The UFC 204: Bisping vs. Henderson 2 preliminary card is in the books. It didn’t get off to a great start with the turgid affair that was Leo Santos vs. Adriano Martins, but the entertainment value rose, the finishes ramped up, and there were a couple of upset victories. Here’s how the fights played out.

Iuri Alcantara def. Brad Pickett via submission (triangle choke) at 1:59 of round 1 – Bantamweights

Early double knee by Alcantara split Pickett’s guard, but as is Pickett’s reputation, he took it and didn’t go down. Spinning elbow rocked Pickett and three punches knocked him down. The follow-up punches somehow didn’t finish Pickett but Alcantara had full mount, attacked with a mounted triangle, rolled and went for an armbar, chained his submissions beautifully and turned it into a triangle. Pickett tapped and that was that. Superb performance by Alcantara and arguably the best performance of his career.

Immediate takedown for Stasiak in the first 20 seconds. Grant was back to his feet about 30 seconds later. A takedown for Grant against the fence, but Stasiak reversed with the butterfly sweep and got back to his feet, only for Grant to put Stasiak down momentarily. They separated after a relative stalemate and returned to striking. Grant had the slight edge on the feet and then took Stasiak down, but Stasiak used the butterfly hooks for yet another reversal.

Grant had the most significant offense in the first minute of round 2. A digging body shot followed by huge punches upstairs that had Stasiak in a moment of bother. Spinning kick by Grant followed by two punches also backed Stasiak up. He used his size advantage to full effect, going to the head and body and wearing Stasiak out. Stasiak was throwing lazy, labored spinning backfists, but did capitalize on a kick and take Grant down. Grant easily got back to his feet and smacked Stasiak with a knee. Another takedown for Stasiak led to Grant working for an armbar, then he abandoned it and threw elbows from his back. Full mount for Stasiak, but Grant pushed his legs off against the fence and powered out of it. A big opportunity lost for Stasiak.

Action in round 3 slowed, with Stasiak unable to do anything with his single-leg takedown. Stasiak went with a double-leg and Grant pushed him onto his back. The Polish fighter attacked Grant’s left arm and rolled for an armbar. It was deep and Grant was in massive trouble. Stasiak cranked on it as a helpless Grant couldn’t escape, and tapped out. What a comeback by Stasiak!

Leon Edwards def. Albert Tumenov via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:01 of round 3 – Welterweights

Tumenov was taken down in the first minute, but did well to get to his feet. Edwards was persistent with getting Tumenov down, and he did so again just a few seconds later. The Brit passed Tumenov’s guard and into side control, then full mount. Tumenov was able to regain half-guard, but offense was at a premium for him. “Einstein” reversed Edward and got back to his feet, but that was a luxury he’d enjoy for only 5 more seconds, as Edwards dragged him to the mat again. Edwards took Tumenov’s back, had both hooks in, but the round ended shortly thereafter.

Tumenov tried to get his timing down with his vaunted boxing in the opening minute of round 2. He got a nice left uppercut in but he whiffed on a right hand, which Edwards tried to turn into a takedown. Unlike round 1, Tumenov stuffed the shot. The round was effectively fought on Tumenov’s terms, and with 1 minute left he drilled Edwards with a big left hand. Edwards was fairly inactive and Tumenov was outstriking him. Body-head combinations by Tumenov got to Edwards as the round ended.

Tumenov continued to outthrow and outstrike Edwards in the 3rd, and Edwards had a takedown stopped. Edwards caught a body kick, tripped Tumenov down, and tried to get the back. He did so, went for the rear-naked choke, and tapped Tumenov out. Brilliant finish by Edwards.

Marc Diakiese def. Lukasz Sajewski via TKO (strikes) at 4:40 of round 2 – Lightweights

Diakiese came forward like a mad man and somewhat backed out of a flying knee. Sajewski took the prospect down straight away, and into side control. Full mount for the Polish fighter, but Diakiese recovered to half-guard. Sajewski threw some short elbows and then lost position. He went for a standing guillotine but Diakiese slammed him to the mat. After Diakiese fired off big strikes, Sajewski got the body lock and a takedown. Marc attacked with a heel hook in a scramble and then returned to his feet, scored with two hard leg kicks, and the 1st round ended seconds later.

