Bonus Coverage | UFC Fight Night: Royval vs Kape

Fight Of The Night: Steven Asplund vs Sean Sharaf

Dana White’s Contender Series standout Steven Asplund and Sean Sharaf needed less than two rounds to deliver the final Fight of the Night bonus of 2025. The heavyweights poured it on each other from the opening bell, but Asplund’s pace and volume ultimately proved too much for Sharaf to handle.

Just under four minutes into the second round, Asplund landed a flurry of strikes against the fence, forcing the referee to step in and stop the fight. Credit is also due to Sharaf, who pushed the pace and made it a far more demanding night than Asplund may have anticipated.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Manel Kape

Manel Kape proved to the MMA world that he has the talent to compete for a UFC title. A competitive opening three minutes saw Kape and perennial contender Brandon Royval feeling each other out, but once Kape spotted an opening, he unleashed a right hand that dropped the former title challenger. Royval attempted to scramble back to his feet, only for Kape to close the distance and pour on heavy strikes against the cage to put “Rawdog” away.

Just a week ago, it appeared Tatsuro Taira was next in line to challenge flyweight champion Joshua Van while Alexandre Pantoja continues to recover from injury, but a performance like this puts Manel Kape firmly into the title conversation heading into 2026.

Performance Of The Night: Kevin Vallejos

Dana White’s Contender Series grad Kevin Vallejos cemented himself as a legitimate contender in the 145-pound division by becoming the first fighter to knock out Giga Chikadze. The opening round was highly competitive, with Chikadze landing the cleaner, more impactful shots. However, Vallejos appeared to use the frame to find his range, as he found the finish early in the second round.

A minute and a half into the second round, Vallejos landed consecutive right hands to back Chikadze up against the fence before unleashing a spinning backfist that landed flush and sent Chikadze crashing to the canvas. A few devastating ground-and-pound strikes later, Chikadze was down and out.

Fight Of The Night: 

Petr Yan reclaimed the UFC bantamweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Merab Dvalishvili in the UFC 323 main event. Yan made clear adjustments from their first meeting, consistently pressuring the champion, landing clean body shots, and controlling the fight across all five rounds. All three judges scored it for Yan, marking his second reign as bantamweight champion and evening the rivalry at one win apiece.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Manuel Torres

Manuel Torres closed out the UFC 323 prelims with a statement performance, stopping Grant Dawson by first-round TKO. Torres showed sharp counterstriking and composure, slipping Dawson’s entries and dropping him with a perfectly timed left uppercut before finishing the fight on the ground. The win marked Torres’ second straight first-round stoppage and continued his rise as one of the most dangerous and exciting lightweights on the roster. If you want it snappier for social, I can tighten it even more.

Performance Of The Night: Iwo Baraniewski

Iwo Baraniewski delivered one of the wildest knockouts of the night at UFC 323, stopping Ibo Aslan by first-round KO in just 90 seconds. The two wasted no time trading heavy shots in an all-out brawl, with both men hurt early before Baraniewski ultimately landed the right hand that ended the fight. A true blink-and-you-miss-it finish.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Arman Tsarukyan

Arman Tsarukyan closed the show in Qatar with another dominant lightweight performance by submitting Dan Hooker in the second round. He controlled every phase, out-striking, out-scrambling, and ultimately securing the choke after reversing a late grappling exchange. Now riding a five-fight win streak and sitting at No. 1 in the division, Tsarukyan used the moment to call for a title shot next.

Performance Of The Night: Waldo Cortes Acosta 

Waldo Cortes Acosta continued his breakout year with yet another explosive finish, starching Shamil Gaziev in just over a minute. Stepping in on short notice didn’t slow him at all as he hurt Gaziev early, dropped him, and sealed the deal with a crushing right hand. That makes two first-round finishes this month and four wins on the year for “Salsa Boy,” who’s rapidly climbing the heavyweight ranks.

Performance Of The Night: Kyoji Horiguchi

Kyoji Horiguchi’s return to the UFC could not have gone better. The former title challenger controlled the action from the start, chopping Tagir Ulanbekov’s lead leg, beating him to the punch, and dominating the grappling. Early in Round 3, Horiguchi dropped him and quickly took the back, sinking in the submission to make a powerful statement in his comeback.

Performance Of The Night:

In his UFC debut, undefeated featherweight Luke Riley delivered on all the hype. After getting wrestled in the opening round, the Liverpool native reset between rounds and came out firing. Just seconds into Round 2, he detonated a clean left hook that shut off Bogdan Grad instantly. Riley moves to 12–0 with yet another stoppage and introduces himself as a dangerous new prospect at 145.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Carlos Prates

Carlos Prates stunned the arena with a Round 2 knockout over former champ Leon Edwards, stopping him with a perfectly timed left hand.

Edwards started strong using his grappling to slow things down and keep Prates from opening up. But once the second round hit, Prates lured him into a striking exchange in the center of the cage and made him pay. One clean left sent Edwards crashing back, marking the first KO loss of his career.

It was a statement finish from “The Nightmare,” who couldn’t have picked a better moment to stake his claim in the welterweight title picture.

Performance Of The Night: Benoît Saint Denis

Benoît Saint Denis wasted no time, stopping Beneil Dariush just 16 seconds into Round 1 with a crushing left hand in the clinch.

After an early leg kick from Dariush briefly knocked him off balance, Saint Denis then landed a devastating shot that sent Dariush crashing forward to the mat. It was an explosive opener from the “God of War,” who likely punches his way into the lightweight Top 10 with this emphatic finish.

Performance Of The Night: Michael Morales

Michael Morales surged into the welterweight Top 5 with a dominant first-round TKO over Sean Brady.

From the opening bell, Morales’ reach and power were overwhelming. He repeatedly tagged Brady from long range, forcing him to reset again and again. Once Morales found his rhythm, he dropped Brady with another clean shot and finished the job on the canvas.

Performance Of The Night: Bo Nickal

Bo Nickal bounced back in a big way, finishing Rodolfo Vieira with a shocking head-kick knockout in Round 3.

Nickal controlled most of the fight with his pace and clean boxing, using his jab and straight left to keep the BJJ legend at range. Just as the crowd started to settle, Nickal unleashed a high kick that instantly shut the lights out which was a massive statement after suffering his first career loss earlier this year.

The star reminded everyone why he’s considered one of the division’s top prospects, showing growth, patience, and serious striking danger to close out the prelims in style.

Gross Total Revenue: $13,624,189

Attendance: 20,664

Sold out

Third highest-grossing event in Madison Square Garden History

Performance Of The Night: Gabriel Bonfim

Gabriel Bonfim made the most of his first main event assignment by sending veteran Randy Brown to the canvas with a vicious knee in second round. That’s the fourth consecutive victory for the welterweight, with three of those coming this year. The stars continue to shine bright for the Brazilian, and spiced up his post-fight interview with a callout of another vet: Colby Covington.

Performance Of The Night: Josh Hokit

With Octagon power matched only by his skills on the microphone, Josh Hokit remained undefeated and made it look easy in the 56 seconds his opponent, Max Gimenis, lasted. And in the way only he can do, Hokit spit some bars for the audience, punctuated by a callout of Valter Walker.

Performance Of The Night: Christian Leroy Duncan

It’s not simply that Christian Leroy Duncan got his second straight stoppage victory, it’s that he knocked out a man who had only tasted defeat one other time…back in 2018. That’s five wins in six fights, and he looks more confident and dangerous than ever. The top 15 should be on the lookout for this guy.

Performance Of The Night: Zach Reese

Despite taking the fight on short notice, Zach Reese was a picture of the toughness, grit and general badass-ery that he’s built his name on vs a very game Jackson McVey. It wasn’t necessarily easy, though. Reese ate an astonishing amount of elbows, survived a brutal low-blow and leaked from a gash over his eye for the majority of the bout. Down on all the scorecards heading into the second, Reese dug deep and turned the tables in the most Zach Reese-style possible.

Performance Of The Night: Steve Garcia

Steve Garcia, the pride of Albuquerque, NM, rose to the occasion of his first main event and turned back a dangerous David Onama. If “Mean Machine” was somehow not on your featherweight radar before tonight, he certainly should be now. Seven wins in a row, six of them stoppages, all of them dominant. The assignments don’t get easier from here, but Garcia looked ready for all of them tonight.

