Hello all and welcome to InsideFights.com’s live coverage and play-by-play of UFC Fight Night 27 headlined by a five-round welterweight bout between Carlos Condit and Martin Kampmann. I’m Ryan Frederick and I’ll be covering tonight’s event from the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Stay tuned for live play-by-play coverage of the night’s preliminary card airing on FOX Sports 2. Stay tuned for coverage of the main card on FOX Sports 1, and check out our full coverage of the Facebook preliminary card. Enjoy the fights everyone.
James Head vs. Jason High
Referee: Herb Dean
ROUND 1- Herb Dean makes his first appearance as a referee on this fight card. They touch gloves to start. Feeling out process to start the fight and High misses a big left hand. High with a front kick to the body. High gets a takedown and is in side control and landing punches to the head of Head. High is in half-guard and landing more punches. Head squirms out of position and High goes in with a guillotine choke against the cage and is in the mount. Head tries to roll out but High still has it locked in from the mount and Head taps out! Big win for High. High gets his first UFC win and jumps on top of the cage to celebrate.
Official Result: Jason High def. James Head by submission (guillotine choke) at 1:41 of Round 1
Darren Elkins vs. Hatsu Hioki
Referee: Dan Miragliotta
ROUND 1- Touch of gloves to start this fight. Elkins misses on a combo to start as Hioki backs up to avoid. Hioki with a body punch as he switches stances. Elkins misses on another combo. Hioki with a body kick but Elkins comes back up an uppercut to the body. Elkins with another body punch. Both land solid punches. Hioki lands some close punches as Elkins misses on another combo. Elkins lands a right hand and Hioki counters with a left hook that backs up Elkins. Elkins misses on a left hand and Hioki lands some body kicks. Hioki is already bleeding from under the eye. Hioki with a front kick to the body. Hioki rushes in with a body punch and lands another body kick. Hioki is attacking with kicks and pushing the pace. Elkins misses a body punch. Hioki goes for the front kick and Elkins grabs his leg and pushes him against the cage. Hioki with a body kick. Hioki with a right hand. Hioki with a left hand but Elkins backs him up with a nice combination. Hioki lands a front kick to the body that hurts Elkins. Hioki drags Elkins to the ground by his neck and lands some body punches. Hioki with punches and looks for the guillotine choke. Hioki transitions to the top of Elkins and Elkins looks for a leg lock. They transition on the ground and get to their feet and Elkins looks for a takedown. Elkins barely gets it but Hioki is in a good spot. Elkins switches up and has Hioki against the cage. Hioki is landing more on the ground. More punches from Hioki and the round ends. 10-9 Hioki.
ROUND 2- Elkins lands a combo to start off. Elkins with big punches on Hioki but Hioki shakes it off. Elkins lands another combo ending with a left hand. Elkins with a Superman punch. Elkins looks to land another combo but Hioki counters with a takedown and he has the neck of Elkins. Elkins escapes to his feet and they break. Elkins with a left hand. Elkins with a kick but Hioki grabs his leg and lands a kick of his own. Elkins backs Hioki up with a combo. Hioki with a knee to the body. Hioki with more front teet kicks to the body and then lands a left hook. Elkins rushes in and lands some short punches. Hioki with another front kick. Elkins with a head kick but it is checked. They are brawling and Hioki lands to the body. Hioki with a leg kick. Elkins shoots for a double-leg and gets Hioki down. Elkins looks to pass guard as Hioki moves the fight against the cage. Elkins with a knee to the body. Elkins with body punches. Hioki looks to get up but Elkins works to get the back of Hioki. Elkins has it and Hioki rolls over. Hioki back into guard but Elkins landing body punches. They get to the feet and Elkins lands a knee to the body and two close to the groin. Elkins has the back. Hioki falls down looking for the kimura and transitions to the back of Elkins. Hioki has the back and the hooks locked in. Elkins rolls but Hioki ends up on top. Hioki looks for an armbar and Elkins moves back on top. Hioki lands from the bottom as we draw near the end and Elkins ends on top. Close round. 10-9 Elkins. 19-19.
ROUND 3- The crowd goes wild as the final round begins, and this fight is up for grabs. Elkins moves Hioki near the cage and lands a big right hand. Elkins with a running combo and Hioki looks to avoid trouble. Hioki goes for a kick but Elkins lands a left hook. Both men land combos in close range. Elkins with a combo and gets a big takedown and is in the guard. Hioki quickly works his legs into position to control and lands from the bottom. Hioki looks to move for a triangle choke but can’t get his legs there. Elkins knows it is coming and lands big punches. Hioki had wrist control but Elkins lands big punches from the top. More big punches from Elkins. Elkins with more suffocating punches from the top. Hioki still looking for the triangle. Elkins postures up and lands more punches. Hioki looks to get an armlock in but Elkins gets out of it and back into guard. Elkins with more brutal punches from the top. Elkins moves Hioki against the cage and lands more punches. Elkins with good ground-and-pound from the top and it is easily winning him this round. Elkins with more punches from the top. Hioki keeps Elkins in his guard and is controlling the wrist but can’t do much from the top. More punches from Elkins as the round gets to a close. Big round for Elkins and it may have gotten him the win. 10-9 Elkins. 29-28 Elkins.
