UFC on FOX 31 Results: Joaquim Silva KO’s Jared Gordon in Insane Seesaw Battle

Welcome to UFC on FOX 31, the last UFC event to air on the FOX network because it’s ESPN from here on out. At the top of the card, “Ragin'” Al Iaquinta is rematching Kevin Lee, but here on the undercard we’ve got Jared Gordon versus Joaquim Silva.

Silva washed out of TUF Brasil 4, while Gordon’s claim to fame is that he’s 2-1 in the UFC and used to be a drug addict. I don’t know why fighters put that sort of thing on their resume, but whatever.

They come out slugging in the opening round, and Gordon is the first to find his range, first with kicks then with punches. He also gets the Brazilian down and works him over a little bit. When they’re back up Gordon tags him again with a dose of knuckles, and when Silva goes down you start to wonder if he’s going to survive the round. But he does! And hurts the American with a knee and ends the round with a guillotine attempt. Welp, this is a good fight.

Gordon continues roughing him up in the second, hitting first and hitting hardest in the exchanges. But Silva keeps coming back for more, and by the end of the round he’s gotten Gordon down, taken his back, and is working that cool kneebar from the back that is suddenly fashionable. Gordon is saved by the bell.

Round 3 is all about the slugfest, with both men standing about an inch away and swinging for the fences. It’s exciting as hell, but eventually Gordon starts eating more and more leather, and soon his arms are at his sides and his body is being held up by the cage as Silva punches his face over and over again. The ref jumps in because, damn, Gordon is standing but out of it completely.

Damn good fight!