Performance Of The Night: Waldo Cortes Acosta

It was an unusual fight marked by a long timeout for an eye poke, but seemingly fueled by that injury, Waldo Cortes Acosta unleashed some fury on Ante Delija to turn the tables on what had seemed to be a sure victory for the Croatian. “Salsa Boy” leaves the UFC Apex with eight wins in his division, the most at heavyweight since 2022.

Performance Of The Night: Allan Nascimento

Chute Boxe continued it’s thrilling run of Octagon performances with Allan Nascimento’s anaconda choke of a game Cody Durden. Durden didn’t go easy, but Nascimento was absolutely clinical in his attack, cruising to his fourth straight victory and punctuating the festivities with Steve Erceg callout. Yes, please.

Performance Of The Night: Donte Johnson

Hot off his contract-winning performance on Dana White's Contender Series, Donte Johnson took full advantage of his debut on the big stage, scoring his first submission win of 7-0 professional career, and taking home his first (but probably not last) performance of the night bonus. Look out, middleweights.

Fight Of The Night: Ludovit Klein vs Mateusz Rebecki  

Ludovit Klein returned to form at UFC 321, edging out Mateusz Rebecki by majority decision after a back-and-forth battle. Klein controlled much of the early action with precise counters and solid takedown defense, cutting and bruising Rebecki with clean shots. Despite a late surge from the Polish brawler in Round 3, Klein’s early dominance secured him the win.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Valter Walker

Valter Walker continued his incredible submission streak at UFC 321 by finishing Louie Sutherland with a heel hook just 84 seconds into Round 1. Once the fight hit the mat, “The Clean Monster” wasted no time locking in his signature move, earning his fourth straight first-round heel hook victory and further cementing his reputation as one of the most dangerous grapplers in the heavyweight division.

Performance Of The Night: Quillan Salkilld

Quillan Salkilld made the most of a short-notice opportunity at UFC 321, delivering a highlight-reel first-round head-kick knockout over Nasrat Haqparast. The 25-year-old Australian extended his win streak to ten and improved to 3-0 in the UFC with what’s sure to be one of the year’s most memorable finishes. 

Fight Of The Night: Ludovit Klein vs Mateusz Rebecki  

Ludovit Klein returned to form at UFC 321, edging out Mateusz Rebecki by majority decision after a back-and-forth battle. Klein controlled much of the early action with precise counters and solid takedown defense, cutting and bruising Rebecki with clean shots. Despite a late surge from the Polish brawler in Round 3, Klein’s early dominance secured him the win.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Valter Walker

Valter Walker continued his incredible submission streak at UFC 321 by finishing Louie Sutherland with a heel hook just 84 seconds into Round 1. Once the fight hit the mat, “The Clean Monster” wasted no time locking in his signature move, earning his fourth straight first-round heel hook victory and further cementing his reputation as one of the most dangerous grapplers in the heavyweight division.

Performance Of The Night: Quillan Salkilld

Quillan Salkilld made the most of a short-notice opportunity at UFC 321, delivering a highlight-reel first-round head-kick knockout over Nasrat Haqparast. The 25-year-old Australian extended his win streak to ten and improved to 3-0 in the UFC with what’s sure to be one of the year’s most memorable finishes. 

Fight Of The Night: Drew Dober vs Kyle Prepolec

Drew Dober snapped his losing streak in style, earning a third-round TKO win over Kyle Prepolec to cap off the prelims. After two rounds of nonstop trading, Dober turned up the pressure in the final frame, pushing forward after a brief pause for a low blow and unloading until the referee stepped in. It was a gritty, action-packed battle from start to finish, with Prepolec showing heart but Dober’s power and persistence sealing the deal in vintage fashion.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Charles Jourdain

Charles Jourdain continued his hot streak at bantamweight, securing a first-round guillotine finish over Davey Grant in spectacular fashion. The Quebec native dropped Grant with a flying knee before instantly locking in the choke for his second straight submission victory at 135 pounds. After an up-and-down run at featherweight, Jourdain looks reborn in his new division as he mixes in creativity, power, and precision to prove he’s a serious threat among the bantamweight elite.

Performance Of The Night: Aoriqileng

Aoriqileng made a statement in his return to Vancouver, wasting no time in erasing the memory of his last visit. The Mongolian veteran landed a perfectly timed right hand just seconds into the fight, dropping Cody Gibson and finishing him with rapid-fire ground strikes only 21 seconds in. It was a lightning-fast redemption for Aoriqileng, who not only avenged his previous knockout loss in the same arena but also ended his recent skid with an emphatic first-round TKO that lit up the Rogers Arena crowd.

Attendance: 17,671 (Sold Out)

Gate $2.7M (Announced Live Gate)

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Charles Oliveira

Charles Oliveira gave Rio exactly what it came for with another vintage “Do Bronx” finish.

The former lightweight champ stayed perfect on home soil, submitting Mateusz Gamrot with a slick rear-naked choke midway through Round 2. From the opening exchange, Oliveira pushed the pace, chaining together takedowns and submission attempts until he finally secured the back and forced the tap. The emotional win not only proved he’s still one of the elite at 155, but also tied him with Neil Magny for the second-most wins in UFC history.

Performance Of The Night: Vitor Petrino

Vitor Petrino kicked off the third round by flattening Thomas Petersen with brutal back-to-back uppercuts to secure his second straight heavyweight win. After a strong start and a slower middle frame, the Brazilian power puncher reminded everyone why he’s one of the most dangerous rising names in the division. Even running low on gas, Petrino’s knockout power never faded which holds a scary message for anyone standing across from him as he continues to climb the heavyweight ladder.

Performance Of The Night: Bia Mesquita

Fight Of The Night: Jiří Procházka vs Khalil Rountree

After a cautious start, Khalil Rountree and Jiří Procházka eventually found their rhythm, trading heavy shots late in the first round. Rountree’s cleaner striking and composure likely gave him the early edge, while Procházka showed flashes of his trademark creativity with kicks and jumping knees. The second round slowed down, with Rountree maintaining control through precision and patience as Procházka struggled to find momentum. But in classic Procházka fashion, the former champ stormed back in the third, pressuring forward with relentless combinations of punches, kicks, and knees. A spinning elbow and a vicious left hand sealed the deal, sending Rountree crashing face-first to the canvas in a dramatic comeback finish.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Alex Pereira

Alex Pereira wasted no time reminding the world why he’s one of the most dangerous strikers in MMA, reclaiming the light heavyweight title with a stunning first-round TKO over Magomed Ankalaev. From the opening bell, Pereira marched forward with confidence, backing Ankalaev up and landing a crushing overhand right that immediately changed the fight’s tone. When Ankalaev shot for a desperate takedown, Pereira stuffed it with ease and unleashed a barrage of punches and elbows until the referee stepped in just 80 seconds into the bout. It was a dominant and decisive performance from “Poatan,” who became a two-time light heavyweight champion and further cemented his legacy as one of the most feared finishers in UFC history.

Performance Of The Night: Joe Pyfer

Joe Pyfer made a major statement at UFC 320 with a dominant second-round finish over Abus Magomedov. After a competitive opening round that saw both fighters test each other on the ground, Pyfer came out aggressive in the second, pressing forward and landing a huge right hand that sent Magomedov reeling. Smelling the finish, Pyfer poured on the pressure with heavy ground-and-pound before smoothly transitioning to an arm triangle attempt. When Magomedov tried to escape, Pyfer took his back and locked in a tight rear-naked choke to seal the submission victory. The win marked Pyfer’s third straight and likely punched his ticket into the middleweight top 15.

Performance Of The Night: Jiří Procházka

Jiří Procházka not only delivered one of the most thrilling comebacks of the night, but also one of the most spectacular finishes of the year. His third-round knockout over Khalil Rountree earned him both Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses, rewarding his trademark chaos, heart, and explosive striking in a fight that had fans on their feet from start to finish.

Gross Total Revenue: $8,840,134 (Announced Live Gate)

Attendance: 19,081

*Sold out

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Carlos Ulberg

Carlos Ulberg made his first UFC main event one to remember, finishing Dominick Reyes with a clean right hand late in the opening round. After a patient start from both fighters, Ulberg found his moment, flooring Reyes before sealing the win with ground-and-pound. The knockout marked his ninth straight victory and further cemented his place as a serious threat in the light heavyweight title picture. It was a career-defining performance for “Black Jag,” who continues to rise as one of City Kickboxing’s brightest stars.

