UFC on ABC 3 takes place at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. The main card airs on ABC and streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN/ESPN+. In the main event, former featherweight title challenger Brian Ortega (15-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) takes on Yair Rodriguez (13-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) in a key fight at 145 pounds. In the co-feature, Amanda Lemos (11-2-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC) meets Michelle Waterson (18-9 MMA, 6-5 UFC) in a women’s flyweight bout. In addition, former women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate (19-8 MMA, 6-5 UFC) makes the drop to flyweight for the first time to take on Lauren Murphy (15-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC). Follow along with our round-by-round updates and official results beginning at approximately 11 a.m. ET for the prelims on ESPN/ESPN+ and 2 p.m. ET for the main card on ABC/ESPN+. To discuss the show, be sure to check out our UFC on ABC 3 discussion thread. You can also get behind-the-scenes coverage and other event notes from on-site reporter Nolan King (@mma_kings) on Twitter. Enjoy the fights, everyone. For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 3.
Emily Ducote vs. Jessica Penne
Round 1 – Ducote opens in the middle and tries to push Penne back. Penne answers with a kick and jabs. A minute in, Ducote lands a nice left hook that pops Penne’s head back. Ducote works a low kick. Penne drops down and threatens a takedown, but bails out of it when Ducote backs away. Penne again drops for a takedown, but Ducote easily defends and briefly ties Penne up and pushes her to the fence. Ducote continues to work low leg kicks, and they’re starting to add up. Penne gets inside and ties up her in a muay Thai clinch and tries to land knees, but Ducote breaks away. Ducote keeps on with the leg kicks, which is proving to be her best weapon. Penne throws a nice teep, and with a minute left, they have a nice exchange of hands. Ducote throws to the body, then a left to the head. Again she goes to the body. Ducote continues to throw the leg kicks, and then lands a great right hand. She must’ve landed 20 leg kicks in the round. MMA Junkie gives Ducote a 10-9 opening frame. Round 2 – Penne throws a kick to the body. Ducote answers with one of her own. A big right hand for Ducote lands, right after another leg kick that has Penne grimacing, and it forces Penne to look for another takedown. But it’s not there. Ducote is defending any Penne takedown threat pretty easily. And she lands a left hand, then another. Penne answers with a 1-2 combination, but Ducote is there to fire back. Penne lands a jab halfway through the round, then tries again for a double-leg takedown – and again, Ducote easily sprawls out of it. Ducote keeps landing, but Penne finally gets through with a few punches and has Ducote’s nose bleeding. They exchange hands with 50 seconds left in the round. Ducote lands a bunch of punches with 30 seconds left. Penne ties her up with a clinch, but doesn’t land enough to make a difference. It’s another 10-9 round for Ducote on the MMA Junkie unofficial card. Round 3 – Ducote attacks Penne’s calf right out of the gate with the low kicks. That’s been the story of the fight for her. Penne throws a good front kick, but Ducote drops more calf kicks and Penne is limping on her left leg. Ducote lands a right that hurts Penne. Penne is backed against the fence and she’s in trouble as long as Ducote keeps working the kicks. And she’s throwing them. Ducote lands another right. Penne tries a front high kick, but Ducote backs away. Penne lands a right, but it’s not going to put Ducote in any kind of trouble. Midway through the final round, Ducote has landed 35 of 43 leg kicks at a clip of more than 80 percent. Penne is staying tough and lands a right hand. Then another gets through. But she definitely needs a Hail Mary home-run shot if she wants to win the fight. Ducote lands another slapping leg kick. Another kick gets through. Penne is going to have one hell of a time walking for a few days. With 30 seconds left, Ducote can put this on cruise control. Penne still fires away, but it’s still Ducote leading the dance. Ducote gets another 10-9 round and should have a 30-27 win in the fight for a really successful UFC debut. Result: Emily Ducote def. Jessica Penne via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)Photos: Emily Ducote def. Jessica Penne at UFC on ABC 3: Best photosRecords: Emily Ducote (12-6 MMA, 1-0 UFC) vs. Jessica Penne (14-6 MMA, 3-4 UFC)Division: Women’s strawweightBroadcast: ESPN/ESPN+Referee: Jacob MontalvoJudging: Eric Colon, Doug Crosby 29-28; Dave Tirelli 30-27
Dwight Grant vs. Dustin Stoltzfus
