UFC Fight Night 29 results, photos: Chris Cariaso stops Iliarde Santos in second

BARUERI, Brazil – Chris Cariaso might have been the smaller fighter, but he was the more accurate striker against Iliarde Santos.

After a rough first round dealing with the bulky Brazilian, Cariaso took control with a series of well-placed punches that earned him his first finish in the octagon.

The flyweight bout was part of the preliminary card of today’s UFC Fight Night 29 event at Jose Correa Arena in Barueri, Sao Paulo, Brazil. It aired on FOX Sports 1 ahead of the main card on the same channel.

Santos, who appeared to be a weight class above Cariaso, ragdolled his American opponent to the mat in the fight’s first frame and landed several thudding punches to win the round.

Cariaso managed to avoid submission danger and find his way back to his feet. But he initially struggled to measure his strikes.

He corrected the problem in the second round as Santos chased down a firefight. He landed a hard right hand that put Santos on wobbly feet. But rather than circle away, Santos invited him in.

It was an ill-advised decision, as Cariaso battered him with more shots and sent him to the mat. Although Santos recovered to his feet, his cobwebs had not cleared.

Eventually, Cariaso cornered Santos and uncorked a right hand that prompted referee Keith Peterson to intervene at the 4:31 mark of the second round.

“I trained really hard I brought back my original camp that brought me to the UFC,” Cariaso said. “I’m right on track. It was a great fight. In the beginning of the second round, I caught him with a good hook and he started to slow down, and from then on I was able to put everything together.”

Cariaso (15-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) likely saved his job by earning the TKO, as he previously had lost back-to-back fights. Santos (27-9-1 MMA, 0-3 UFC), meanwhile, may have won another chance with his gritty toughness, but for now, a win has eluded him in the octagon.

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 29 results include:

• Chris Cariaso def. Iliarde Santos via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:31
• Alan Patrick def. Garett Whiteley via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:54

For more on UFC Fight Night 29, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

John Morgan contributed to this report on-site in Barueri.