Performance Of The Night: Tom Nolan

Tom Nolan gave the Perth crowd plenty to cheer for, rallying from some early trouble to finish Charlie Campbell with a first-round submission. After eating a few heavy shots, “Big Train” swung the momentum back his way with sharp striking before landing a spinning back kick that folded Campbell. Nolan then poured it on, dragged the fight to the mat, and locked up the choke for a statement win. 

The 25-year-old lightweight prospect has now put together four straight victories since his UFC debut loss, and with his size and versatile skill set, he’s quickly emerging as one of the division’s brightest up-and-comers.

Performance Of The Night: Jimmy Crute

Jimmy Crute wasted no time reminding fans why he’s such a dangerous force at light heavyweight after submitting Ivan Erslan in the first round. After eating a couple of early punches, “The Brute” switched gears, shooting in for a clean takedown and quickly taking control on the mat.

Once he secured position, Crute locked in a rear naked choke that left Erslan no choice but to tap. It’s his second win in just three months and with momentum back on his side after time away from the sport, Crute looks ready to climb back into the rankings.

Performance Of The Night: Brando Pericic

Brandon Pericic made a statement in his UFC debut, steamrolling Elisha Ellison with a first-round knockout in under two minutes. After rocking Ellison with a heavy right hand, “The Balkan Bear” poured on the pressure and took full advantage once the fight hit the mat, unloading ground-and-pound until the referee stepped in. Representing City Kickboxing, the 31-year-old heavyweight may be short on pro experience, but his debut showed he’s a dangerous new name to watch in the division.

Fight Of The Night: Diego Lopes vs Jean Silva

Diego Lopes put on a show, stopping Jean Silva in the second round with a perfectly timed spinning back elbow.

Lopes took control early, dropping Silva in the first round and dominating from mount with relentless ground-and-pound. Silva stormed back in the second, pressing forward with heavy shots and repeatedly trying to land a back elbow. But in the closing moments of the round, it was Lopes who landed strike, opening Silva up and swarming with punches until the referee stepped in.

It was a wild, high-stakes clash between two fearless featherweights, and Lopes proved once again why he’s among the division’s elite. After falling just short in a title bid earlier this year, this statement win puts the Brazilian Warriors leader right back in the contender conversation.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Santiago Luna

Santiago Luna kicked off the main card in style, rallying from early trouble to score a first-round knockout. After getting clipped in the opening exchanges, the 21-year-old debutant settled in, turned the tide with sharp combinations along the fence, and closed the show with a crushing hammerfist. Now 7-0 all by finishes, “Border Boy” had the crowd at Frost Bank Center on their feet.

Performance Of The Night: Diego Lopes

With a highlight-reel finish on Noche UFC, Lopes all but secured his own Performance of the Night bonus, reminding everyone why he’s one of the most dangerous featherweights on the roster. This win not only keeps him firmly in the contender conversation, but also adds another electric moment to his growing legacy as a must-watch fighter every time he steps into the Octagon.

Attendance:

Records:

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Benoit Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis delivered a stunning second-round submission victory over Mauricio Ruffy at 2:56, thrilling the Paris crowd. The aggressive French lightweight controlled the action from the start, using his pressure and diverse skill set to throw Ruffy off his game. Halfway through the second, Saint Denis took Ruffy down, secured his back, and locked in a rear-naked choke. Despite Ruffy trying to defend, the pressure was too much, and he tapped out.

It was a textbook performance from the 29-year-old "God of War," who soaked in the applause from his home crowd. With this win, he adds another submission to his 2023 record, solidifying his spot in the rankings and defending his turf in Paris.

Performance Of The Night: 

Mason Jones survived an early scare but came roaring back to stop Bolaji Oki with a barrage of elbows, earning the Round 2 TKO.

After getting rocked in the opening minutes, the Welshman stayed composed, battled back to his feet, and turned the tide. By the end of the first, he had taken control, and in the second, he ramped up the pressure, slamming Oki to the mat with a clean throw, taking mount, and finishing the fight in dominant fashion. That’s two straight UFC wins for Jones since returning from his Cage Warriors run, and six in a row overall. At just 30, “The Dragon” looks sharper than ever and could be hitting his stride inside the Octagon.

Performance Of The Night: Ante Delija

Ante Delija made his UFC debut in style, knocking out Marcin Tybura just over two minutes into the first round.

The 35-year-old Croatian didn’t waste any time, showing off his speed and power early. As soon as the two separated from the fence, Delija let his hands fly, landing clean and putting Tybura away.Taking out a seasoned vet like Tybura in your first UFC appearance is no small feat, and Delija may have just punched his way straight into the rankings. Huge statement win for "Walking Trouble" in his long-awaited Octagon debut.

Performance Of The Night: Kaue Fernandes

Kaue Fernandes made quick work of Harry Hardwick, scoring a first-round TKO via brutal leg kicks.

Right from the jump, Fernandes zeroed in on Hardwick’s legs, chopping away with ruthless consistency. The damage added up fast, and after one final low kick dropped the Brit, Fernandes stepped back and let the ref call it when Hardwick couldn’t stand. It was a clinical and calculated showing from the Nova Uniao fighter, who now extends his win streak to three.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Johnny Walker

Johnny Walker silenced the Shanghai crowd, stopping Zhang Mingyang with a brutal second-round finish. After trading heavy hands in the opening round, Walker landed a dangerous low kick that dropped Mingyang in visible pain, then swarmed with strikes until the referee stepped in. It was a much-needed rebound for the Brazilian, snapping a three-fight skid and marking a strong return after a year away training at Xtreme Couture.

Performance Of The Night: Charles Johnson

Charles Johnson bounced back in a big way, handing Lone’er Kavanagh his first pro loss with a crushing second-round knockout. After weathering Kavanagh’s early pace, Johnson turned up the pressure and dropped him with a clean right hand late in the round. It’s a statement win for the veteran, who already holds a knockout over top contender Joshua Van and just reminded the division he’s still a serious problem.

Performance Of The Night: Kyle Daukaus

Kyle Daukaus made the most of his UFC return, flooring Michel Pereira with a sharp right hook in the opening exchange before finishing the job with heavy ground-and-pound. After rebuilding on the regional circuit with four straight wins, “The D’Arce Knight” stormed back into the Octagon and earned his first UFC victory in more than three years, reminding everyone why he’s such a dangerous presence at middleweight.

Performance Of The Night: Uran Satybaldiev

Uran Satybaldiev impressed in his return to light heavyweight, submitting Diyar Nurgozhay with a first round ending Ezekiel choke. The former LFA champ dropped Nurgozhay early, worked through multiple submission attempts, and eventually locked up the rare finish. After taking his UFC debut on short notice at heavyweight, the 31-year-old from Kyrgyzstan showed why he’s an exciting new face at 205 pounds.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Carlos Prates

Carlos Prates stopped Geoff Neal in stunning fashion by scoring a knockout with a spinning back elbow with just 1 second to spare of the opening round. After settling into the fight Prates timed the strike perfectly just before the horn, dropping Neal instantly and forcing the referee to step in. The finish marked the first knockout loss of Neal’s career and delivered Prates a memorable victory on the eve of his 32nd birthday. With this highlight-reel win, the Fighting Nerds welterweight continues to establish himself as a dangerous contender at 170 pounds.

Performance Of The Night: Tim Elliott

Tim Elliott made a successful return to action, tapping out Kai Asakura with a guillotine late in the second. After eating some shots early, the veteran shifted momentum with a takedown to close the first and came back with the pressure in the second. Late in the round, he found his opening, locked up the choke, and forced Asakura to tap. The win gives him back-to-back finishes and four victories in his last five, keeping the longtime flyweight contender firmly in the mix for another big matchup.

Lerone Murphy

This sport is all about big moments and Leone Murphy definitely had one tonight!

Murphy left UFC 319 with his undefeated record intact, knocking out Aaron Pico with a spinning elbow at 3:21 of the first round. Pico looked sharp early, working the body and scoring takedowns, but one perfectly timed counter from Murphy immediately flipped the script. The Brit’s highlight-reel finish not only gave him his ninth straight win, but also positioned him firmly in the featherweight title conversation.