Right hand by Diakiese to start round 2, which was set up with the jab. Big right and then a left to finish off that combination. Uppercut and a short left hook by Diakiese, who found a rhythm early as Sajewski’s cardio clearly started to fade away. Flying knee attempt by Diakiese was evaded by Sajewski, who threw a terrible spinning backfist. Sajewski pushed forward for the takedown in the clinch, but Diakiese shrugged him off. He just missed Sajewski’s head with a big right hand, but was bossing the round standing. BA sharp 1-2 combination against the fence and then another one. Counter left hook by Diakiese. Sajewski clearly hurt and eating a barrage of strikes. Walloping uppercuts and right hands, Sajewski not fighting back, very gassed, and he dropped to the canvas. The fight was stopped immediately and Diakiese scored the TKO.

Mike Perry def. Danny Roberts via KO (punches) at 4:40 of round 3 – Welterweights

There were hard kicks traded by both men in the early stages. Roberts momentarily stunned Perry with a quality left hand just about 100 seconds into the round. The crowd cheered the knee in the clinch by Perry, but Perry landed a good jab. Perry was eager to stand and trade. Hard knee by Perry and a right hand appeared to hurt Roberts, who shot desperately for a takedown. Ground-and-pound from the back snuck through underneath Roberts’ armpits. Perry took Roberts’ back but lost the position and Danny got back to his feet. Roberts fought back nicely at the end of the 1st, but Roberts got swarmed by Perry against the fence and hurt Roberts again. Roberts was saved by the horn.

Roberts slipped in a nifty right hook to the side of Perry’s head to kick off round 2. Perry was somewhat inactive for the first 90 seconds of the 2nd, which gave Roberts time to get off some of his own offense. Very nice head kick by Roberts somewhat froze up Perry, who fired back with big strikes and a right hand that caught Roberts. Perry’s ability to outstrike Roberts in wild exchanges once again forced Roberts to dive for a takedown. Perry’s lead leg was marked up due to the hard leg kicks. Roberts turned up the heat and jarred Perry’s head back with a big left after he’d touched him up with several other punches beforehand. Leg kick followed by a left hand found a home. Roberts was beating Perry up but a big right hand by Perry had Roberts on wobbly legs and down he went on a scramble. Perry took Roberts’ back and rattled Roberts’ head with vicious ground-and-pound.

Stinging right hand backed Roberts up and Perry went on an all-out attack for several seconds. Roberts survived the onslaught and they returned to the center of the cage. The Englishman dug to the body and diversified his strikes. Midway through the 3rd, a right hand rocked Perry but Roberts didn’t pounce on him. Big head kick by Roberts and Perry just ate it. Perry was clearly labored and hit ouput waned sharply. A hard leg kick buckled Perry. Huge knee and a walloping right hand dropped Roberts and he was out cold. Two more big shots and it was all over. Perry makes it 9 knockouts in 9 wins.

Leo Santos def. Adriano Martins via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) – Lightweights

Hardly anything of note happened in round 1. It was low on action, and I suppose both men landed a few kicks but Santos was perhaps a little more active. There were harder kicks thrown in the 2nd round, but it was still contested at a brutally slow pace. Santos came close to a big head kick but Martins blocked it at the last second. Then he hammered away at Martins’ right lead leg. Martins scored with a left hand and Santos continued attacking the body and the leg with his kicks. It was almost entirely a kickboxing match minus the boxing. Nary a takedown to be seen. There was one from Santos in the 3rd, but Martins stuffed it after he was caught out over-committing on a punch. Martins tagged Santos with a good left after he cut off the cage. Adriano also upped the urgency with some leg kicks and had Santos in a defensive mode. Martins closed an otherwise truly rotten fight more strongly than Santos, particularly once he let his hands go and threw more kicks.