UFC on ESPN: Ferguson vs Poirier
Rhode Island, USA
Attendance: 13,410 (Gate: $2,749,050)
Critical Rating: 72%, Commercial Rating: 77%


MAIN EVENT

(#4) Tony Ferguson (27-5) defeated (#10) Dustin Poirier (26-9-1NC) via TKO (Strikes) at 0:46 of Round 1

CO-MAIN EVENT

(#7) Rafael dos Anjos (31-13) defeated (#9) Santiago Ponzinibbio (28-4-1-1NC) via Unanimous Decision

MAIN CARD

(#10) Dominick Cruz (25-2) defeated (#2) Jimmie Rivera (24-5) via Unanimous Decision
Daniel Spitz (7-4) defeated Deontay Wilder (0-2) via TKO (Strikes) at 2:17 of Round 1
(#9) Justin Gaethje (23-4) defeated (#12) Dan Hooker (20-11) via Unanimous Decision


PRELIMS

(#14) Rafael Carvalho (19-5) defeated (#7) Antonio Carlos Junior (12-5-1NC) via KO (Knee) at 1:23 of Round 1
(#16) Gunnar Nelson (19-6-1) defeated (#15) Neil Magny (22-10) via Submission (Kneebar) at 4:08 of Round 3
(#5) Renato Carneiro (15-4-1) defeated (#13) Shane Burgos (14-3) via Submission (Guillotine) at 1:19 of Round 2
(#16) Thiago 'Maretta' Santos (22-10) defeated (#14) Glover Teixeira (30-9-1) via KO (Knee) ar 2:50 of Round 3
(#17) Jinglian Li (20-5) defeated (#18) Tony Martin (19-6) via TKO (Strikes) at 3:17 of Round 2
(#16) Uriah Hall (16-10) defeated (#10) Jared Cannonier (13-7) via KO (Kick) at 1:01 of Round 2
(#23) Mike Perry (16-7) defeated (#20) Ismail Naurdiev (21-5) via TKO (Strikes) at 2:02 of Round 1
Alex Oliveira (20-9-1-2NC) defeated Michael Chiesa (16-6) via KO (Knee) at 3:52 of Round 1
Luis Pena (9-2) defeated Mark Eddiva (8-3) via Unanimous Decision
Batraz Agnaev (7-2) defeated Anton Berzin (6-3) via TKO (Strikes) at 1:15 of Round 1


Bonuses: ($50,000)

Fight of the Night: Dominick Cruz vs Jimmie Rivera
Knockout of the Night: Uriah Hall (vs Jared Cannonier)
Submission of the Night: Gunnar Nelson (vs Neil Magny)


Notes:

- Highly rated Russian LHW Batraz Agnaev made a successful UFC debut, wiping out former TUF contestant, Anton Berzin in 75 seconds. Big things are expected of the 6'5 fighter.
- Mike Perry was a +260 underdog, and after finishing Naurdiev just over 2 minutes into the first round, stood over his fallen opponent and taunted him. He then called out Tony Martin for his next opponent.
- Uriah Hall was also an underdog, at +350, but hit a spectacular highlight reel heel kick to KO Jared Cannonier
- Jingliang Li extends his win streak to 5 impressive wins, with this win over Tony Martin adding to his past wins over Mike Perry, Michael Chiesa, Elizeu Zaleski Dos Santos and David Zawada. He's now 9-1 in his last 10 UFC fights.
- Thiago 'Maretta' Santos called out Ryan Spann as a fighter he'd be interested in fighting, depending on how the LHW tournament goes.
- Former Bellator Middleweight champion, Rafael Carvalho moves to 2-0 in the UFC, first beating #13 ranked Elias Theodorou and now #7 ranked Antonio Carlos Junior, both by 1st round stoppage. A top 5 opponent likely awaits Carvalho next.
- Justin Gaethje called for a fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov next.
- Daniel Spitz pulled off a massive upset, TKOing Deontay Wilder less than halfway thru the first round. He was lined up as a sacrificial lamb for the former Boxing Heavyweight champion.
- Dominick Cruz moves to 3-0 since his return from a 4 year hiatus, now beating Jimmie Rivera after previous wins over Cody Garbrandt and Pedro Munhoz, with all 3 wins coming against top 5 ranked opponents. He will face the winner of Joseph Benavidez vs Marlon Moraes next, or step in if theres an injury to either fighter.
- Tony Ferguson followed up a 1st round TKO over Donald Cerrone with a destructive 1st round TKO over Dustin Poirier, finishing his opponent in just 46 seconds.
- The Prelims were some of the most entertaining prelims ever to air, with just one fight going to a decision, with that fight being 'decent' level.


Rankings Changes:

Heavyweight: N/A
Light Heavyweight: Thiago 'Maretta' Santos up to #11, Glover Teixeira down to #20
Middleweight: Rafael Carvalho up to #9, Uriah Hall up to #10, Antonio Carlos Junior down to #12, Jared Cannonier down to #16
Welterweight: Rafael dos Anjos up to #6, Jingliang Li up to #13, Santiago Ponzinibbio down to #15, Mike Perry up to #17, Alex Oliveira enters at #18, Neil Magny down to #22
Lightweight: Tony Ferguson up to #2, Justin Gaethje up to #7, Dustin Poirier down to #15, Dan Hooker down to #16
Featherweight: Shane Burgos down to #18
Bantamweight: Jimmie Rivera down to #5