Performance Of The Night: Khamzat Chimaev

Khamzat Chimaev is the new middleweight king, cruising to a dominant unanimous decision over South African Dricus Du Plessis. From the opening seconds, Chimaev set the tone with a quick takedown and kept that rhythm going, smothering the champ with nonstop pressure and control. Round after round, “Borz” kept Du Plessis glued to the mat and shut down nearly every attempt to rally. By the end, the result was crystal clear and Chimaev remained undefeated at 15-0 and now sits on top of the 185-pound division looking like a serious problem for anyone in his path.

Gross Total Revenue: $11,014,682 (Announced Live Gate)

Attendance: 20,023

Highest grossing event in United Center history
Sold out

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance of the Night: Anthony Hernandez

In one of the most impressive displays of wall-to-wall domination in recent memory, Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez announced himself as a true force at 185 pounds with his 4th-round submission win over Roman Dolidze. 

From the jump, Hernandez poured on the pressure. He was sharp and clean on the feet, looking comfortable at range and inside the pocket countering Dolidze’s winging punches. He swarmed the Georgian, taking him down often and navigated Dolidze’s leg attacks with relative ease. In the second round, Hernandez turned up the temperature, talking to Dolidze while walking him down and connecting with several strikes. He nearly got the ground-and-pound finish at the end of the second round, but he maintained complete control of the fight in the third and fourth round. For the finishing sequence, Hernandez stayed on Dolidze like a weighted blanked before wrapping up Dolidze’s neck for a uniquely brutal rear-naked choke finish.

Performance Of The Night: Christian Leroy Duncan

In the biggest win of his young UFC career, Christian Leroy Duncan scored a knockout win over veteran middleweight Eryk Anders. 

"CLD" got off to a cagey start, but once he found his rhythm and distance, he was able to show off the dynamic striking that makes him such an exciting presence in the middleweight. The finishing sequence started with a perfectly timed spinning elbow. His follow-up shots were sharp and heavy, leaving Anders with no other option than to collapse against the cage.

Performance Of The Night: Elijah Smith

In his UFC debut, Dana White’s Contender Series graduate Elijah Smith delivered one of the best knockouts of the year and one of the best slam knockouts in UFC history against Toshiomi Kazama.

The fight started sharp as Smith landed a flying knee early, but Kazama threatened a couple of submissions. After navigating that danger, Smith got top position. When Kazama attempted a triangle, Smith lifted Kazma perpendicular to the canvas before powerbombing him and knocking him out

Performance of the Night: Joselyne Edwards

For third time in as many fights, Joselyne Edwards earned a stoppage win, but perhaps none were as spectacular as her knockout of Priscilla Cachoeira. 

Edwards was sharp from the jump and connected with several counter hooks to Cachoeira. She found the mark true as Cachoeira moved in, sparking her with a clean left-right combo. After hitting Cachoeira’s chin cleanly with a right hook, Edwards didn’t need to follow up at all as the Brazilian was unconscious on the mat. 

Fight Of The Night: Brendan Allen vs Marvin Vettori 

Brendan Allen settled the bad blood against Marvin Vettori by earning a unanimous decision win in the UFC 318 prelims, out striking him over three rounds in front of his home crowd. Allen controlled the pace from the start, landing the cleaner, more damaging shots throughout the fight. The win snaps a two-fight skid for Allen and likely puts him back in the middleweight Top 10, while Vettori drops his third straight. 

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Carli Judice 

Carli Judice made a statement in front of her home crowd at UFC 318, stopping Nicolle Caliari with a well-placed knee just 90 seconds into the final round. From the opening round, the Louisiana native showcased sharp, technical striking and stayed a step ahead throughout the fight. After two close losses to start her UFC run, Judice has now put together back-to-back wins, proving she’s a rising talent to watch in the flyweight division. 

Performance Of The Night: Islam Dulatov 

Islam Dulatov made a big impression in his UFC debut, knocking out veteran Adam Fugitt late in the first round. The 26-year-old used his reach to control the striking exchanges before landing a clean left hook that dropped Fugitt, followed by pinpoint shots to finish the job. Now riding a 12-fight win streak all by stoppage, Dulatov looks like a serious threat in the welterweight division. 

Performance Of The Night: Ateba Gautier 

Ateba Gautier made quick work of Robert Valentin at UFC 318, earning a first-round TKO just over a minute into the fight. The 23-year-old stayed composed as he landed heavy shots early, overwhelming Valentin before putting him away. Now with back-to-back first-round finishes in 2025, Gautier is building serious momentum and emerging as a dangerous prospect in the middleweight division. 

Attendance: 18,138 (Sold Out)

Gross Total Revenue: $8,088,122 (Announced Live Gate)

Highest grossing gate in Smoothie King Center history

Fight Of The Night: Morgan Charriere vs Nate Landwehr

Morgan Charrière and Nate Landwehr delivered a high-paced battle on the UFC Nashville main card, trading heavy shots for two full rounds. Charrière started strong with sharp jabs and damaging calf kicks, taking advantage of Landwehr’s slow start. While Landwehr picked up the pace in the second, Charrière ended things quickly in the third by hurting him early and pouring on a relentless flurry of strikes for the knockout just 27 seconds into the round. With this emphatic finish, Charrière earns his third UFC stoppage and the biggest win of his career so far.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Valter Walker

Valter Walker wasted no time at UFC Nashville, securing a heel hook submission just 54 seconds into the first round against Kennedy Nzechukwu. The Brazilian heavyweight rushed into the clinch early, quickly pulled guard, and locked in his go-to submission. This marks his third straight victory by heel hook, showing that his signature move continues to be a serious threat. After bouncing back from a debut loss, Walker is now riding a three-fight finishing streak and looks ready for tougher competition ahead.

Performance Of The Night: Fatima Kline

Fatima Kline kicked off UFC Nashville with an impressive performance, dominating Melissa Martinez before sealing the win in the third round. Kline controlled the pace early, staying aggressive and landing clean strikes that kept Martinez from finding her rhythm. Though Martinez showed some life in the second, Kline stayed composed and in control. In the final round, she landed a clean head kick that dropped Martinez, followed by punches to earn the TKO. Now 2-0 this year with two finishes at strawweight, the 25-year-old continues to prove she’s a rising force in the division.

Gross Total Revenue: $2,189,826

Attendance: 17,007

Sold Out

Fight Of The Night: Brandon Royval vs Joshua Van

This fight was a perfect storm of chaos and skill. A high-paced war between Brandon Royval and Joshua Van that kept fans on the edge of their seats. In the end, Van secured a unanimous decision win, showing he’s ready for the division’s elite.

Royval opened with his usual nonstop pressure, mixing jabs and kicks while trying to overwhelm Van. But Van stayed composed, landing sharp counters and power shots that kept him in control. A brief knockdown in the first hinted at his precision and power.

The second and third rounds were pure madness with nonstop exchanges with both men throwing caution to the wind. Royval pushed the pace, landing punches in bunches and daring Van to trade. Van remained composed, returning fire with accurate counters and heavy shots. In the final round, he sealed the win with a clean knockdown, the most significant moment of the fight.

This bout wasn’t just a statement win for Van, it is most definetly an instant contender for Fight of the Year.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Gregory Rodrigues

All eyes were on Gregory Rodrigues at UFC 317 as he closed out the prelims with a stunning first-round knockout over Jack Hermansson.

From the start, Rodrigues looked sharp and composed, edging the striking exchanges. As the round wore on, he timed a perfect left hook during a close-range exchange, snapping Hermansson’s head around and dropping him hard to the mat. Though a follow-up hammer fist came after the damage was done, the fight was clearly over at 4:21 of Round 1.

This win marks a strong rebound for the 33-year-old Brazilian after his loss earlier this year. Now 4-1 in his last five, Rodrigues reminded everyone why he’s a threat in the middleweight division and this knockout may just earn him a spot in the rankings.

Performance Of The Night: Ilia Topuria

Once again, Ilia Topuria predicted his victory down to the last detail and delivered it flawlessly. Just as he promised, he ended Charles Oliveira’s night in the very first round, claiming the lightweight title with a perfectly timed right hook that sent shockwaves through the division.

