet. Nice leg kick by Calvillo. The bell rings. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Calvillo.
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Records: Cynthia Calvillo (9-4-1 MMA, 6-4-1 UFC), Nina Nunes (10-7 MMA, 4-4 UFC)
Division: Women’s flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
Referee: Herb Dean
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Lukasz Brzeski vs. Martin Buday
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Records: Lukasz Brzeski (8-1-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), Martin Buday (10-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Division: Heavyweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
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Loopy Godinez vs. Angela Hill
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Records: Loopy Godinez (8-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC), Angela Hill (13-12 MMA, 8-12 UFC)
Division: 120-pound contract weight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
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Gerald Meerschaert vs. Bruno Silva
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Records: Gerald Meerschaert (34-15 MMA, 9-7 UFC), Bruno Silva (22-7 MMA, 3-1 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
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Priscila Cachoeira vs. Ariane Lipski
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Records: Priscila Cachoeira (11-4 MMA, 3-4 UFC), Ariane Lipski (14-7 MMA, 3-4 UFC)
Division: Women’s flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
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Devin Clark vs. Azamat Murzakanov
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Records: Devin Clark (13-6 MMA, 7-6 UFC), Azamat Murzakanov (11-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Division: Light heavyweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
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Yazmin Jauregui vs. Iasmin Lucindo
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Records: Yazmin Jauregui (8-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), Iasmin Lucindo (13-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Division: Women’s strawweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
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Nate Landwehr vs. David Onama
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Records: Nate Landwehr (15-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC), David Onama (10-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC)
Division: Featherweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
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Dominick Cruz vs. Marlon Vera
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Records: Dominick Cruz (24-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC), Marlon Vera (21-7-1 MMA, 13-6 UFC)
Division: Bantamweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
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