Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) rolls into Dublin, Ireland for their annual offering to the rowdy fanbase, bringing an injury-riddled UFC Fight Night 76 mixed martial arts (MMA) event to 3Arena this afternoon (Sat. Oct. 24, 2015).
The stars of the show are flyweight prospects Patrick "Paddy" Holohan (12-1-1) and Louis "Da Last Samurai" Smolka (9-1). Holohan, a product of Straight Blast Gym Ireland, will be looking to defend his home turf against the Hawaiian, whose only career loss is to former 125-pound title challenger Chris Cariaso.
Elsewhere on the card, struggling lightweight Norman Parke (20-4-1) hopes to right the ship against the returning Swede Reza Madadi (13-3) in the co-main event, while undefeated welterweights Nicolas Dalby (14-0) and Darren Till (13-0) square-off to see who will continue climbing the 170-pound ladder.
However, before we get to the day's main courses, Maniacs everywhere are treated a "Prelims" appetizer, featuring six tilts highlighted by a scrap between Scottish and French finishers Stevie Ray (18-5) and Mickael Lebout (14-4-1-1).
This entire Fight Pass-only card gets underway with "Prelims" beginning at 1:15 p.m. ET, before the main card officially starts at 4 p.m. ET.
Enjoy!
Below are the results recaps for all six "Prelims" bouts on Fight Pass:
Stevie Ray vs. Mickael Lebout
Ray was gunning for a fifth straight victory as he sized up the MMA Factory's Lebout in a lightweight bout.
A right hand stuns Ray briefly, who lands a good low kick on the back end. Straight left misses for Lebout. Good outside leg kick for the 25-year-old Ray. Solid one-two combination for Ray. "Ragnar" returns fire with a combo. A nice count right connects for Lebout. Another right lands. "Braveheart" is finding a home for the straight left. Good inside low kick. They exchange kicks to end round one.
More one-two combos coming from Ray. The Frenchman is having a difficult time pulling the triger. Another one-two and a grazing front kick from Ray. The Scot is now bringing along the right counter. The 28-year-old Lebout pushes forward, looking for a takedown. We're in the clinch. They separate moments later. Crafty low kick from Ray. Head kick attempt from Lebout. He lands a good outside leg kick. Lebout initiates the clinch. We're back standing in the center of the cage with 60 seconds left in the round. Lebout tried a switch kick, which Ray catches and shrugs off. Good step-in knee from Lebout to bring round two to a close.
A short right hook causes Lebout to stumble in round three. Lebout's pace is better in the last two rounds, he just can't figure out a way to land consistently. Ray continues mixing it up, landing outside leg kicks. Lebout presses forward and backs Ray up into the cage. Body kick connects for Ray. An elbow finds the mark for Ray after they break from the clinch. Lebout aiming for a takedown. Ray reverses position in the clinch now. Spinning back fist attempt from Lebout. Ray slams Lebout late to seal the deal.
The winner: Stevie Ray via unanimous decision
Ray piles on to his win streak, claiming his fifth in-a-row. He improves to 19-5, while Lebout falls to 14-5-1-1.
Aisling Daly vs. Ericka Almeida
"Ais the Bash" enters the Octagon looking for her second UFC win over the Brazilian grappler Almeida.
We're going toe-to-toe right out of the gate. First it's Daly winging, connecting on good shots, but Almeida reverses in the clinch. She's limiting the space of Daly. She might not want to stay here too long. Daly can get the fight to the ground in a hurry. Almeida has a good thai clinch and connects on a couple of knees. So far, the 26-year-old has shown great takedown defense. SBG Ireland's Daly is searching for the trip and not the double. Some dirty boxing on the part of Daly. Well-placed knees come from the Brazilian. Daly gets the takedown off of a trip. Slight grab of the fence by Almeida. Daly is in full guard, posturing up over Almeida. Heavy bombs coming. She slides into half guard as round one comes to an end.