Official Result: Darren Elkins def. Hatsu Hioki by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Justin Edwards vs. Brandon Thatch
Referee: Rob Hinds
ROUND 1- Thatch makes his UFC debut in this bout. Rob Hinds will oversee this fight. Thatch changes stances as he looks to fool Edwards early. They tie up quickly and Thatch quickly drops Edwards with a head kick. Edwards gets back up and they tie up again. Edwards looks for the takedown and Thatch lands a knee. Thatch with a head kick and punch that hurts Edwards. Thatch with a big knee and Edwards is in huge trouble. Thatch with more knees and Edwards goes down and Thatch is landing more punches. Edwards is eating a lot and this fight is close to being stopped. And it is! The referee runs in and stops the fight and Thatch scores a big knockout win in his UFC debut. Thatch had Edwards hurt the entire time. Thatch looked awesome in this fight.
Official Result: Brandon Thatch def. Justin Edwards by TKO (strikes) at 1:23 of Round 1
Dylan Andrews vs. Papy Abedi
Referee: Herb Dean
ROUND 1- Herb Dean will be the referee for our final preliminary bout. Both look for their second straight UFC win. Touch of gloves to start. Abedi with a big body kick. Abedi with another kick, this time to the legs. Abedi lands another body kick. Andrews switches stances as he looks for an opening. Slow start to the round. Abedi with a big body kick and then lands a small leg kick. Abedi lands a body punch and goes for a takedown against the fence but Andrews defends. Abedi lifts Andrews up high and slams him down to the ground and Abedi is in side control. Abedi looks to move to full mount but Andrews gets the fight back to the feet and gets a takedown. They get back up and battle against the cage. Abedi has Andrews against the cage. Abedi then trips Andrews down to the ground and Abedi is in the guard of Andrews. Abedi looks to pass but Andrews has underhooks of Abedi. Andrews tries to get to his feet and Abedi grabs his neck. Abedi in half-guard and in control with an elbow from the top. Andrews rolls to his knees and Abedi tries to go for a guillotine choke. Andrews gets to his feet and pushes Abedi against the cage. Abedi with a judo takedown but they get to the feet. More battling and Abedi gets a guillotine locked in but Andrews drops to his back and breaks it. Andrews still has a leg and gets Abedi down to end the round. 10-9 Abedi.
ROUND 2- They touch gloves to start round two. Andrews with a right hand to start, then another right hand. Andrews may have injured his left hand in the first. Abedi with a big left hand. Abedi misses a body kick. Andrews with another right hand followed by a leg kick. Andrews with another inside leg kick. Abedi with a body kick and is looking to set up a takedown. Andrews comes back with a leg kick. Abedi misses a right hook. The crowd begins to boo at the lack of action. Andrews misses a right hand and Abedi lands a counter jab but misses a big left hand. More booing for the crowd. Andrews attacks the body and pushes him against the cage. Clinch battle against the cage and Andrews gets a brief takedown. Back to the feet and Abedi lands a nice combo and Andrews is stunned. Andrews drops for a takedown but Abedi ends up on top. Abedi is on top and lands some blows to the body. Abedi pushes Andrews against the cage and lands an elbow followed by some punches. Abedi with a knee to the body and two big left hands. Abedi then moves into a guillotine choke but lets go. Abedi with more body shots. Andrews tries a switch but Abedi still has his neck. Andrews gets out but Abedi is in side control. They get to the feet and Andrews pushes the fight against the cage. Andrews with a knee. Andrews looks tired and they ride the round out following a groin strike. 10-9 Abedi. 20-18 Abedi.
ROUND 3- The final round of the prelims is underway. Both miss on short right hands from a close distance. Andrews misses on a big right hand but lands one that connects. They tie up and Andrews lands a knee. Abedi pushes Andrews against the cage and is looking for a trip to get the fight to the mat. The action has slowed and the crowd boos again. Herb Dean breaks them up against the cage. Andrews with a right hand. Andrews lands a big uppercut and Abedi falls face first on the mat. Andrews punches Abedi a few more times on the ground and Abedi is finished. Herb Dean runs in and stops the fight and Andrews gets the knockout win.
Official Result: Dylan Andrews def. Papy Abedi by KO (punches) at 1:32 of Round 3