Round 1 – Grant comes forward 15 seconds in and throws a left, but Stoltzfus fires back quickly and sets him off balance. Grant dips down and throws a right overhand, then throws a left. Stoltzfus tries a leg kick, but Grant slides out of the way. Grant lands a big right hand a few seconds later, but Stoltzfus stays on his feet. Stoltzfus throws a big right 90 seconds in. Grant lands to the body, then tries a punch up top and threatens to take Stoltzfus off his feet. With three minutes left, Stoltzfus shoots in and works for a takedown. Grant defends, but his back is against the fence. He pushes away and eats a right hand in order to do so. Stoltzfus tries a left kick up high, but Grant dodges it. Grants lands a nice left hook when they get inside. Stoltzfus has a little blood near his left eye. He lands a kick, but Grant lands harder. Grant lands a couple punches with 15 seconds left. Stoltzfus tries to get after it with a few punches and a kick late, but it’s a 10-9 round on the Junkie scorecard for Grant in a reasonably close round. Round 2 – Stoltzfus lands a nice right hand 15 seconds in. Stoltzfus tries a few more leg kicks. Grant throws a punch, then an interesting hopping kick to the leg. Grant comes inside, but Stoltzfus tries to time a right hand and is just a smidge too late with it. Grant throws a front kick, then a left midway through. Stoltzfus tries a jumping knee, then a kick. With two minutes left, Stoltzfus moves in for a takedown. He tries to get him off balance, but Grant stays upright during the single-leg attempt. They clinch up while Stoltzfus keeps working to bring him to the canvas by switching from single to double. Finally, he gets him down with 70 seconds left. Stoltzfus takes his back and lands some punches while Grant covers up. With 45 seconds left, he gets a body triangle and pulls back to work for the rear-naked choke. He’s got it, but Grant works out of it. With 20 seconds left, he tries again, but Grant fights it off. Stoltzfus hammers away with punches hoping for enough to get a stoppage. He lands a slam from on top late, but Grant survives. It’s a 10-9 round for Stoltzfus on the Junkie card and it could be even heading to the last round. Round 3 – Stoltzfus could be up two rounds, depending on how the judges saw the first one. If not, it’s even. Stoltzfus looks like he has a lot more left in the tank than Grant. Grant lands and puts Stoltzfus off balance while he tries to get away. Grant drops a left hook in there with 90 seconds left, then lands a nice counter right hand. A left hook comes again not long after. Stoltzfus drills Grant with a big overhand right with three minutes left. Stoltzfus shoots for a takedown, but Grant gets out of the way and lands another right quickly afterward. Stoltzfus tries a spinning kick, but Grnat is out of the way. But Stoltzfus gets in, drops down and scoops Grant up. He carries him into the center of the cage and is about to drop him down with a big slam. There it is. If he can stay on top the rest of the way, that’s the fight for Stoltzfus. He moves into half-guard and lands punches. Grant doesn’t seem like he’s very interested in working his way back to the feet. Stoltzfus lands punches with Grant in survival mode. Stoltzfus steps over to mount with 12 seconds left. He lands elbows and a couple punches to close. It’s a 10-9 round for Stoltzfus, and he should have a 29-28 win – possibly a 30-27. Result: Dustin Stoltzfus def. Dwight Grant via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Photos:Records: Dustin Stoltzfus (14-4 MMA, 1-3 UFC), Dwight Grant (11-6 MMA, 3-5 UFC)Division: MiddleweightBroadcast: ESPN/ESPN+Referee: Dan MiragliottaJudging: Mike Bell, Derek Cleary, Chris Lee 30-27
Dustin Jacoby vs. Da-un Jung
Round 1 – Jacoby pushes forward quickly and gets Jung’s back to the fence. He lands a big leg kick from Jacoby, who had a highly successful kickboxing career before he moved back to MMA. Jacoby keeps working low kicks. Jung gets inside and gets a punch off. Jung throws some more and Jacoby motions him to keep coming forward. So Jung does and lands a jumping knee that has Jacoby smiling. He lands a punch right after. Jacoby threatens kicks with both legs and tries to land a punch, but Jung lands a 1-2 combo. But then out of nowhere, Jacoby drills Jung with a right hand behind the ear and puts him flat on his back. Referee Kevin MacDonald gets inside to make sure Jacoby doesn’t land anything else. The fight’s over. Jung pops up pretty quickly and wants to know why the fight was stopped. Result: Dustin Jacoby def. Da-un Jung via knockout – Round 1, 3:13Recap:Photos:Records: Dustin Jacoby (18-5-1 MMA, 6-2-1 UFC) vs. Da-un Jung (15-3-1 MMA, 4-2 UFC)Division: Light heavyweightBroadcast: ESPN/ESPN+Referee: Kevin MacDonald
Bill Algeo vs. Herbert Burns
Round 1 – Result:Recap:Photos:Records: Bill Algeo (15-6 MMA, 2-2 UFC) vs. Herbert Burns (11-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC)Division:…
