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UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastellum takes place August 21
Results

UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum Results

Live Results, Winner Interviews And More From UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum, Live From The UFC APEX in Las Vegas

UFC returned to UFC APEX with a critical matchup in the stacked middleweight division, as No. 3 ranked contender Jared Cannonier collided with No. 9 Kelvin Gastelum. In the co-main event, relentless grapplers locked horns as Clay Guida meets Mark O. Madsen.    

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UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum Results

UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum Main Card

Main Event: Jared Cannonier vs Kelvin Gastelum

The night wrapped with a crucial contest in the 185-pound weight class, where Jared Cannonier cemented his status as one of the elites with a unanimous decision win over former TUF winner and interim title challenger Kelvin Gastelum.

Gastelum pressed the action early, moving well, swinging hands from southpaw, with Cannonier countering largely with kicks, happy to make his reads and get a sense of Gastelum’s timing. Two minutes in, Cannonier started to throw more, attacking the lead leg and mixing in punches, both men moving well. Although Gastelum was leading the dance, Cannonier countered well, landing short blows as the former Ultimate Fighter winner came forward, throwing far less volume, but landing at a solid clip.

Jared Cannonier Octagon Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Jared Cannonier Octagon Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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The second began much like the first, with Gastelum coming forward, bouncing on the balls of his feet, adding in a quick level change to draw out a response from Cannonier. Once again, the former heavyweight remained patient, being selective with his offerings, allowing Gastelum to get out to an early lead in the second of five possible rounds.

Just after the midway point of the round, Gastelum stung Cannonier with a few different shots, landing clean and twisting his head around, earning a smile from his opponent; a sure sign that he connected well. Cannonier wore it well, but never really responded, resulting in a clear round for the former interim title challenger.

Gastelum claimed the center to start the middle stanza in this five-round fight, looking fresh 10 minutes in. Just as Gastelum got settled, Cannonier buzzed home a clean right hook that dropped him in his place, and he narrowly avoided a head kick as he stood back up. Gastelum wisely pressed forward for a takedown, but couldn’t finish, and the two worked back into the center of the cage.

The steely Gastelum recovered well and resumed pressing forward, changing levels for a takedown, but getting stuffed again by Cannonier, each man landing in close quarters seconds later. Game as they come, Gastelum continued pressing forward, having some success with his hands and a heavy inside leg kick late in the round, but it wasn’t enough to counteract the right hook that sat him down early in the frame.

Both men looked fresh as the fight entered the championship rounds, Gastelum taking the center, only to have Cannonier chase him backwards with a series of long-range punches that prompted the 29-year-old to initiate a clinch. Cannonier worked his way off the fence and into the center, sticking a right hand in Gastelum’s mush soon after, while the tenured contender responded with a left hand and a leg kick.

Cannonier switched southpaw and landed a right hook in tight, shifting back to orthodox and connecting with a body kick. As Gastelum looked to close the distance, Cannonier hit him with an uppercut that stopped him in his tracks, but only momentarily, as the unflappable TUF 17 winner popped right back up and resumed his pursuit. Cannonier landed the same short uppercut in the waning moments of the round, sending this to a final round, with the fight close on the cards.

With five minutes remaining, Gastelum again came out quickly, looking to pressure, trading leg kicks with Cannonier. While he was selective with his strikes, Cannonier landed in combination when he threw, again prompting Gastelum to crash in, looking for a takedown along the fence, only to have Cannonier fight him off once more.

Jared Cannonier Octagon Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Jared Cannonier Octagon Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Back into space with two minutes to decide it, Gastelum was the more active of the two, but Cannonier did a good job of defending, blocking many of the strikes coming his way, throwing very little in return. Late in the fight, Gastelum pressed in for another takedown and Cannonier hit him with a “Hapa elbow” to the side of the head, with the bout ending with both men sure they’d done enough to earn the victory.

Left to the views of the three judges scoring the fight, the totals fell in favor of Cannonier, with all three officials seeing the fight the same way, three rounds to two for “Tha Killa Gorilla.” With the return to the win column, the third-ranked Cannonier moves to 4-1 in the middleweight division and 14-5 overall, while Gastelum suffers a second consecutive loss, falling to 1-5 over his last six outings.

