Main Card Results | UFC Abu Dhabi

Ankalaev was his tactical and technical self through the first three rounds, chipping away at Guskov with rangy attacks and dealing with anything coming back his way without much trouble. As they hit the championship rounds, the ex-titleholder opened up even more, widening the gap between he and Guskov, pounding out a finish in the fifth.

After dropping the title back to Alex Pereira in October, the Russian standout showed here that he’s still very much in the thick of the chase in the 205-pound weight class. Ankalaev’s style isn’t the most electric, but there is no denying his effectiveness and skill, which should keep him in the title picture for the foreseeable future.

The compact powerhouse from Uzbekistan came out firing and never let off the gas, throwing smoke from the start and spamming thunderous right hands as soon as he had Erceg hurt and in retreat. Each time the Australian tried to find safe space, Temirov chased him down and uncorked another right hand until finally folding Erceg over and sending him collapsing to the canvas.

Temirov is now 3-0 inside the Octagon and riding a 12-fight winning streak. This win should thrust him into the rankings and put him in the mix for a marquee assignment next time out. What a blistering return!

The only blip for Zaynukov over the three-round affair was a gnarly first-round eye poke that prompted a pause. Otherwise, “Chanco” was in complete control, demonstrating the depth of his striking offense and overall abilities in further distancing himself from Rzepecki the longer the fight progressed.

With the victory, Zaynukov advanced to 9-0 while showing he could quickly become a factor in the lightweight division. He’s a little older than most UFC rookies and Contender Series grads, so an expedited push could be on tap for the undefeated Russian standout.

The burly Russian outclassed the American wrestler, hurting him on the feet multiple times while showing great control and defensive wrestling abilities in the clinch. Fortune soldiered despite dealing with a rib injury, but had little to offer, with Kuniev finally marching him down and putting him away early in the third.

This was an outstanding performance from Kuniev, who showed greater urgency and focus with his offensive output in collecting his first UFC stoppage win. That’s now back-to-back wins over Top 10 opponents, which should continue to propel him up the ranks whenever he makes his return.

The promotional newcomer put Izagakhmaev on the deck almost immediately, changing his level and driving through his first of numerous takedowns over the course of the fight. Vagaev struck to that formula throughout the contest before defending well down the stretch as Izagakhmaev mounted a final push.

The judges were called upon to determine the victor and when the scorecards were collected and tallied, it was Vagaev that came out ahead, extending his winning streak to four while securing his first UFC win. After a 17-month hiatus, this was a strong debut effort for the 33-year-old Vagaev, who should be even better next time out.