From the opening bell, Topuria showed complete control, outstriking Oliveira, cutting him early, and even getting the better of a brief grappling exchange. The fight ended swiftly when Topuria connected with a crisp right hook that shut Oliveira’s lights out, followed by an unnecessary second shot as the former champion fell.

At just 28 years old, “El Matador” stayed undefeated, moving to 17-0 with his third straight stoppage over a former titleholder. This dominant performance not only delivered on his first-round knockout prediction, it solidified Topuria as one of the sport’s most dangerous rising stars.

Attendance: 19,800 (sold out)

Gate: $11.3 million

Fight Of The Night & Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

In what seemed like people’s main event at UFC Baku, Nazim Sadykhov delivered a thrilling second-round TKO victory over Nikolas Motta in front of a roaring home crowd in Azerbaijan. The lightweight bout lived up to the hype, with both fighters engaging in a wild back-and-forth battle from the opening bell. Motta nearly stole the spotlight early, stunning Sadykhov with a flurry of heavy punches and briefly dropping him in the first round. But the Azerbaijani prospect weathered the storm, showing grit and determination as he began to rally while Motta visibly slowed down.

The second round saw a momentum shift as Sadykhov took command, slicing Motta with a sharp elbow and unleashing crisp, powerful combinations. Despite Motta’s attempts to stay in the fight, Sadykhov’s accuracy and composure proved too much. A well-timed right hand finally put Motta down, forcing the referee to wave off the contest at 4:17 of round two.

With the victory, Sadykhov improved to 11-1-1 and continued his unbeaten run in the UFC, making a statement in front of his home fans. Motta, who showed heart throughout the war, dropped to 15-6 with 1 no contest. For their outstanding performance, both fighters earned a doubled Fight of the Night bonus, each taking home $100,000 for outshining the rest of the card.

Fight Of The Night: Kamaru Usman vs Joaquin Buckley

We got to see a classic Kamaru Usman performance as he returned to form in Atlanta, using his trademark wrestling to earn a clear unanimous decision win over Joaquin Buckley. From the opening minute, Usman took control by putting Buckley on the mat and maintaining pressure with ground-and-pound. He repeated the formula in the early rounds and expertly timed takedowns again in the fourth, neutralizing Buckley's power. Despite Buckley surviving the final frame, he couldn't mount a comeback. The win marks Usman's first since UFC 268 and proves the former champ remains a major player in the welterweight division.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Malcolm Wellmaker

Malcolm Wellmaker made a statement in front of his home crowd in Atlanta, stopping Kris Moutinho with a brutal right hook at 2:37 of Round 1. After softening Moutinho up with body shots early, Wellmaker faked a kick and landed a clean right hand that ended the fight instantly. The win marks his second straight first-round knockout and keeps his undefeated record intact at 10-0, quickly establishing him as a rising force in the bantamweight division.

Performance Of The Night: Jose Ochoa

Jose Ochoa wasted no time making a statement in Atlanta, knocking out Cody Durden just 11 seconds into the second round. After a competitive first frame, the 24-year-old Peruvian came out aggressive, landing a sharp left that rocked Durden before finishing the job with a brutal uppercut. The Chute Boxe fighter earns his first UFC win in dominant fashion and proves he's a serious prospect to watch in the flyweight division.

Gross Total Revenue: $3,239, 744

Attendance: 17,204

Second highest grossing North American Fight Night in UFC history

Sold out

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: JooSang Yoo

JooSang Yoo had the perfect UFC debut at UFC 316, living up to the hype with a jaw-dropping 28-second knockout of Jeka Saragih. Coming in undefeated at 7-0 with a reputation for first-round finishes, “Zombie Jr.” showed why he was such a heavy favorite. As Saragih charged in with his usual aggression, Yoo calmly stepped back and landed a slick counter left hook that sent Saragih crashing face-first to the canvas. It was a brutal, highlight-reel KO that instantly put the featherweight division on notice.

Performance Of The Night: Kevin Holland

Kevin Holland put on a show against Vicente Luque, picking up one of the biggest wins of his career with a slick D’arce choke in the second round. After out-striking Luque in the first, Holland didn't let off. Early in round two, he tripped Luque to the mat and quickly locked in the choke as Luque tried to scramble up. It was a quick submission making it just past the one-minute mark. That makes back-to-back wins for Holland, who continues to deliver as one of the most entertaining fighters on the roster.

Performance Of The Night: Kayla Harrison

And new!

Kayla Harrison dominated Julianna Peña to claim the UFC women’s bantamweight title, locking in a kimura late in the second round to seal the win. She wasted no time showcasing her Olympic-caliber grappling, taking Peña down and controlling the opening round. Peña was docked a point for illegal upkicks, and Harrison kept the pressure on in the second, eventually isolating the arm and forcing the tap. That’s three wins in a row for Harrison, who now adds a UFC title to her resume extensive resume. With Amanda Nunes stepping into the Octagon for a post-fight faceoff, a massive showdown between the two seems all but set.

Performance Of The Night: Merab Dvalishvili

Merab Dvalishvili once again proved why they call him “The Machine,” closing out UFC 316 with a dominant performance and a third-round submission win over Sean O’Malley. From the opening bell, Dvalishvili poured on relentless pressure, winning the striking exchanges and racking up takedowns in the first two rounds. In the final frame, he slammed O’Malley to the canvas, controlled him on the ground, and locked in a ninja choke that forced the tap. That’s 13 straight wins and another title defense for the Georgian powerhouse, who continues to look like an unstoppable force in the bantamweight division.

Gross Total Revenue: $6,501,177 (Announced Live Gate)

Attendance: 17,343 (Sold Out)

Fight Of The Night: Alice Ardelean vs Rayanne dos Santos

The night kicked off with a strawweight showdown between Alice Ardelean and Rayanne dos Santos, and the two didn’t waste any time getting after it. Both fighters came in hungry for their first UFC win, throwing heavy shots from the jump. Ardelean had the upper hand in the early rounds, landing the more powerful strikes, while dos Santos came out swinging in the third in an attempt to turn the tide. But as her pace slowed, Ardelean regained control and finished strong. After three hard-fought rounds, the judges awarded Ardelean the unanimous decision, marking a gritty and well-earned victory for the Romanian.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Ramiz Brahimaj

Ramiz Brahimaj wasted no time making a statement in his return to the Octagon. After a quick scramble, he snatched Billy Ray Goff into a tight high-elbow guillotine that left no room for escape, putting him to sleep midway through the first round. That’s now back-to-back first-round finishes for Brahimaj, who’s starting to find serious momentum after a rocky start to his UFC run. From nearly stepping away from the sport to delivering dominant performances, the 32-year-old is showing he’s a real problem in the welterweight division.

Performance Of The Night: Jordan Leavitt

Jordan Leavitt made a thunderous return after 18 months away, wasting no time reminding fans what he’s capable of. Less than 30 seconds in, he took Kurt Holobaugh down and went to work, chaining submission attempts with slick transitions. After a suplex and a quick look at a guillotine, Leavitt locked in a nasty anaconda choke that put Holobaugh to sleep in under two minutes. It was a flawless performance from "The Monkey King," who bounced back in style and brought some trademark flair with his post-fight celebration.

Fight Of The Night: Melquizael Costa vs Julian Erosa

From the beginning seconds of this fight, it was fireworks. Costa came out detailed and landing early. Even though some shots wobbled him, Erosa kept walking forward. Erosa was a man on a mission and started to make his way back in the fight with some sharp shots himself. Through all the crazy shots landed and several stumbles, it was Costa that took home the win. This makes three wins just this year for Costa and four straight wins for him. Everyone should keep their eye for Costa as he solidifies himself as a must-watch competitor.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Michael Morales

The biggest question about Michael Morales was if he could get through the veteran Gilbert Burns. Question answered. Morales made his mark and stopped Burns with vicious distance. For only being 25 years old, Morales showed patience and discipline in the Octagon and waited for his moment to end Burns’ night. Morales has officially proven again that he is a force to be reckon with as he looks to continue climbing the always-interesting welterweight division. Don’t look now, but Morales is 6-0 in the Octagon and may have a title in the near future.