Official Result: Jared Cannonier def. Kelvin Gastelum by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47) | Official Scorecards

Co-Main Event: Clay Guida vs Mark Madsen

Following a harrowing 18 month ordeal, Mark Madsen secured the biggest victory of his mixed martial arts career on Saturday night, edging out Clay Guida on the scorecards in a close, 15-minute affair.

Guida came out doing Guida things — bobbing and weaving, moving laterally, feinting and firing, forcing Madsen to try to find him, with the UFC veteran stinging the Olympic silver medalist in space on two occasions. But once Madsen was able to close the distance and tie up with “The Carpenter,” he had some success of his own, landing short punches and knees in tight, doing a much better job of setting up his entries with long punches.

Mark Madsen Post-Fight Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Mark Madsen Post-Fight Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Surprisingly, there were no takedown attempts in the first round, with Madsen gaining Guida’s respect on the feet after the fan favorite’s quick start, and each man having their moments.

The lightweights mirrored each other in the early moments of the second, trading short punches and leg kicks before Guida started to settle in and have more success, popping Madsen’s head back a couple different times. The Danish fighter closed the distance and landed a knee to the midsection, but couldn’t keep Guida hemmed in. He couldn’t head him off in space either, with Guida constantly exiting into open space and sniping home heavy low kicks and the occasional hook.

To his credit, Madsen stayed in front of Guida the whole time, sticking him with jabs that busted up his nose, but failing to follow up, falling behind the hyperactive stalwart in terms of output heading into the final round.

Mark O. Madsen of Denmark punches Clay Guida in their lightweight matchup at UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum on August 21 2021 in Las Vegas Nevada (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Mark O. Madsen of Denmark punches Clay Guida in their lightweight matchup at UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum on August 21 2021 in Las Vegas Nevada (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Guida was back on his bob and weave game to start the third, moving a lot, but not landing much of anything as Madsen continued to try to walk him down, landing sporadic punches when he could time Guida’s movement. The best offense “The Carpenter” had to offer were the low kicks he utilized well in the second, with Madsen popping the jab every time Guida looked to throw.

Each man missed with heavy swings late in the fight, with Guida quickly shaking free of Madsen’s attempt to clinch up, leading to the duo trading jabs at range through the horn.

This was an exceptionally close fight and the final scores reflected that, with the judges split in how they saw it, with two officials seeing it in favor of Madsen, who remains undefeated and picks up the biggest win of his mixed martial arts career.

Official Result: Mark O. Madsen def. Clay Guida by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27) | Official Scorecards

Parker Porter vs Chase Sherman

The big fellas happily traded blows in the center from the jump, Sherman clearly the quicker of the two and offering the more diverse attacks, with Porter standing his ground and firing back heavy in return. With two minutes left in the round and Porter leaking from his nose, he caught a slowly retracted kick and dumped Sherman to the canvas, initially looking for a key lock before settling into top position and big brothering “The Vanilla Gorilla” for the remainder of the round.

Parker Porter Octagon Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Parker Porter Octagon Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Heavy leather was let loose to begin the second, with Sherman starting quickly, but Porter quickly responded, having more success than he did in the first as Sherman’s pace and hand speed began to waned. For whatever reason, every time Porter had a little success and closed the distance, he would back off into space, giving Sherman a chance to recover and come forward again. As the final minute of the round arrived, the combatans were just slinging big shots at one another like they were getting after it out back of the bowling alley on a humid Friday night, neither man backing down.

Porter came out the fresher of the two to start the third, backing Sherman up with heavy shots, changing levels in hopes of taking it to the canvas, but backing off when he was unsuccessful. Where Sherman was beating Porter to the punch in the first, the roles were reversed in the third, with Porter getting off inside of Sherman’s labored offerings, touching up the exhausted Mississippi native.

Parker Porter punches Chase Sherman in their heavyweight bout at UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum on August 21 2021 in Las Vegas. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Parker Porter punches Chase Sherman in their heavyweight bout at UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum on August 21 2021 in Las Vegas. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)


Sherman nearly buckled Porter with a low kick with two minutes remaining in the round, but he failed to follow up on it, letting Porter off the hook, settling for trading in tight and getting the worst of exchanges. An errant front kick pressed pause on the action for 90 seconds, with the heavyweights getting after it, trading blows for the final 60 seconds, leaving this one for the judges to decide.

