Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Alexis Davis scored the sole upset at UFC 186, as she re-established herself in the Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s bantamweight division and emerged victorious from her trilogy match with Sarah Kaufman on Saturday at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
Kaufman, a -194 favorite, had defeated Davis (+165) the first two times they met, delivering a technical knockout in 2007 and earning a razor-thin majority decision in their 2012 rematch. Their third bout ended on Davis’ terms, though early returns for the grappler were not promising. A former Strikeforce champion, Kaufman used her stellar striking skills to land punch after punch in the first round, all while avoiding the potent ground game of her counterpart.