Daly once again is in the face of Almeida. She lands a good knee to start, then drops to attempt a single leg. Almeida doesn't budge. The Dubliner Daly gets the body lock takedown and nearly finds herself in a kneebar. She's in half guard now. Almeida back to butterfly guard. Daly raining down heavy punches. The Team Nogueira product gets back to her feet and lands a takedown of her own. Almeida maneuvers into side control. Now Almeida has the body triangle. Daly is stifling the choke attempt with good wrist control. Almeida rides out the round in dominant position with the back mount.
Daly pounding away at the face of Almeida early in round three. Almeida clinches and retaliates with hooks. Almeida is in an odd position, sandwiched between the fence and Daly, but is in guard. No we go to the mat. Daly is posturing up and landing heavy punches. She's trying to peel away the legs and get into the guard of Almeida. Hard hammer fists and punches from Daly. Two minutes to go in the fight. Upkicks coming from Almeida. More heavy punches from Daly, who puts the stamp on a great victory.
The winner: Aisling Daly via unanimous decision
Daly gets back in the win column and rises to 16-6, while Almeida falls to 7-2.
Scott Askham vs. Krzysztof Jotko
Askham would like to add to his collection of knockouts, as well as tack on back-to-back victories for the first time since 2013-14, when he faced the dangerous Polish grappler Jotko in a middleweight fight.
Quick takedown from Jotko. He's working in half guard. Heavy shots raining down mar the left eye of the Brit. Askham gets back to his feet. Jotko stays with him and applies pressure. Foot stomps. He drops for a takedown. Askham scrambles and looks to set up a triangle choke. Then, he goes for the armbar. It looks deep. Jotko isn't phased and settles into Askham's full guard.
A left scores for Askham early in round two. Good outside leg kick on the southpaw Jotko from Askham. The Pole sneaks in an uppercut. He ducks a high kick and lands a quick left. Great elbow from Jotko. The 27-year-old Askham defends against the clinch of Jotko and reverses. Dirty boxing from both men. They separate. Eye poke by Askham causes brief break with 1:00 left. The 26-year-old Jotko does his best Nick Diaz impression after a front kick by Askham catches the former. Good round for Askham, who turns it up towards the end.
Askham swinging for the fences in round three. A good low kick lands for the Englishman. Switch kick for Askham as he initiates the clinch. After a moment of separation, Jotko drudges forward for the double leg. Judo throw by Jotko. They're back up quickly. Now it's Askham stalking Jotko. Askham is getting countered when he moves forward. They're back to the clinch. Askham has double underhooks. Some knees from both men. Askham's face is a bloody mess. He's just wailing with knees and hooks. A solid left hand and body kick by Jotko to end round three.
The winner: Krzysztof Jotko via split decision
Jotko secures back-to-back victories in UFC and improves his record to 16-1. Askham falls to 13-2.
Cathal Pendred vs. Tom Breese
"The Punisher" wanted to win one for his Irish faithful and get back in the win column against Tristar Gym's Breese.
Pendred starts by opening up with a left-low kick combination. Breese sneaks a huge straight left through. He makes Pendred eat another one on a shot. The 28-year-old is spilling blood from his nose. Breese is finding his striking rhythm and connects on a left once more. Pendred rumbles in for a takedown, but the Brit defends it well and doesn't let the former get underhooks. Pendred lands a good right hand. He keeps getting tagged with the straight left. Uppercuts from the 24-year-old Breese as Pendred charges in. It all goes south from there as Breese takes out Pendred with an uppercut and follow-up strikes for a merciless technical-knockout victory in the first round.
The winner: Breese via first-round TKO
Breese's record remains unblemished and jumps to 9-0, while Pendred suffers his second straight loss. He falls to (17-3-1).
Darren Elkins vs. Robert Whiteford
After years of battling the elite of the featherweight division, Elkins was paired with the rising prospect Whiteford.