The judges were unanimous in how they saw things, with Porter walking away with his second straight victory, pushing his record to 12-6 overall. With the loss, Sherman fell to 15-8, dropping his second straight.

Official Result: Parker Porter def. Chase Sherman by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) Official Scorecards

Trevin Jones vs Saidyokub Kakhramonov

At home in his native Uzbekistan when he got the call to compete earlier in the week, Saidyokub Kakhramonov made the most of his short-notice opportunity on Saturday night.

Kakhramonov threw the first strike of the fight, just missing with a high kick that Jones turned into a takedown attempt. As they got to the ground, Kakhramonov controlled the scramble, jumping on a guillotine choke, only to lose his grip and have Jones work back to his feet, claiming the control position against the cage. The duo toggled spots on the fence for the remainder of the round, neither man throwing much of anything in the position, with Jones forcing the short-notice newcomer to carry his weight and battle to create space.

Saidyokub Kakhramonov Gets A Late Submission | UFC FIght Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Saidyokub Kakhramonov Gets A Late Submission | UFC FIght Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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The bantamweights were right back on the fence seconds into the second round, Jones initiating the clinch. Kakhramonov worked free into the center of the cage and hit Jones with a clean right hand, prompting “5 Star” to look for a single leg and get into close quarters again. Kakhramonov fired off “Hapa elbows” along the fence, then circled into space, unloading on Jones as he did, stinging the native of Guam.

Each time Jones tired to clinch, Kakhramonov had an easier time breaking free, punishing him with unanswered strikes as soon as they were in space. With 90 seconds left in the round, Jones finally fired back with punches of his own, getting in on a double leg and dumping Kakhramonov to the canvas, working from half guard and transitioning to mount in the final 20 seconds of the round, setting up an interesting final stanza.

Saidyokub Kakhramonov Post-Fight Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Saidyokub Kakhramonov Post-Fight Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Kakhramonov came out confidently to start the third, pressing forward and attacking with varied strikes, including a hard shot to the body. Jones ducked under a long left hand to secure a waist lock, trying desperately to get the fight to the canvas before switching to a body lock along the cage, landing sporadic knees to the midsection prompting referee Herb Dean to urge them to “work.”

Jones did just enough to maintain the position, but Kakhramonov eventually worked out, throwing big shots, and latching onto a guillotine choke as Jones looked to change levels. After adjusting his grip, Kakhramonov put Jones to sleep, wrapping up an excellent short-notice debut with a submission win.

Official Result: Saidyokub Kakhramonov def. Trevin Jones by technical submission (guillotine choke) at 4:39 of Round 3 Official Scorecards

Vinc Pichel vs Austin Hubbard

Colorado-based lightweights clashed on the main card, leaving it all in the Octagon in a thoroughly entertaining 15-minute affair.

The lightweight hopefuls stayed in range of each other and just kept trading, neither landing anything real serious, but both having some success as they exchanged punches and kicks, Hubbard coming forward and pressing the action, Pichel happy to try and play the matador. It was five minutes of tit-for-tat action at a good clip through the opening five minutes, every bit as competitive and entertaining as everyone expected going in.

Business picked up to start the second, with Pichel having a little more success out of the chute, prompting Hubbard to change levels and look for a takedown. Pichel defended well and worked back into space, but stumbled, looking like he may have hurt his leg. His output dipped and Hubbard looked to climb onto his back, only to fall off over the top and get rocked by a right hand soon after.

Vinc Pichel Post-Fight Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Vinc Pichel Post-Fight Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Pichel couldn’t follow up and Hubbard recovered, resuming his forward pressure, though the output from each waned. As Hubbard closed the distance, Pichel landed a knee up the middle, only for the Elevation Fight Team member to use it to secure a takedown, with “From Hell” creating a scramble and getting back to his feet relatively quickly, the duo again trading shots in space through to the end of the round.

