ABU DHABI – MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 30 event, and you can join us for live play-by-play.

The event takes place at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

In the main event, Deiveson Figueiredo (18-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) takes on Joseph Benavidez (28-6 MMA, 15-4 UFC) in a rematch for the vacant 125-pound title. Figueiredo knocked out Benavidez in February but was not eligible to win the title because he missed weight. In the co-main event, Kelvin Gastelum (16-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) meets Jack Hermansson (20-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) in a middleweight bout.

To discuss the show, be sure to check out our UFC on ESPN+ 30 discussion thread. You can also get behind-the-scenes coverage and other event notes from on-site reporter John Morgan (@MMAjunkieJohn) on Twitter.

Enjoy the fights, everyone.

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Current fight

Davi Ramos vs. Arman Tsarukyan

Round 1 – A touch of gloves and we’re off. Ramos rushes forward and Tsarukyan connects with a combination. Tsarukyan lands a leg kick and charges forward with a combination. Tsarukyan connects with a spinning back kick to the stomach. Ramos comes over the top with a hard right hand. Ramos charges in with a punch and tries to grab hold of a takedown on the follow-through. The two fighters crash into the cage and Tsarukyan pushes Ramos away. Tsarukyan misses on a spinning back-fist. Tsarukyan shoots and Ramos doesn’t put up a fight to defend. This is Ramos’ world, even though he’s on the bottom. Ramos shoots up for an armbar but Tsarukyan quickly escapes. Tsarukyan doesn’t seem bothered by being on the ground with such a high-level practitioner. Tsarukyan reenters Ramos’ guard. Tsarukyan is attempting ground-and-pound but Ramos keeps tying his arms up. Tsarukyan stands up and dives in with a right hand, which connects. Tsarukyan connects with an overhand left followed by a right leg kick. Ramos lands a combination. Tsarukyan misses on a high kick and smiles. The horn sounds. 10-9 Tsarukyan.

Round 2 – Tsarukyan lands a combination and moves out of danger. The two fighters swing wildly. Tsarukyan misses on a spinning backfist and Ramos uncorks a brutal counterpunch. That connected loudly. For a coveted BJJ practitioner, Ramos has some serious power. Ramos is getting aggressive, pressing forward, and throwing frequent combinations. Both fighters stand in the pocket, trade, and connect. Tsarukyan connects and Ramos waives him on. Tsarukyan connects on a spinning backfist and shoots for a takedown. He gets it. Ramos had never been taken down in the UFC prior to this fight. And this might be why. Ramos rolls for a leg submission. Tsarukyan scoots out of danger. The two clinch and separate. Tsarukyan shoots for another takedown. This time, Ramos stuffs him. Tsarukyan lands a high kick. Ramos lands a right hand. Both fighters connect on jabs. Tsarukyan connects on a right leg kick. Tsarukyan tries another takedown. Ramos defends, landing some elbows while his leg was in Tsarukyan’s clutches. The round ends. 20-18 Tsarukyan.

Round 3 – Tsarukyan opens up with a pair of leg kicks. Ramos answers with a hard punch. Ramos is getting extra aggressive. He’s chasing Tsarukyan down. The referee calls timeout. Equipment issue. Tsarukyan’s cup is twisted. Tsarukyan fixed himself and the fight resumes. Tsarukyan lands a leg kick and Ramos is back to stalking. Tsarukyan lands a body kick. Ramos misses on a spinning wheel kick. Ramos keeps trying to goad Tsarukyan into standing in the pocket. Tsarukyan isn’t buying into the mind games. Tsarukyan connects with a hard punch that almost sits Ramos down but he keeps his balance. Both fighters exchange and land. Tsarukyan connects on two straight head kicks. Tsarukyan connects on back-to-back combinations. Ramos’ face is swollen and leaking. Ramos shoots for a takedown but Tsarukyan evades. The referee calls timeout to have the doctor examine Ramos’ cut. The action resumes and Ramos tries tying Tsarukyan up. Tsarukyan reverses him. Ramos pulls guard with a guillotine attempt. Tsarukyan escapes. The round ends seconds later. What a performance by Arman Tsarukyan. He is unbelievably sharp for a 23-year-old fighter. MMA Junkie scores it 30-27 Tsarukyan.

