Live Now! UFC Vegas 98 ‘Royval vs. Taira’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

The
Final Combating Championship returns to its homebase of Las
Vegas Saturday at 4 p.m. ET with
UFC Vegas 98. The occasion is often known as
UFC Struggle Night time 244.

BETTING
PREVIEW | SCOUTING
REPORT | ODDS: Carpenter (-192), Rocha (+160)

Spherical 1

It’s battle time once more. The Apex performs host to a dozen matchups of
diversified intrigue, with little in the way in which of instant title stakes
outdoors of the principle attraction. That doesn’t preclude loads of
frenzied violence and thrilling motion, as something is feasible
tonight. Fight commences within the flyweight division, as unbeaten
Carpenter (7-0, 1-0 UFC) appears to stave off surging newcomer Rocha
(17-1, 0-0 UFC) in what must be a wild one. Referee Mark Smith is
prepped and able to deal with the speedy combatants, who come
collectively to bump fists. Rocha strikes straight to the driving force’s seat,
pressuring ahead solely to dodge a pair of jabs flying at his face.
Rocha jabs out with a foot, and he wings a proper hand excessive.
When Carpenter kicks low, Rocha rails the physique with a kick. Smith
calls time to warn Rocha for his outstretched fingers, they usually get
again to fast one-after-another placing. Carpenter rushes right into a
brawl, and the Brazilian obliges him as the 2 commerce fingers,
absorbing clear strikes and giving them again in quantity. Rocha slows
issues down by trying to find a bounce knee, and Carpenter backs off and
instantly blitzes ahead to deal with Rocha to the mat. Carpenter
lands in half guard, and Rocha scrambles madly however can not get the
American off of him. Carpenter lashes out with an elbow that rips
Rocha’s left eyebrow large open, and he will get pulled again to the
guard briefly. Blood leaks down Rocha’s face and into his eye, and
he stays nullified with Carpenter’s efficient heavy shoulder
stress. Carpenter postures up once more to bean Rocha once more with
one other highly effective elbow, and the mat across the fighters is rapidly
gaining stains that can by no means be cleaned. “Fenomeno” fights off an
arm-triangle setup and bucks his hips on the proper time to take a seat up,
and Carpenter meets him each step of the way in which and retains him caught
due to a entrance choke. Carpenter bowls Rocha to his again once more,
the place he claims full mount briefly. Rocha shifts his hips to drag
Carpenter to half guard, however he absorbs one other elbow or two within the
course of. Rocha thinks a few leglock off his again, and Carpenter
sees it coming and rains down offense to interrupt it up. The unbeaten
fighter retains jackhammering elbows down, inflicting further harm
on Rocha’s nostril, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the spherical: 10-8 Carpenter
Brian Knapp scores the spherical: 10-9 Carpenter
Tristen Critchfield scores the spherical: 10-9 Carpenter

Spherical 2

The docs are capable of quickly stifle the bleeding of Rocha’s
eyebrow between rounds, however just a few strikes could restart the movement.
Rocha, understanding a trigger-happy physician would possibly wave issues off, begins
out much more aggressively than the final spherical. Rocha walks by
a number of jabs that open him up additional, dashing after Carpenter to
throw wild strikes and tag the unbeaten man with a knee. Carpenter
sweeps the leg with a kick, and he catches Rocha coming in with a
few physique kicks. Carpenter mixes in a takedown, crashing by the
hips with a double-leg takedown to plant Rocha on his seat. As
Rocha tries to get better, Carpenter spins round to take the
Brazilian’s again and hook in a physique triangle. Rocha pushes off the
fence together with his foot, however Carpenter is extra occupied with searching
down a rear-naked choke.
The forearm slides beneath the chin and is straight away tight, however
Rocha is insanely robust and grits it out. Rocha fights the fingers,
even touchdown just a few strikes from behind his personal head, however the choke
isn’t going anyplace. As Carpenter sits up barely to squeeze
with all his would possibly, Rocha’s fingers go limp and he loses
consciousness. Smith acknowledges this immediately and
breaks them up, with Carpenter standing up triumphantly to verify
his hair. This can be a stable win for the still-unbeaten Carpenter, who
turns into the primary man to submit his opponent.

The Official Consequence

Clayton Carpenter def. Lucas Rocha R2 2:12 through Technical Submission
(Rear-Bare Choke)

BETTING
PREVIEW | SCOUTING
REPORT | ODDS: Haddon (-185), Argueta (+154)