It was more of the same to start the third, with the lightweights slinging leather in the center of the Octagon, Pichel putting Hubbard on his heels with a series of heavy punches, chasing him into the cage after they landed. Just when it seemed like Pichel was going to grab control of the contest, Hubbard changed levels effectively and put him on the canvas, only to have the 38-year-old create a scramble and work his way into top position just before the midway point of the round.

Vinc Pichel kicks Austin Hubbard in their lightweight matchup at UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum on August 21 2021 in Las Vegas Nevada (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Vinc Pichel kicks Austin Hubbard in their lightweight matchup at UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum on August 21 2021 in Las Vegas Nevada (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Pichel methodically worked to side control, but Hubbard created space and got to his feet, wth Pichel draped around his waist. They broke into space with 90 seconds remaining and Hubbard went on the offensive, landing a right hand and pulling Pichel to the ground on a low single after having his leg kicked out from under him. With 40 seconds remaining, Hubbard tried to unload, but Pichel pushed his way back to his feet, and the two traded bombs through to the final horn.

The Battle of Colorado was the best fight of the night thus far, and when the smoke cleared and the scores were added up, Pichel was the one to walk away victorious.

Official Result: Vinc Pichel def. Austin Hubbard by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Official Scorecards

Alexandre Pantoja vs Brandon Royval

Alexandre Pantoja already holds a UFC win over current flyweight champion Brandon Moreno and he just may get another chance to share the Octagon with “The Assassin Baby” later this year after securing his second victory of 2021 in Saturday’s main card opener.

Highlight: Alexandre Pantoja Submits Royval | UFC FIght Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Highlight: Alexandre Pantoja Submits Royval | UFC FIght Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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It took 12 seconds for Pantoja to get his hands on Royval and drag him to the ground, sticking to him like Super Glue on the canvas, working to sink in his hooks and find a way to attack the neck. Royval kept rolling and moving, shifting to the offensive and attacking a leg lock that forced the Brazilian to switch gears and be more defensive. Pantoja got his leg free and went back on the offensive, once again pasting himself to Royval’s waist and dragging him to the canvas, only for Royval to create a scramble and get back to his feet.

As they stood in the center of the cage, the striking exchanges were just as frenetic as the grappling, with each man throwing without hesitation, Pantoja stinging Royval with heavy rights, only to have the Factory X representative continue to press forward and counter.

Alexandre Pantoja Post-Fight Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Alexandre Pantoja Post-Fight Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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The second started the way the first ended, with the flyweight title hopefuls slinging in the center of the Octagon, Royval again complaining of an eye poke after getting punched in the face. A minute in, Pantoja secured a waist lock again, dragging Royval into his lap, locking in the body triangle as he looked for the rear naked choke.

As Royval rolled to take the pressure off the body triangle, the Brazilian fished his forearm under the chin and tightened his squeeze, leaving Royval no choice but to tap.

Outstanding performance for “The Cannibal,” who may have just punched his ticket to a title shot later this year.

Official Result: Alexandre Pantoja def. Brandon Royval by submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:46 of Round 2 Official Scorecards

Austin Lingo vs Luis Saldaña

A gutsy effort from Austin Lingo wrapped up an entertaining preliminary card on Saturday night, as he rallied to defeat Luis Saldaña.

There was no feeling out period between these two, as Saldaña and Lingo got after it right out of the chute, with Saldaña showing off the full complement of his striking arsenal, cutting Lingo over the right eye and hurting him to the body with multiple different strikes. But the Fortis MMA representative kept coming forward, crashing home left hands of his own and trying to find a home for something heavy as Saldaña frequently circled into space.

The opening five minutes rolled by in a flash, with the featherweights pushing a torrid pace, and  they kept it up in the second, as Lingo raced across the Octagon in a hurry and took the fight to Saldaña, who disclosed between rounds that he was dealing with a foot injury. A minute into the round, Saldaña looked for a takedown, a sign that he was uncomfortable with Lingo’s pressure and steady volume, only for Lingo to shake it off and stay in his face.

Austin Lingo Post-Fight Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Austin Lingo Post-Fight Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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While his output dropped, Saldaña continued to land the more telling blows, attacking the body and legs with heavy kicks, while Lingo had the significantly higher output, turning the second into an interesting round to score for the judges.

