UFC Fight Night 95 results: Eric Spicely stuns Brasilia, submits 8-1 favorite Thiago 'Marreta' Santos

BRASILIA, Brazil – “The Ultimate Fighter 23” veteran Eric Spicely pulled off the first upset – and a major one – on a night of Brazil vs. America fights.

Fighting before a hostile crowd, Spicely (9-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) locked in a quick submission on Thiago “Marreta” Santos (13-5 MMA, 5-4 UFC) to buck the sizable odds against him.

The middleweight bout was part of the main card of today’s UFC Fight Night 95 event at Nilson Nelson Gymnasium in the Brazilian capital of Brasilia. It aired on FS1 following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.

The fight was over at the 2:58 mark of the first round when Santos was forced to capitulate to a rear-naked choke, the result of a fantastic scramble he set up in his opponent’s half-guard.

Spicely set up a takedown with an overhand right, landing in a considerably better position than moments before when a single-leg attempt put him on his back with Santos in his half-guard.

With the tables turned, Spicely got to work by threatening a kimura, worked to mount, and then transitioned brilliantly to the back after threatening an armbar in transition.

Spicely was 5-1 underdog in most betting lines when he got the submission win, his first in the UFC after his professional UFC debut ended in disappointment with a guillotine loss to Sam Alvey in July.

Although he was an 8-1 favorite, Santos previously was knocked out by Gegard Mousasi in a short-notice matchup at UFC 200 and now drops back-to-back fights.

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 95 results include:

• Eric Spicely def. Thiago “Marreta” Santos via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:58
• Godofredo Pepey def. Mike De La Torre via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:03
• Michel Prazeres def. Gilbert Burns via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Rani Yahya def. Michinori Tanaka via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Jussier Formiga def. Dustin Ortiz via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-27, 29-28)
• Erick Silva def. Luan Chagas via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 3:57
• Alan Patrick def. Stevie Ray via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
• Vicente Luque def. Hector Urbina via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 1:00
• Gregor Gillespie def. Glaico Franca via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 95, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

(MMAjunkie’s John Morgan and Fernanda Prates contributed to this report on site in Brasilia.)