Spherical 1

Shifting gears to what was speculated to be a bantamweight contest,
Argueta (9-2, 2 NC; 1-2, 2 NC UFC) didn’t make weight and
surrendered 20% of his purse to Australian debutant Haddon (7-1,
0-0 UFC). The 139-pound catchweight contest will likely be overseen by
referee Jason Herzog, who clocks the fighters in as there is no such thing as a
plan for a glove robust. It takes the fighters mere seconds to get
after it, with Argueta hoping to impose his will by getting proper
in Haddon’s face throwing fingers. Haddon obliges the slugfest, and
they swing for the fences early. As Argueta lands cleanly, he units
up a takedown completely, stripping Haddon’s legs out and placing
him on his seat. Haddon slowly, calmly works his means up, and he
engages additional with the heavy American. Argueta tags his man on
the temple with a proper hand, and he crashes ahead to vary
ranges. Haddon turns to lean towards the fencing to stay upright,
and Argueta wrenches him all the way down to his knees momentarily. Haddon
climbs again upright utilizing the wall to drive his means up, and Argueta
is doggedly decided to get him down. Haddon desires nothing to do
with it, and he opens up with an extended mixture of punches as
Argueta swings his means into stage modifications. Haddon clips Argueta
with a left hand, forcing Argueta to shoot in deep. Haddon defends
the try and snaps off a number of sharp jabs and leg kicks to again
Argueta up towards the fence. Argueta masses up on energy strikes,
and he stumbles Haddon with an overhand proper. Haddon shakes it off
and comes again with clubbing strikes that sting Argueta. Argueta
lands cleanly and jumps guard with a guillotine choke, and Haddon
squirms his means free and stands up. They resume their ill-advised
technique of standing and banging, and Haddon picks his photographs
rigorously to tear a left to the physique and a proper to the pinnacle. Haddon
rings Argueta’s bell, assembly Argueta’s makes an attempt to take the battle
down with crisp uppercuts. Haddon shoves Argueta towards the wall
to knee him with massive blows, and Argueta works his means out however
can not dodge the jabs coming en masse. Argueta slips one and
counters with a proper hand excessive, and the 2 are merely
hammering one another with no regard to conditioning. The
frenetic-paced spherical ends with each males throwing fingers.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the spherical: 10-9 Haddon
Brian Knapp scores the spherical: 10-9 Haddon
Tristen Critchfield scores the spherical: 10-9 Haddon

Spherical 2

It’s proper again to the races for these fighters, who proceed to
battle as if the match is 5 minutes lengthy. Haddon is the extra
correct of the 2 however certainly not avoiding energy strikes hurled
again his course. A glancing proper hand from Argueta opens a lower
on the hairline of the Australian, and he pays it no thoughts as he
strikes his means right into a takedown. “The Decided” is stuffed with
willpower, muscling his means again to his toes, turning Haddon
round and depositing him on his again. Argueta begins to get some
ground-and-pound going whereas Haddon appears for a kimura sweep or
different type of escape. As Haddon appears to work his means up, Argueta
stays on him, by no means permitting the newcomer a second to breathe or
reset. Haddon stands, and Argueta lifts him up from behind to drop
him to his fingers. Argueta lifts Haddon up with a mighty single and
throws him to the mat, however Haddon is a person possessed and he desires
to maintain buying and selling. Exploding again to placing vary, Haddon pays his
man again with a collection of punches. Argueta dives low for a
takedown, and Haddon blasts him within the face with a knee that’s
about as clear as it may be. Argueta in some way tanks it, and he goes
after a takedown that transitions right into a low-percentage entrance
choke. Haddon shucks out of it and golf equipment Argueta with combos.
Argueta goals a number of to the physique, and Haddon offers him a knee again
to the chest to consider. A stable leg kick from Argueta sweeps
the leg, and Haddon frowns and contours up a proper hand to stun
Argueta. With Argueta backed towards the wall, Haddon comes at him
with fists and a knee earlier than the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the spherical: 10-9 Haddon
Brian Knapp scores the spherical: 10-9 Haddon
Tristen Critchfield scores the spherical: 10-9 Haddon

Spherical 3

When the spherical begins, Argueta slugs Haddon within the face with an enormous
left hand. Haddon doesn’t even blink, as an alternative releasing his personal
heavy proper hand that slams into the aspect of Argueta’s melon. The
two batter each other with energy blows, and Haddon flicks out two
jabs, makes use of his head motion to dodge the counters and stonewalls a
takedown. Haddon spins with a again fist that bounces off the raised
guard, and Argueta says “two can play that sport” and solutions with a
spinning again elbow that partially connects. Argueta lumbers
ahead, flailing massive strikes, and Haddon picks him off and tags
him with correct blows. Haddon measures an elbow up prime, preventing
off a tie-up from the New Mexican so he can rip combos.
Argueta stumbles to the aspect, however he retains throwing warmth. Haddon
lets Argueta overswing so he can ding him with single counters,
till Argueta boots him within the entrance leg and drops him. Argueta
pulls again proper earlier than unleashing what would have been an unlawful
soccer kick, and Haddon stands again up. Argueta makes use of Haddon’s
ahead momentum towards him to land energy strikes, however Haddon is
proper in his face popping him many times. Argueta’s blows
grow to be extra labored and telegraphed as he fatigues, and Haddon is
nonetheless on level with strikes however unable to cease Argueta from taking
him down. Haddon crawls his means again up, scoring two fast punches
earlier than Argueta rushes after him to re-engage a clinch. Argueta
drops low for a takedown, fails and transitions into one other
try, after which yet another. Haddon stays upright for all of them,
pushing Argueta to the middle of the cage and breaking. Haddon jabs
and lumps Argueta up with straight strikes, not exposing himself
with an excessive amount of energy to throw himself off-balance. The Aussie turns
the tables on the charging Argueta, placing Argueta on his again
after an try. Argueta scrambles to his toes and pursues just a few
extra that come up quick earlier than the ultimate bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the spherical: 10-9 Haddon (30-27 Haddon)
Brian Knapp scores the spherical: 10-9 Haddon (30-27 Haddon)
Tristen Critchfield scores the spherical: 10-9 Haddon (30-27
Haddon)