The final round began as the second concluded, with Lingo coming forward, throwing volume, prompting Saldaña to change levels, hunting for single legs without success multiple times. Lingo extracted his leg each time and stayed on the hunt, walking forward, letting go with his hands, just missing on multiple occasions, but tiring Saldaña with his constant pressure. Saldaña continued to land individual shots — quality shots — but his body language screamed that he was exhausted, and Lingo simply kept after him.

Austin Lingo celebrates after his unanimous decision victory over Luis Salaña in their featherweight matchup at UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum on August 21 2021 in Las Vegas Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Austin Lingo celebrates after his unanimous decision victory over Luis Salaña in their featherweight matchup at UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum on August 21 2021 in Las Vegas Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Late in the round, the Fortis MMA fighter dropped Saldaña with a right hand to the body, following him to the canvas and climbing onto his back, finishing the fight in a dominant position and most likely rallying to secure his second straight UFC triumph.

When the tens and nines were tallied, the judges were unanimous, awarding Lingo the decision victory, sending his record to 9-1 overall, while Saldaña falls to 15-7 with the loss

Official Result: Austin Lingo def. Luis Saldaña by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Official Scorecards

Brian Kelleher vs Domingo Pilarte

Business was booming in the penultimate preliminary card fight of the evening, as Brian “Boom” Kelleher earned his seventh UFC victory with a one-sided decision win over Domingo Pilarte.

Less than 15 seconds into the fight, Kelleher was in Pilarte’s mug, ripping hooks to the body, scooping him into the air, and dumping him to the canvas, settling into top position and remaining there for the remainder of the round, peppering Pilarte with shots, posturing up for some heavier blows, and avoiding the submission setups being explored by the grounded Texan.

Brian Kelleher Post-Fight Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Brian Kelleher Post-Fight Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Kelleher was back on a double leg takedown 30 seconds into the middle stanza, depositing Pilarte in the center of the cage, returning to work from inside his closed guard. With two minutes remaining in the round, Kelleher passed to side control, giving Pilarte a chance to scramble to his feet, only for Kelleher to chase a guillotine on two different occasions, continuing to attack despite having lost the dominant position. Pilarte stayed after it though, cracking Kelleher with a sharp elbow in the final minute of the frame before “Boom” swept into top position to finish the round.

Brian Kelleher and Domingo Pilarte react after their bantamweight matchup at UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum on August 21 2021 in Las Vegas Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Brian Kelleher and Domingo Pilarte react after their bantamweight matchup at UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum on August 21 2021 in Las Vegas Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

The third round started the same as the first, with Kelleher changing levels, elevating Pilarte, and putting him on the deck, settling into top position once again a minute into the round. With Pilarte’s head pressed up against the fence, Kelleher was content to hang out in his guard, working body, body, head in rhythm, burning time off the clock, getting closer to victory with each passing second, opening up a little more down the stretch.

Official Result: Brian Kelleher def. Domingo Pilarte by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) | Official Scorecards

Bea Malecki vs Josiane Nunes

The size difference in this one was stark, as Malecki stood seven-inches taller than Nunes, doing her best to utilize her significant reach advantage to keep the Brazilian newcomer at bay. Nunes was having none of it early, marching forward and swinging heavy shots, putting Malecki on the defensive early. Nunes was relentless with her attacks, closing the distance with Superman punches, throwing and landing combinations whenever she got in close, eating whatever the unbeaten Ultimate Fighter alum offered in return.

Highlight: Josiane Nunes Knocks Out Malecki | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Highlight: Josiane Nunes Knocks Out Malecki | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Late in the round, Nunes continued her assault, crowding Malecki and forcing her to cover up, and when the towering Swedish fighter attempted to casually circle into the center, Nunes detonated a left hand on her jaw that felled her in a flash.

What a way to make a first impression for the emotional newcomer Nunes, who broke down into tears following the finish and fought off more tears during her post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier. There may not have been many people that knew her name ahead of this one, but folks will certainly be aware of who she is now.

Josiane Nunes Post-Fight Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Josiane Nunes Post-Fight Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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What an incredible debut showing for Nunes to welcome her to the UFC women's bantamweight division.