Result: Arman Tsarukyan def. Davi Ramos via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Records: Davi Ramos (10-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC), Arman Tsarukyan (15-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Dan Movahedi
Judging:

Results

Carlos Felipe vs. Serghei Spivac

Round 1 – We’re starting off big here at UFC on ESPN+ 30 – and Joe Martinez is in the house. Yesterday’s most heated stare-off was between these two heavyweights, so I’m excited for this one. Felipe comes charging across the cage to start things off. Felipe is pumping the jab early. He’s looking crisp. Spivac is blocking a lot of Felipe’s other strikes. Spivac lands a good combination that finishes off with a hard knee to the face. Felipe shakes off the cobwebs and continues to push forward. Spivac lands a kick. Spivac lands a jab. Felipe shakes his head “no” and slaps Spivac with an open palm. Felipe punches the body of Spivac. Both fighters land jabs. Spivac comes over the top with a right hand. A stiff jab from Spivac puts Felipe on his back foot. For a prelim card heavyweight fight, the pace in this fight has been great. Both men taking their time, but they’re all offense. Felipe lands an overhand right. The referee stops the fight as the end-of-the-round horn malfunction. Close round but 10-9 Felipe.

Round 2 – Both fighters land jabs. Felipe punches Spivac in the body. Spivac misses on a jab. Felipe lands a right – and then a left. Spivac tries a high kick but Felipe blocks it. Both fighters open up and exchange. Felipe is definitely the more active fighter here, but he’s missing a lot. Spivac shoots for a takedown and pushes Felipe against the cage. Spivac breaks the clinch with an elbow and the two fighters return to the center. Spivac connects on a hard right hand and then shoots for a takedown. Felipe defends against the cage and they return to the center. Spivac counters a Felipe combination and shoots for another takedown. Felipe lands a combination. Another Spivac high kick is blocked. Both fighters exchange. Felipe lands a one-two combination. Spivac misses on a high kick and lands a boxing combination. Felipe lands a right hand and the round ends. 19-19.

Round 3 – Spivac shoots for a single-leg and he gets it. He drags Felipe to the mat and semi-mounts the Brazilian. Felipe is sitting up against the cage, though, and uses it to get up. Spivac drags Felipe back down and lands some punches and elbows. Felipe gets up again. Against the cage, Spivac shoots again. Felipe defends initially but Spivac eventually gets him down again. Spivac is exhausted. He’s landing punches but they have zero zip on them. Spivac is breathing hard with each punch. Spivac digs deep and finds some power, landing a series of hammer-fists and punches. The referee warns Felipe to move. Felipe rolls toward Spivac and ties him up. Spivac lands a series of punches before time expires and the round (and the fight) ends. 29-28 Spivac.

Result: Serghei Spivac def. Carlos Felipe via majority decision (28-28, 29-28, 29-28)
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Records: Carlos Felipe (8-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC), Serghei Spivac (11-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC)
Division: Heavyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Rich Mitchell
Judging:

Amir Albazi vs. Malcolm Gordon

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Records: Amir Albazi (12-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), Malcolm Gordon (12-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee:
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Montel Jackson vs. Brett Johns

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Records: Montel Jackson (9-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC), Brett Johns (16-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC)
Division: Bantamweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee:
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Joel Alvarez vs. Joe Duffy

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Records: Joel Alvarez (16-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC), Joe Duffy (16-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee:
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Grant Dawson vs. Nad Narimani

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Records: Grant Dawson (15-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC), Nad Narimani (12-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC)
Division: 150-pound catchweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee:
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Roman Dolidze vs. Khadis Ibragimov

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Records: Roman Dolidze (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), Khadis Ibragimov (8-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC)
Division: Light heavyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee:
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Askar Askarov vs. Alexandre Pantoja

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Records: Askar Askarov (11-0-1 MMA, 1-0-1 UFC), Alexandre Pantoja (22-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee:
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Luana Carolina vs. Ariane Lipski

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Records: Luana Carolina (6-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), Ariane Lipski (12-5 MMA, 1-2 UFC)
Division: Women’s flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
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Marc Diakiese vs. Rafael Fiziev

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Records: Marc Diakiese (14-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC), Rafael Fiziev (7-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
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Kelvin Gastelum vs. Jack Hermansson

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Records: Kelvin Gastelum (16-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC), Jack Hermansson (20-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
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Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Joseph Benavidez

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Records: Deiveson Figueiredo (18-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC), Joseph Benavidez (28-6 MMA, 15-4 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee:
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