Performance Of The Night: Denise Gomes

On her way to make it three-in-a-row, Denise Gomes put on a show. Just a mere moments into the second round, Gomes dropped Reed with a thunderous right hand and started to apply the pressure for the finish. Gomis is still only 25 years old and yet has won five of her last six inside the Octagon. WIth some more time in the Octagon, Gomis could bring some heavy power to this 115-pound division and earn herself a ranked opponent next.

Fight Of The Night: Jack Della Maddalena vs Belal Muhammad

Now that is what you call an ‘Instant Classic.’ On his way to becoming the 13th undisputed UFC welterweight champion, Jack Della Maddalena had to contend with the trademark pressure of Belal Muhammad for 25 full minutes. Muhammad matched the Aussie’s crisp boxing with his own arsenal of impressive striking. Likewise, Della Maddalena displayed a level of grappling defense never witnessed by any opponent of Muhammad’s. It was a true edge-of-your seat thriller, and the entire arena held their breath as the scorecards were read, knowing it could full well be either man. Easy fight of the year contender.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Jasmine Jasudavicius

If you still needed more convincing that Jasmin Jasudavicius is the real deal, then look no further than tonight’s performance against former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade. Not only did she secure a rear naked choke against the credential veteran in the first round, but she made it look easy, earned her black belt (!) and notched her fifth consecutive win to a standing ovation from her fellow Canadians. Yeah, Jas Jas is the real deal, all right.

Performance Of The Night: Marc-Andre Barriault

Just the third fight of the card and nearly every seat in the arena was already full. The audience was already rocking when their fellow Quebec warrior Marc-Andre Barriault quickly halted Bruno Silva in emphatic fashion with a first round knockout. After that, the sound of the sound coming from Bell Center could only be described as thunder, and it set the tone for the rest of the evening.

Attendance: 19,786
Gate: $6,003,345 USD

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Cory Sandhagen

The 33-year-old out of Colorado looked locked in for as long as the fight lasted. He controlled the distance and pace early, and when Figueiredo held onto an attempted leg lock, Sandhagen unleased heavy ground-and-pound. When the pattern repeated in the second round, Sandhagen was all the more punishing until an injury forced Figueiredo to tap. Having spent the last four years in the division’s top-5, Sandhagen expressed his desperation to fight for a UFC title, and he feels optimistic his Bonus-winning performance opens that door. 

Performance Of The Night: Reinier de Ridder

With most eyes trained on the undefeated Bo Nickal, de Ridder was able to put himself over on the All-American wrestler and score a brutal TKO win. De Ridder handled himself well in the grappling exchanges and shut down almost all of Nickal’s offense. When they entered the clinch, de Ridder connected with several heavy body shots that bothered Nickal before a standing knee sent the Penn State alumnus crumbling to the mat. 

Performance Of The Night: Quang Le

Quang Le stuck to his guns and outwrestled Gaston Bolanos en route to a second-round submission win. Le made his gameplan clear early and often as he continued to take Bolanos down to the canvas almost at-will. Stifling almost all of Bolanos’ offense, Le looked as good as he ever has in getting the choke. 

Performance Of The Night: Azamat Bekoev

Azamat Bekoev scored his second first-round finish in a row while spoiling the debut of TUF winner Ryan Loder. After denying Loder’s first takedown attempt, Bekoev unleashed a powerful flurry of strikes. Loder withstood the first wave, but once Bekoev regained his wind, he connected with a rocket right hand that put Loder down for good. 

Attendance: 15,627
Gate: $2,476, 690
Records: Highest grossing sporting event in Wells Fargo Arena history

Fight Of The Night: Randy Brown vs Nicolas Dalby

Randy Brown and Nicolas Dalby had the whole arena at the edge of their seats, but it was “Rude Boy” who walked away with the highlight-reel finish. Early on, Brown was doing a great job using his reach, keeping things sharp and smashing Dalby’s nose while doing so.

But Dalby didn’t give easily as he cracked Brown with a strong right hand to the temple that dropped him to the canvas, flipping the momentum for a second. Both guys came out swinging in Round 2, knowing it could end at any moment. A little over a minute in, Brown landed a perfect right hook that instantly shut Dalby’s lights off, making him the first person to ever finish the Danish veteran.

With this being his first outing of 2025, the welterweight staple has earned himself a spot in contention for knockout of the year.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Zhang Mingyang

Although a brutal way to enter retirement for Anthony Smith, it was a momentous night of power and dominance for Zhang Mingyang. The Chinese light heavyweight managed to slice the veteran open with sharp elbows in the clinch and finished him with some more ground-and-pound late in the first. 

Now 3-0 with three first-round finishes in the UFC, Zhang is set to have a number next to his name come next week and has proven to be a serious threat at 205 pounds. 

Performance Of The Night: Malcolm Wellmaker

Malcolm Wellmaker had a quick UFC debut, as he knocked out the South African Cameron Saaiman with a brutal right hand less than two minutes into the fight. After a quick moment to settle in, Saaiman lunged in, and Wellmaker had a perfectly timed counter, dropping him instantly for a walk-off finish.

The undefeated Wellmaker looks to be a promising prospect for the bantamweight division.

Fight Of The Night: Alexander Volkanovski vs Diego Lopes

Alexander Volkanovski turned back the clock and rewrote the history books by reclaiming the featherweight championship against Diego Lopes. With a strong performance early, Volkanovski stood behind his jab and was the technician everyone remembered. Volkanvoski mitigated much of the risk coming from Lopes, which included the heavy hands and explosiveness of the younger challenger. Volkanovski seemed to frustrate Lopes by eliminating his opponent's gameplan, but Lopes had his moments as well, particularly late in the fourth where a Lopes uppercut landed in stunning fashion. Volkanovski finished the round and later the fight with ease, but a troubling sight nonetheless.

Volkanovski became the second man to hold the UFC featherweight title twice, joining company of Jose Aldo. Volkanovski also became the first fighter over age 35 to win a title fight in the lighter weight classes. 

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Jean Silva

Jean Silva was a man on a mission as he secured his second win in eight weeks. Bryce Mitchell was landing early, but by the look on Silva's face - he was never worried. Silva was actively waving Mitchell on to throw more strikes and wrestle, but Mitchell did not take the bait. It would not be until the second round where Silva would dial-in and submit Mitchell with a ninja choke. 

This makes it two wins this year and five wins in five fights in the UFC for Jean Silva. The featherweight Fighting Nerd will surely shoot up the rankings and could face a top-10 featherweight in his next bout.

Performance Of The Night: Paddy Pimblett

Any questions about Paddy Pimblett being able to perform at the top level has been answered. In striking exchanges and wrestling exchanges against Michael Chandler, Pimblett was the better man tonight as he collected his seventh consecutive UFC win.  

Pimblett faced an early Chandler onslaught of grappling in the first, but  the second round was where Pimblett started to find his distance with his striking. It would not be until the third where Pimblett saw his opening, connecting with a flying knee that cut Chandler badly. After this knee, Pimblett forced his way onto the canvas and continued his barrage of punches to ultimately end Chandler's night. 

Attendance: 18,287
Gate: $11,507,099
Records: UFC now holds the #1, #2, and #3 highest grossing events of all time at Kaseya Center

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Edgar Chairez 

Edgar Chairez collects a notable moment in his UFC journey with a submission win over CJ Vergara. Chairez put the pressure on with early jabs and a left hook that sat Vergara. It would not be until landing another thunderous right hand that Chairez started searching for the submission. With hooks not in, Chairez had the grip and didn't let go until feeling a tap.

Performance Of The Night: David Martinez

Mexico City native David Martinez ignited the crowd with a first-round stoppage against Saimon Oliveira. The Dana White's Contender Series, Season 8 graduate had picked his moments and kept Oliveira at bay until he landed a flush right hand that put Oliveira to the canvas. Once he smelled blood, it was over, as Martinez flood in with pressure to secure the finish. A finish on his debut has David Martinez in prime position moving forward in his young UFC career.

Performance Of The Night: Ateba Gautier

A patient Ateba Gautier is a scary sight and that is exactly what Jose Daniel Medina saw. Gautier made his name known with an emphatic knockout victory. It was a beautifully-timed knee up the middle that put the durable Medina down. Being so young and still carving his game, Gautier picked his moments and ultimately made a statement that put the entire middleweight division on notice. Remember the name Ateba Gautier.

