UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Nurmagomedov Main Card Results

Don't Miss A Moment of UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Nurmagomedov, Live From Etihad Arena In Abu Dhabi on August 3, 2024

See The Fight Results, Watch Post-Fight Interviews With The Main Card Winners And More From UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Nurmagomedov, Live From Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi

Aug. 3, 2024

The UFC’s first of two trips to Abu Dhabi this year produced several standout efforts inside the Octagon.

After the prelims wrapped with a pair of finishes, the action on the main card remained captivating and exciting, with a pair of contenders emerging in the bantamweight division, as both Umar Nurmagomedov and Deiveson Figueiredo picked up critical victories in high-stakes matchups.

Bolstered by quality wins by “Shara Bullet,” Michael Chiesa, Mackenzie Dern, and Joel Alvarez, Saturday’s main card from Etihad Arena had plenty to offer and is sure to have an impact on the landscape of several weight classes going forward.

Here’s a closer look at how things played out.

Official Scorecards | Prelim Results | Watch on ESPN+

Main event is scheduled for five rounds, all other bouts are scheduled for three rounds.

UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Nurmagomedov Results

Main Event: Umar Nurmagomedov defeats Cory Sandhagen by unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
Co-main Event: Shara Magomedov defeats Michal Oleksiejczuk by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Deiveson Figueiredo defeats Marlon Vera by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Michael Chiesa defeats Tony Ferguson by submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:44 of Round 1
Mackenzie Dern defeats Loopy Godinez by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Joel Alvarez defeats Elves Brener by TKO (strikes) at 3:36 of Round 3
Azamat Murzakanov defeats Alonzo Menifield by KO (strikes) at 3:18 of Round 2
Kauê Fernandes defeats Mohammad Yahya by TKO (strikes) at 4:45 of Round 1
Shamil Gaziev defeats Don’Tale Mayes by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Guram Kutateladze defeats Jordan Vucenic by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Sam Hughes defeats Viktoriia Dudakova by split decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28)
Jai Herbert defeats Rolando Bedoya by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Sedriques Dumas defeats Denis Tiuliulin by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

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Joel Álvarez defeats Elves Brener by TKO (strikes) at 3:36 of Round 3

Joel Alvarez still has a 100 percent finishing rate after patiently collecting a third-round stoppage win over Elves Brener in Saturday’s main card opener.

Joel Álvarez Post-Fight Interview | UFC Abu Dhabi

The Spaniard was clearly the sharper man throughout, stinging Brener in the opening stanza, finishing the round locked onto a D’Arce choke that the Brazilian endured. After working comfortably behind long strikes through the second, Alvarez hurt Brener a minute and change into the third and never let off the gas, recognizing the finishing opportunity and chasing it down.

“El Fenomeno” now has 21 finishes in 21 career wins, including six stoppages inside the Octagon. The tall, dangerous finisher remains an intriguing name to track in the lightweight division, and if he can stay active, he could make his way back into the Top 15.

Official Scorecards | Prelim Results

Mackenzie Dern defeats Loopy Godinez by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

The battle between ranked strawweights Mackenzie Dern and Loopy Godinez was every bit as entertaining as expected, with the former ADCC Submission Wrestling world champion coming away with a unanimous decision victory.

Mackenzie Dern Post-Fight Interview | UFC Abu Dhabi

Dern looked her best in the opening stanza, landing some heavy shots on the feet before showing her class on the canvas, threatening with a deep armbar. Godinez battled back in the second, tightening up her striking and taking Dern to the mat, finishing the round locked onto a standing arm triangle choke. The third was competitive and close, with each woman having positive moments on the feet, making the verdict difficult to forecast.

When the scorecards were totalled, it was Dern that landed on the positive side of the results, getting herself back into the win column after suffering consecutive losses last year. For Godinez, it’s a second straight setback and a third defeat to an opponent stationed ahead of her in the rankings.

Michael Chiesa defeats Tony Ferguson by submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:44 of Round 1

Michael Chiesa won the battle of The Ultimate Fighter winners, submitting Tony Ferguson in the opening round to halt a three-fight losing streak.

Michael Chiesa Post-Fight Interview | UFC Abu Dhabi

Two veterans were cautious with one another out of the chute, pawing at one another from range, looking for opportunities to land. Midway through the round, Chiesa dipped his way inside, getting his hands locked around Ferguson and dumping him to the canvas and instantly attacking the neck. After securing the position, it was only a matter of time before “Maverick” collected the tap.

This was a huge win for the Spokane, Washington native after a tough run of results and injuries over the last couple years. Following the contest, Ferguson took off his gloves, potentially signalling the end of his career after suffering an eighth straight loss.

Deiveson Figueiredo defeats Marlon Vera by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Deiveson Figueiredo continued his march up the bantamweight ranks on Saturday, earning a unanimous decision win over recent title challenger Marlon “Chito” Vera.

In all three rounds, Figueiredo was the more active, more effective of the two, showing the diversity of his attack in the first and second by mixing wrestling into his striking assault. Content to stand in the third, the former flyweight champion dropped Vera with a sharp right hand midway through the third before continuing to maintain control through to the final horn.

Deiveson Figueiredo Post-Fight Interview | UFC Abu Dhabi

Now 3-0 since transitioning to the 135-pound weight category, “Deus da Guerra” has quickly established himself as a legitimate championship threat in his new surroundings.

Shara Magomedov defeats Michal Oleksiejczuk by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Make it three straight for “Shara Bullet” in the UFC.

Magomedov controlled the striking throughout his co-main event pairing with Michal Oleksiejczuk on Saturday, leading to a unanimous decision victory and the best win of his career. Flashing his trademark quick kicks and varied Muay Thai approach, the promising middleweight was simply too much for the Polish promotional veteran in Abu Dhabi, out-landing Oleksiejczuk in all three frames while spilling some of his blood as well.

Official Scorecards | Prelim Results | Watch on ESPN+

Shara Magomedov Post-Fight Interview | UFC Abu Dhabi

It was a clean sweep of the scorecards for the 30-year-old from Dagestan, who could be looking at a step up in competition next time out after a third consecutive strong showing. On the other side, Oleksiejczuk has now dropped three straight and four of his last five.

Main Event: Umar Nurmagomedov defeats Cory Sandhagen by unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)

Umar Nurmagomedov handled his first main event assignment with aplomb, registering a unanimous decision win over Cory Sandhagen to remain undefeated and establish himself as the No. 1 contender in the bantamweight division.

Umar Nurmagomedov Post-Fight Interview | UFC Abu Dhabi

Across all five rounds, the talented 28-year-old offered a sampling of all his offensive skills, attacking with swift punches, kicks to all levels, and the wrestling that has become synonymous with those brandishing his last name. Sandhagen did well not get stuck on the canvas or hit with anything too gnarly, but he also struggled to have any real sustained, momentum-shifting moments of his own.

The judges were aligned in how they saw it, awarding Nurmagomedov a clean sweep of the scorecards. Now 6-0 inside the Octagon and 18-0 overall, a championship opportunity with the winner of the UFC 306 bantamweight title fight between champion Sean O’Malley and challenger Merab Dvalishvili could be next for the unbeaten rising star.

Official Scorecards | Prelim Results

Don't miss a moment of UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Nurmagomedov, live from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on August 3, 2024. Prelims start at 12pm ET/9am PT, while the main card kicks off live on ABC, ESPN & ESPN+ at 3pm ET/12pm PT.

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