UFL 3 Results: Gwerder & Sobnosky deliver instant classic, Grand Prix finals are set

United Fight League returned to our home of Mesa, Arizona on Saturday, August 12, for the biggest show in our short history. UFL 3, which was watched by 278k fans on Rumble, saw the conclusion of all Championship Grand Prix semifinals across five weight classes including a main event that will live long in the memory. In another initiative which proves the promotion’s commitment to putting fighters first, every athlete who earned a stoppage victory in round one was awarded an ‘F3 Energy’ sponsor to see them through their next fight camp.

In the evening’s middleweight headliner, Ty Gwerder (7-4) edged out Shane Sobnosky (8-3) over three rounds to earn a very close split decision victory in an unbelievable fight. Both men marched forwards aggressively and threw everything they had at their opponent, maintaining an impressive pace throughout. However, it was the Bellator veteran who just about did enough to get the nod from the judges and even the pair’s rivalry at 1-1. Gwerder now moves on to the championship final in December where he will face Ryan Loder (6-1).

Rising star, Amun Cosme (6-1), defeated Valodia Aivazian (11-4) in the co-main event as part of the Championship Grand Prix bantamweight semifinals. Cosme displayed a solid chin by eating a number of big shots from his adversary before getting the contest down to the mat. From there, he worked to a dominant position and rained down heavy strikes until the referee waved off the bout. ‘The Moon Show’ progresses to meet Elevation Fight Team product, Justin Wetzell (9-2), in a mouth-watering final for the inaugural belt.

Fan favourite, Zurina Turrey (3-0), sent the crowd into a frenzy when she picked up a huge win over Invicta veteran, Claire Guthrie (5-3), after an onslaught of powerful strikes led to a TKO stoppage in a women’s bantamweight tournament bout. Furthermore, Canaan Kawaihae (9-2, 1NC) advanced in the featherweight bracket, finishing Chris Mecate (6-2) by rear naked choke in only thirty seconds.

Elsewhere on the card, Sitik Muduev (11-4) moved on to the featherweight finals by defeating Josh Marsh (7-5) via TKO and Nikolay Veretennikov (11-4) stopped Luis Iniguez (6-3) in the second round to progress in the welterweight field. Steven Collins (1-0) bested Raja Jackson (0-1) over fifteen minutes in a lightweight feature bout to earn his first professional victory.

UFL 3 Results

Main Card

Main Event

Middleweight Championship Grand Prix Semifinal

Ty Gwerder (7-4) defeated Shane Sobnosky (8-3) by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Co-Main Event

Bantamweight Championship Grand Prix Semifinal

Amun Cosme (6-1) defeated Valodia Aivazian (11-4) by TKO (punches and elbows) at 4:52 of round two

Women’s Bantamweight Championship Grand Prix Semifinal

Zurina Turrey (3-0) vs. Claire Guthrie (5-3) by TKO (punches and leg kicks) at 3:00 of round one

Middleweight Championship Grand Prix Semifinal

Ryan Loder (6-1) defeated Lajuan Davis (5-1) by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Bantamweight

Jackson Santa Cruz Filho (7-4) defeated Steven Chang (4-1) by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Featherweight Championship Grand Prix Semifinal

Canaan Kawaihae (9-2, 1NC) defeated Chris Mecate (6-2) by submission (rear naked choke) at 0:30 of round one

Preliminary Card

Featherweight Championship Grand Prix Semifinal

Sitik Muduev (11-4) defeated Josh Marsh (7-5) by TKO (punches) at 2:09 of round two

Bantamweight Championship Grand Prix Semifinal

Justin Wetzell (9-2) defeated Brandon Lewis (6-3) by submission (rear naked choke) at 2:26 of round one

Lightweight

Steven Collins (1-0) defeated Raja Jackson (0-1) by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Welterweight Championship Grand Prix Semifinal

Nikolay Veretennikov (11-4) defeated Luis Iniguez (6-3) by TKO (punches) at 4:16 of round two

Welterweight Championship Grand Prix Semifinal

Ashley Reece (9-2, 1NC) vs. Dzhokhar Duraev (5-0, 1NC) ended in a no contest at 0:49 of round one due to an illegal kick thrown by Duraev. Reece advances to the Grand Prix final.

Women’s Bantamweight Championship Grand Prix Semifinal

Brittney Cloudy (6-5) defeated Veronika Smolkova (2-2) by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)