Performance Of The Night: Manuel Torres

The biggest question was if Manuel Torres could come back from a first-round finish to beat the always-competitive Drew Dober. Torres flipped the script,registering a first-round TKO. It was a blistering one-two that sat Dober before a flurry of hammer fists closed the show. Torres promised patience and calculated risks and that was executed perfectly tonight. This win improves his UFC record to 4-1. The future is looking bright for Manuel Torres.

Attendance: 19,731
Gate: $2,530,473
Records: Highest-grossing Mexico event in UFC History and highest-grossing event in Arena CDMX history

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Sean Brady

Two elite welterweights bonded by a common boogeyman is --Belal Muhammad—entered the main event driven by a desire to rematch the current champion, and on this night in London, it was Sean Brady who appeared to want it more. At nearly every turn, former champ Edwards was stymied by Brady’s elite grappling that gradually wore him down in the 4th, long enough for Philadelphia's finest to secure the guillotine choke. The welterweight title is on the line in May’s UFC 315 when Muhammad takes on Jack Della Maddalena, and when it comes time to find an opponent for that winner, it’s hard to imagine Brady won’t be in that conversation.

Performance Of The Night: Shauna Bannon

Shauna Bannon scored her first UFC win at UFC 304 in 2024, and followed it up tonight in London with her first UFC finish. It didn’t always look like a sure thing. Her game opponent, Puja Tomar, dropped her with a brutal head kick midway through the second round, but “Mama B” kept her wits about her during the subsequent ground and pound and maneuvered off of her back to work into a beautiful armbar. It was a powerful display of patience and persistence.

Performance Of The Night: Kevin Holland

The diverse styles of Kevin Holland and Gunnar Nelson provided a high-level MMA chess match on the main card, with the prolific “Trailblazer” getting the nod from the judges. He might have gotten a TKO victory if the first round had been two seconds longer, but his superb takedown defense and unorthodox striking was enough to survive a trademark grappling clinic from Iceland’s Nelson. 

Performance Of The Night: Alexia Thainara

It’s not easy to come into enemy territory and beat a local favorite, but Alexia Thainara sure made it look easy with a first round submission of Molly McCann. From her extended walkout to her victory bellyflop, the Brazilian was a fireball of smiles, dancing, high energy and good vibes made all the more impressive by the fact she took the fight—her UFC debut—on just a few days’ notice. 

Attendance: 18,583 (Sold Out)
Gate: $4,711,410 
Records: Highest Grossing Fight Night In UFC History

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Carli Judice

Carli Judice made a statement with a first-round TKO in the opening bout of the night. The flyweight stunted Yuneisy Duben’s UFC debut with a stunning head kick just 1:40 into the fight. She started aggressively, mixing jabs and body kicks before delivering a perfectly timed shot to Duben’s head, securing her first UFC victory in dominant fashion.

Performance Of The Night: Priscila Cachoeira

Priscila Cachoeira delivered a powerful first-round knockout against Brazilian Josiane Nunes, ending the fight with a perfectly timed right uppercut. From the horn, both fighters went all-in, exchanging heavy shots, but as Nunes noticeably dipped her head Cachoeira seized the moment, grabbed Nunes and landed a powerful uppercut that knocked her out cold. The 36-year-old veteran showcased her signature toughness and earned her third stoppage win in her last four victories.

Performance Of The Night: Andre Lima

Andre Lima dominated fellow flyweight Daniel Barez from start to finish, showcasing the best version of himself yet. Controlling the fight early with sharp jabs and powerful leg kicks, he continuously broke Barez down over two rounds. In the third, Lima secured a takedown, took Barez’s back, and locked in a rear-naked choke for his first career submission win. Now 11-0 in the, the rising Brazilian is quickly proving himself as a serious contender in the division.

Performance Of The Night: Carlos Vera

Never count the underdogs out!

Carlos Vera quickly pulled off the biggest upset of the night, securing a rear-naked choke victory over Josias Musasa just 3:16 minutes into Round 1. After landing a swift head kick that sent Musasa to the canvas, he wasted no time taking his back and locking in the submission. This impressive win highlighted Vera’s unorthodox style and finishing skills, making for a strong comeback.

Fight Of The Night: Justin Gaethje vs Rafael Fiziev

After their first meeting in 2023, Justin Gaethje secured a Unanimous Decision win over Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313. Similar to their first bout, Fiziev started strong, surprising with two early takedowns and sharp striking, but Gaethje took control in the second round, dropping him with a powerful uppercut. 

With the fight likely tied, Fiziev opened the third with aggressive kicks, but Gaethje’s steady pressure and heavy shots sealed the victory. Now 2-0 against Fiziev, Gaethje reaffirms his place in the lightweight Top 5 and the former BMF champion remains one of the division’s most dangerous contenders.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Mauricio Ruffy

Mauricio Ruffy wasted no time making a statement at UFC 313, delivering a highlight reel knockout that will be replayed for years to come. Facing the seasoned King Green in his 50th professional fight, Ruffy landed a crisp right hand that caught Green’s attention, leading to a perfectly timed spinning wheel kick that shut the lightweights lights out at 2:07 of Round 1. 

With one of the best knockouts we’ve seen so far, Ruffy improved to 3-0 in the UFC and continues his rapid rise up the 155 pound ladder. This performance not only solidified his place as a serious contender but also added to the growing legacy of the Fighting Nerds camp. If there were any doubts about Ruffy’s potential, he silenced them with one spectacular kick tonight.

Performance Of The Night: Ignacio Bahamondes

Ignacio Bahamondes scored the biggest win of his UFC career at UFC 313, submitting Jalin Turner with a slick triangle choke at 2:29 of Round 1. Known for his striking, Bahamondes showed off his ground skills after being taken down, staying active from the bottom before locking in the fight-ending submission. 

The victory marks his third straight finish and sixth win in seven fights, solidifying his case for a spot in the lightweight Top 15. With his evolving skill set and rising momentum, Bahamondes is quickly becoming a serious contender in the division.

Attendance: 18,869 (sold out)
Gate: $10.1 million

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Mario Pinto

If you only saw the first round of this bout, you’d be forgiven for thinking Austen Lane was cruising to another victory. But in between rounds, Mario Pinto’s coach reminded the heavyweight that despite UFC debut jitters, he should relax because this was “just a fight.” Pinto seemed to respond to message, landing one of the cleanest, heaviest right hands in recent memory, shutting off the lights of the former NFL star. The undefeated England via Portugal star continues to build upon the hype of his win on Dana White’s Contender Series.

Performance Of The Night: Manel Kape

Champion Alexandre Pantoja is the hunted in the flyweight division, and Manel Kape entered the Octagon tonight a man on mission, turning back Asu Almabayev who hadn’t lost since 2017. Kape was so fast and accurate with his strikes that some of them were hard to track with the naked eye, and his opponent’s wrestling prowess never had the chance to surface. Kape was defeated by Pantoja in his 2021 UFC debut, and it’s a rematch he’s ached for ever since. This performance would serve as a perfect setup to the two men facing off again.

Fight Of The Night: Nasrat Haqparast vs Esteban Ribovics

While the preceding bout between Hyder Amil and William Gomis had probably been cruising towards fight of the night honors, Esteban Ribovics and Nasrat Haqparast turned up the heat and came away with the well-deserved bonuses. Both men put on a striking clinic that was so close that even the judges were split. But as commentator Dominick Cruz correctly summarized “these men put on one heck of a show for us." Indeed.

Fight Of The Night: Alonzo Menifield vs Julius Walker

Alonzo Menifield and Julius Walker kicked off the main card, going the distance in a hard-fought three-round fight with Menifield earning a split decision victory.

Walker relied on his wrestling throughout the bout but struggled to take down the light heavyweight. Menifield had the upper hand in the striking exchanges, landing powerful shots that wobbled Walker at times. As both fighters' gas tanks were running low by the third it became a battle of endurance. With the judges’ scorecards favoring Menifield, he managed to retain his top 15 ranking while handing Walker a loss in his promotional debut.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Ricky Simón

Ricky Simón delivered the most decisive win of his career, knocking out Javid Basharat in front of his hometown crowd in Vancouver, Washington. After struggling to secure a takedown early, Simón unleashed a powerful right hand late in the first round that sent Basharat to cold to the canvas. The stunning finish snapped a three-fight skid and very well may be a knockout of the year contender.

