Following an entertaining preliminary card slate, the action on the main card at Noche UFC was ratcheted up to another level, adding to the legacy of the annual Mexican independence day celebration.
If you missed any of the action, check out our recaps below in order to get caught up on another stellar night at Noche UFC.
More Coverage: Prelim Results | Scorecards
Jean Silva started slowly but warmed into the action in the Noche UFC main event, securing a third-round submission finish of Jose Miguel Delgado.
The Brazilian didn’t throw a strike for the first half of the opening round and was dropped by a right cross from Delgado, who was locked in from the outset of his short-notice main event opportunity at home in Glendale. But the Fighting Nerds representative woke up in the second and was his usual aggressive self in the third, dropping Delgado with a right hand along the fence that caused him to panic wrestle, which allowed Silva the opportunity to work to his back and sink in a one-armed rear-naked choke to secure the finish.
It’s not how you start, but how you finish, and Silva did what he promised, dispatching Delgado and making a case for a championship opportunity in the future. That’s now consecutive win this year for “Lord,” who now stands at 7-1 inside the Octagon with six finishes.
Brandon Moreno and Joseph Morales went shot-for-shot for in the co-main event on Saturday at Noche UFC, with Moreno landing on the victorious side of an odd set of split decision scores.
There was very little grappling in this one through the first two rounds, as the pair opted to stand and trade, with Moreno the one inching forward and looking to initiate, but Morales doing well to land clean blows of his own. Moreno was the more effective in the third, out-scoring Morales and closing things out with a well-timed takedown, riding out the final 90 seconds in top position.
Moreno earned the split decision win, getting all three rounds from two of the judges at Octagonside. This was a much-needed and emotional win for the former champion, who entered on a two-fight skid and righted the ship with a victory in his first Noche UFC appearance.
Tommy McMillen and Marwan Rahiki turned in a gem in the middle of the Noche UFC main card, engaging in a thoroughly entertaining back and forth battle for 15 minutes, much to the delight of the capacity crowd at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
The first-year featherweights spent the first round taking blows, McMillen pressing the action and landing the bigger individual shots before Rahiki battered the Arizona native in the second, dropping him in the center of the Octagon and putting him on the brink of being finished, only for McMillen to survive and respond. In the third, it was all McMillen, as he took the fight to his fellow DWCS Class of ’25 grad, controlling and winning the final five minutes, getting the crowd on their feet.
All three judges saw the fight in favor of McMillen, who advanced to 12-0 with the win and took another step forward in the featherweight division. The brash newcomer is already one of the most entertaining all-action talents on the roster and called for a fourth fight later this year in Las Vegas, promising another $100,000 bonus.
Alexa Grasso continued to show she’s still one of the best in the flyweight division on Saturday, taking the fight to French contender Manon Fiorot and registering her second impressive win in the year in her return to Noche UFC.
The former champion took the fight to Fiorot straight away, backing her up and putting her in danger in the opening 30 seconds, adding to her first-round onslaught by dropping her in the final 30 seconds as well. Grasso remained on the pressure throughout, out-landing Fiorot through the second, despite suffering a cut beside her right eye before the two traded blows back-and-forth in the third through to the final horn.
When the scorecards were collected and totalled, it was Grasso who came out ahead, earning a second straight victory and setting herself up as the clubhouse leader in the chase for the next championship opportunity. This was an outstanding effort against a game and dangerous opponent, and the kind of win the Mexican standout needed to cement her place in the title chase.
After getting into a brawl earlier this year at UFC 327, Curtis Blaydes fought a much more strategic and conservating fight against Waldo Cortes Acosta, working behind his jab and mixing in timely takedowns to secure the unanimous decision win.
In each of the first two rounds, Blaydes kept Cortes Acosta a little more hesitant than normal with fakes and feints, allowing him to score on the feet and find opportunities to change levels and put the Dominican heavyweight on the canvas momentarily in each frame. It was more of the same in the third, with Blaydes timing his takedown well and driving through Cortes Acosta, putting him on the mat before they returned to their feet and pawed at each other for the final 90 seconds.
Blaydes got the nod from all three judges to get himself back in the win column and likely re-claim a place in the top 5, but this one left a lot to be desired. With the aggressive and attacking crop of heavyweights on the ascent, don’t be surprised if the Colorado-based veteran finds himself stationed opposite a younger, hungry hopeful looking to propel themselves forward in the division at his expense.
David Martinez continued his run of turning aside experienced veterans inside the Octagon, registering a unanimous decision win over Dan Ige to open the Noche UFC main card on Saturday.
The Mexican prospect was the sharper, quicker of the two from the outset, chopping down Ige’s lead leg and landing more consistently with the hands, as the Hawaiian struggled to find the mark. It continued that way throughout the remainder of the contest, with Martinez moving well and continuing to win the exchanges in the third, sitting Ige down and responding to the increased aggression of the longtime featherweight mainstay in the back half of the round.
Martinez earned a clean sweep of the scorecards to push his record to 4-0 inside the Octagon and extend his winning streak to 11 overall. There is nothing flashy or singularly exemplary about his game, but he’s a quick, well-rounded striker and clearly a step ahead of the veteran set in the 135-pound ranks.
Noche UFC: Silva vs Delgado took place live from Desert Diamond Arena In Glendale, Arizona on September 12, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