Striker versus southpaw once again. So far, Elkins doesn't look so fluid in his striking. He better look to get it to the ground in a hurry. "The Damage" is swinging overhand rights. A right connects for Whiteford. Some more in a barrage from the Scot find Elkins' chin. The Indiana native drags Whiteford to the mat momentarily, but the latter is up quick. A left scores with Whiteford. An uppercut comes from Whiteford, which Elkins counters with a left. The 31-year-old catches Whiteford off balance and takes him down. He has the back, then he pulls Whiteford away from the fence and is in butterfly guard right now. The 32-year-old turns the tables and is in control in the clinch. Both break and take to the center of the Octagon to trade with 30 seconds left. Elkins with a good right as the first-round bell sounds.
Elkins pushes the pace early and gets the takedown. He's in butterfly guard. Let's see if he can land shots. He gets Whiteford's back. This is getting interesting. Elkins moves to half guard. Whiteford gets back to his feet, but eats a right hand. Elkins continues to smother "The Hammer," pummeling from back mount. A bloodied Whiteford can't shake the American and is in the clinch once more. An awesome judo throw from Whiteford put Elkins on his back briefly. Elkins right back up and lands a takedown. He's postured up and pounding away, with his hand craddled around Whiteford's neck, preventing any defense. Round two comes to a close.
A solid left hand finds the mark for Whiteford. Good counter right hand from Elkins. Whiteford now marking the legs with low kicks, but Elkins is too tough and pushes forward, putting the former on his back. We're standing with 3:00 left. Elkins is masking a left high kick behind a right hand. Some good punches get through and cause Whiteford to stumble. We're back to the ground. Elkins straddling the back of Whiteford. He secures the body triangle. Elkins continues hammering away. He cinches up a rear-naked choke, but Whiteford is saved by the bell.
The winner: Elkins via unanimous decision
Elkins wins his first bout of 2015, bringing his record to 19-5, while Whiteford drops to 12-3.
Garreth McLellan vs. Bubba Bush
The South African submission ace McLellan searching for his first UFC win alongside the Texan in a middleweight tilt.
Both fighters exchange kicks as we have us a southpaw versus orthodox matchup. McLellan goes high and low, as Bush rushes in for a takedown attempt. A clinch battle ensues along the fence. The American has the hands clasped and gets the trip. Bush now in side control. McLellan locks up a guillotine choke and lets go, getting back to his feet. Back to the clinch. "The Fightin' Texas Aggie" pursues the double or single. He nabs his second takedown of the fight. It's not a lock Bush has success on the mat, McLellan has quite a few submission victories in his pocket. Bush transitions from half guard to side control, then north-south position. Back to half guard. Regardless of him setting up submissions, or landing ground and pound, the 30-year-old is keeping McLellan guessing. Not to the back. He's beginning to tee off on a turtling up McLellan. The duo are back to the feet, but McLellan slaps on another guillotine choke and drops to the mat. Bush escapes and the bell sounds.
Quick kick early from Bush. McLellan connects with a body kick, as Bush ducks, grabs body lock and lands a takedown. McLellan uses the fence to get up. Bush stays with it, but a McLellan fence grab hands him the takedown and full mount. Some short shots coming. Bush gets back to half guard. The 33-year-old McLellan scores with short elbows. He looks for an arm-triangle choke momentarily, but the fence got in the way. Bush is taking some heavy ground and pound now, while looking to escape. McLellan rides out round two in top position, without much threat of losing it.
McLellan rumbles out of the gate to land a sweet uppercut. "Soldier Boy" grinds Bush against the fence and scores another takedown, landing in half guard. He spins to the back of Bush, who slips out the back and begins looking for a double. McLellan drops for the guillotine choke again. Bush out of it, now has the back of McLellan. Bush slips off his opponent's back and now we're back to the clinch. McLellan notches the double leg. More short elbows and punches from half guard. Bush looks exhausted. McLellan gets the technical-knockout victory with two seconds left in the fight.
The winner: McLellan via third-round TKO
McLellan earns his first UFC victory and improves his record to 13-3. Bush falls to 8-3-(1).
For more complete coverage of the entire UFC Fight Night 76: 'Holohan vs. Smolka' fight card, including live updates and play-by-play, click here.