Performance Of The Night: Jean Silva 

Jean Silva extended his UFC record to 4-0 with a decisive finish over featherweight Melsik Baghdasaryan. Known for his lively personality, Silva was all smiles during the opening exchanges, but as the opening round neared its end, he dropped Baghdasaryan with a crushing right hand. Although he initially paused, thinking the fight was over, Silva quickly followed up with more punches to secure the stoppage.  

Riding a 12-fight winning streak, the 28-year-old featherweight is emerging as a serious contender in the division. With all his UFC victories coming by stoppage, Silva’s explosive style and rapid rise suggest he’s ready for tougher competition.

Attendance: 18,287
Gate: $3,841,751.94
Records: Highest-grossing North American Fight Night in UFC History, Sold Out

Fight Of The Night: Cannonier vs Rodrigues

Jared Cannonier secured a fourth-round stoppage win over Gregory Rodrigues in a thrilling back-and-forth battle. The Brazilian “Robocop” came out strong, dropping Cannonier twice in the first round, but Cannonier regained momentum in the second. After an evenly contested third, Cannonier dropped Rodrigues late and finished him early in the fourth. It was a hard-fought victory for Cannonier, while Rodrigues impressed in his first main event appearance.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Gabriel Bonfim

Gabriel Bonfim put on his most impressive UFC showing, defeating Khaos Williams with a D’arce choke at 4:58 of Round 2. The Brazilian dictated the pace with precise striking and strong fundamentals, keeping Williams on the defensive throughout the rounds. After absorbing a right hand late in the second, Bonfim swiftly changed levels and secured the choke, putting Williams to sleep just before the bell. The win moves Bonfim to 17-1, further solidifying his rise in the division.

Performance Of The Night: Edmen Shahbazyan

Edmen Shahbazyan wasted no time getting back in the win column with a devastating first-round finish. After a brief feeling-out period, he landed a perfectly timed right that sent Dylan Budka crashing to the canvas. Shahbazyan quickly followed up with heavy ground strikes to secure the stoppage. The victory marks his third finish in five fights and keeps him as an exciting presence in the middleweight division as he looks to climb back into the Top 15.

Fight Of The Night: Rongzhu vs Kody Steele

Rongzhu and Kody Steele closed out the early prelims by delivering an action-packed slugfest! 

Steele connected with some clean shots early on in the bout, but that only fueled Rongzhu, who picked up the pace, and was dominating by the end of Round 1. After dropping Steele with a powerful jab in Round 2 and controlling the rest of the fight, Rongzhu unanimously got his hand raised. After a shaky 1-2 start in the UFC and a loss in his return last year, Rongzhu is back on track. At just 24 years old, his exciting style is sure to keep fans entertained in the always-thrilling lightweight division.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Quillan Salkilld

It was a quick UFC debut for lightweight Quillan Salkilld, knocking out Anshul Jubli with a heavy right hand just 19 seconds into Round 1. The Perth representative and DWCS Class of ’24 fighter is off to a spectacular start in the promotion and is definitely one to watch.

Performance Of The Night: Tallison Teixeira

Another explosive debut on tonight’s main card! 

Heavyweight Tallison Teixeira was quick to close the gap and land a vicious elbow to Justin Tafa, dropping the “Bad Man” before sealing the deal with a barrage of strikes. The dominant performance lands the Brazilian an 8-0 record—all first-round finishes.

Attendance: 18,253
Gate: $7,687,317
Records: Record gate for any Australian indoor arena event (Continent record) *Sold Out

Fight Of The Night: Vinicius Oliveira vs Said Nurmagomedov

Vinicius Oliveira and Said Nurmagomedov delivered an intense, action-packed bantamweight clash, pushing the pace for 15 thrilling minutes. Nurmagomedov's striking speed clashed with Oliveira's pressure early on, but as fatigue set in, the Brazilian turned to his grappling, dominating the final round. In the end, Oliveira secured his third straight hand raise in the UFC, marking the biggest win of his career and putting him on the cusp of the 135 rankings.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Nassourdine Imavov

Nassourdine Imavov has cemented his name as a serious middleweight contender. 

Following a competitive opening round, he stunned Israel Adesanya in under a minute with a heavy jab that dropped the former champion before finishing him with multiple ground strikes. This dominant victory marks Imavov’s fourth straight win in a year, firmly placing him in the title conversation at 185 pounds.

Performance Of The Night: Bogdan Grad

Bogdan Grad overcame early striking struggles in his UFC debut against Lucas Alexander but managed to find his way and dominate once the fight hit the mat. After weathering the storm, he secured a takedown, mounted Alexander, and unleashed relentless ground-and-pound for a stoppage win. The 29-year-old now boasts a four-fight streak, a 14-2 record, and 11 finishes.

Fight Of The Night: Merab Dvalishvili vs Umar Nurmagomedov

The bantamweight title clash between Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov lived up to expectations, with don’t blink action all throughout. Nurmagomedov started strong, showcasing sharp striking and grappling to gain an early lead but Dvalishvili’s relentless pace wore down the challenger as the fight progressed. 

By the championship rounds, Dvalishvili had fully taken over, pressuring Nurmagomedov and dominating the action. Dvalishvili remains on top of the division, handing Nurmagomedov his first professional loss. This performance once again highlights the champion’s unmatched conditioning and relentless style, cementing an impressive victory for “The Machine.”

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Jiři Procházka

Former champ Jiři Procházka delivered a statement win against Jamahal Hill in a back-and-forth clash on the main card. Prochazka controlled the opening round with his unpredictable striking, while Hill rallied in the second, landing some effective body shots. 

Midway through the third, Prochazka dropped Hill and unleashed a relentless barrage, forcing the fight to be called to an end. The victory showcased Prochazka’s finishing prowess, reminding everyone why he is at the top of the division. 

Performance Of The Night: Jailton Almeida

Jailton Almeida showcased his finishing skills with a last-second stoppage over Serghei Spivac in a grappling-heavy battle. After many heavy exchanges on the ground, Almeida turned the tide on the feet, rocking Spivac with a sharp uppercut before taking him down, flattening him out, and securing the finish. 

With back-to-back stoppage wins following a 2024 setback, “Malhadinho” is now 8-1 in the UFC and solidifies his place as a Top 10 heavyweight contender, eyeing a title shot in the near future.

Gate: $10.2M
Attendance: 18,370

Fight of the Night: Chris Curtis vs Roman Kopylov

Middleweight strikes went back-and-forth for 14 minutes and 59 thrilling seconds as Chris Curtis and Roman Kopylov locked horns.

Although Kopylov was able to land his fair share of heavy shots, particularly in the first round, Curtis’ pressure and composure started to wear on the Russian. Curtis seemed to damage Kopylov regularly with his jab and lead hook, but Kopylov kept scoring heavy leg kicks as well. The third round saw more of the same until Kopylov uncorked a high kick that dropped Curtis in the waning seconds. Kopylov refused to follow-up, but the referee saw enough to wave the fight off in the last second.

Performance Of The Night Bonuses 

Performance Of The Night: Cesar Almeida

Brazil’s Cesar Almeida scored an early frontrunner for Knockout of the Year with his stunning comeback effort against Abdul Razak Alhassan.

Alhassan got out in front early, dropping Almeida and hunted another quick knockout, but Almeida regained his composure quickly. When Alhassan tried to corral Almeida against the fence, Almeida rolled with the shots before uncorking a left hand that sent Alhassan crashing to the canvas unconscious.  

Performance Of The Night: Mackenzie Dern

Mackenzie Dern not only got revenge for her first professional loss, but she kicked off what she hopes is a run toward title contention in 2025 with a smart effort in her fourth career main event.

Dern and Ribas went back-and-forth with takedowns and scrambles in the first couple of rounds, but Dern got to her bread-and-butter in the third round. After she swept Ribas on the ground, Dern attacked her countrywoman’s arm, staying patient before snatching the armbar as the final seconds of the third round ticked away.

After the win, Dern laid out her intentions to fight someone above her in the rankings as she pursues her first title shot.