Official Result: Josiane Nunes def. Bea Malecki by KO (left hand) at 4:54 of Round 1 Official Scorecards

William Knight vs Fabio Cherant

William Knight is a compact bundle of dynamite wrapped up in a hyper-athletic body, and he put it all on display on Saturday night.

William Knight Post-Fight Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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William Knight Post-Fight Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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After nearly four minutes of playing cat-and-mouse with Fabio Cherant, where each man took turns in each role, “The Knightmare” caught Cherant coming in, putting a short, straight-armed left hand on his chin that sent him crashing to the canvas in a heap. Knight quickly pounced, referee Chris Tognoni stepped in to stop the fight, and the hulking Contender Series graduate celebrated with a picture-perfect cartwheel into a back handspring in the center of the Octagon.

Highlight: William Knight Knocks Out Cherant In The First Round | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Highlight: William Knight Knocks Out Cherant In The First Round | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Just an explosive, impressive performance from Knight, who moves to 10-2 while collecting his second UFC victory.

Official Result: William Knight def. Fabio Cherant by KO (left hook) 3:58 of Round 1 Official Scorecards

Roosevelt Roberts vs Ignacio Bahamondes

The towering lightweights got after it right away, trading long jabs and leg kicks in the center of the Octagon early in the opening stanza, each man getting home with quality shots and both working at a steady clip. Bahamondes started controlling the engagement, pressing the action and backing Roberts down, prompting “The Predator” to grab a single leg, forcing the young Chilean to defend. After working back into space, Bahamondes continued to lead the dance, throwing at a steadier clip and with greater variety through to the end of the round.

Highlight: Ignacio Bahamondes Earns Wheel Kick Knockout | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Highlight: Ignacio Bahamondes Earns Wheel Kick Knockout | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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It was more of the same to start the second, with Bahamondes coming forward behind a quality mix of punches and kicks, attacking from different stances and to different levels. While Roberts fired back steadily and opened Bahamondes up with his jab, the 23-year-old UFC sophomore was undeterred, staying in Roberts’ face, continuing to fire off a high volume of attacks. Though he finished the round wearing a crimson mask courtesy of cuts at both ends of his brow line, Bahamondes was in control heading into the final round.

Early in the third, Bahamondes hurt Roberts with a straight right hand to the body, prompting a panicked takedown attempt. After defending and calling Roberts back to his feet, Bahamondes hurt him again, the sequence repeating itself. After continuing to pepper Roberts throughout the round, Bahamondes heard the “10-second clappers” and let fly with a spinning wheel kick, catching Roberts clean on the jaw, knocking him out cold.

Ignacio Bahamondes Post-Fight Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Ignacio Bahamondes Post-Fight Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Just an incredible way to close out an impressive performance by the recent Dana White’s Contender Series graduate and a memorable way for Bahamondes to earn his first UFC victory.

Official Result: Ignacio Bahamondes def. Roosevelt Roberts by KO (spinning wheel kick) at 4:55 of Round 3 Official Scorecards

Sasha Palatnikov vs Ramiz Brahimaj

Ramiz Brahimaj made a statement in Saturday night’s opener, picking up a first-round finish to secure his first UFC victory.

Highlight: Ramiz Brahimaj Chokes Out Palatnikov | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Highlight: Ramiz Brahimaj Chokes Out Palatnikov | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Brahimaj didn’t waste any time making it clear he was looking to grapple in this one, changing levels and putting Palatnikov on the deck within the opening 30 seconds, navigating a scramble to land in top position and attack an arm-triangle choke. When Palatnikov looked to defend, the Fortis MMA representative climbed into mount, forcing Palatnikov to give up his back, creating the opportunity for Brahimaj to attack a rear-naked choke.

Palatnikov tried valiantly to defend, but Brahimaj stayed patient and stuck with the choke, squeezing out a technical submission win.

Ramiz Brahimaj Post-Fight Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Ramiz Brahimaj Post-Fight Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Gastelum
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Brahimaj moves to 9-3 with the victory, maintaining his perfect finishing percentage, while Palatnikov falls to 6-4 overall with his second consecutive submission loss.

Official Result: Ramiz Brahimaj def. Sasha Palatnikov by submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:33 of Round 1 Official Scorecards