UFC Macau ‘Yan vs. Figueiredo’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Round 1

Put the kettle on, it’s early morning fights for much of the
planet. The locals in China will experience a show catered to their
time zone instead of having to stay up to the wee hours of the
morning to take in 13 fights at the Galaxy Arena in Macau. It is a
bit of a scattershot fight card light on divisional relevance and
heavy on UFC newcomers, and three-quarters of the latest Road to
UFC season will wrap up by night’s end. We start things off in a
non-tourney tilt at 155 pounds, as China tries to get on the board
early with Hayisaer (10-3, 2-2 UFC) against the hard-swinging Motta
(14-5, 1 NC; 2-2, 1 NC UFC). Both men sport .500 UFC records so
their backs aren’t entirely against the wall here, but a win goes a
long way in this weight class. Referee Kevin Sataki will receive
the first assignment of the show, clocking the two in as they clap
hands. The crowd is lathered up already. Hayisaer slowly marches
forward behind a faked jab, bobbing his way forward and trying to
take advantage of his reach disparity. He shifts laterally in hopes
of finding the jab, but it is Motta who partially reaches him first
after a minute of shadowboxing. Motta whips a kick at the front leg
of his foe, and he is out of the way when Hayisaer pitches a front
kick. They clash shins together when throwing simultaneous low
kicks, and Hayisaer steps in to drive a knee on the jaw. Motta pays
it no mind and backs off to reset, looking to lunge his way in with
a three-punch salvo. His winging left hook is the weapon that just
gets in, and he splits the guard with a straight left. When
Hayisaer sits down on a low kick, Motta comes at him swinging hell
for leather. Hayisaer times a perfect knee that sends Motta flying,
and Motta scrambles back to his feet and shakes his head out to
clear it. Motta recovers enough, and he gets back to blitzing
forward, his legs seemingly beneath him again. They both crash
together with jabs, and a jab snaps the Brazilian’s head back when
leaping in. Motta goes to the body and fires off a few punches over
the top, and Hayisaer has to skirt away to avoid the worst of the
damage. Motta goes low with a kick, and Hayisaer pays him back
immediately. Motta’s jumps are telegraphed and countered by the
Chinese competitor, and he has a pair of high kicks guarded. Motta
presses forward, getting Hayisaer’s attention with clubbing
punches. Motta knocks Hayisaer back to the wall, and he continues
hurling strikes and stinging his foe. Hayisaer regathers his
thoughts when returning to his preferred kickboxing range, and leg
kicks are traded. Motta fires off a third to the other leg in a
well-timed blow, and he plants two huge punches on the chin that
send Hayisaer crashing to the mat. Motta rails his downed foe in
the back of the head with his fists, and Hayisaer scrambles to get
back to his feet, his nose bloodied. Hayisaer backpedals, with
Motta chasing him to the bell. 10-9 Motta.

Round 2

Hayisaer appears to have cleared the cobwebs to commence the second
stanza, and Motta charges him early to test that. Hayisaer scoots
out of the way, absorbs a low kick and has to parry big swinging
punches. Motta bites down on his mouthpiece, deciding it is time to
stand and bang. Hayisaer spins around, hitting the deck briefly
when taking punches square on the chin, and he climbs back up and
escapes. Sataki warns him for outstretched fingers, with the
Chinese fighter measuring with his digits outstretched to take full
advantage of his lengthier wingspan. Motta bears down on him with
looping strikes, never throwing one at once. At least two or three
come from the Brazilian every time he hurls punches, and he mixes
in a few leg kicks and checks one on the way back. Hayisaer times a
blitz with a sharp counter, making Motta think twice about his
leaps of faith on the way in. Hayisaer concludes one combo with a
hard leg kick, and a second draws a reaction out of his adversary.
Hayisaer prods out several jabs, one drawing a tiny cut on the
corner of Motta’s right eye that grows rapidly as more jabs land.
Motta races forward, eats a stern knee and swings for the
bleachers. Hayisaer throws back at him, defense not part of the
conversation, and he works his way out to land on the outside.
Motta just misses with a haymaker and a head kick, always
presenting danger on his end. When Hayisaer kicks his front leg,
Motta makes a statement with a thumping check. Motta plunges
forward fearlessly, and Hayisaer tags him with quicker, more
accurate punches that shake his chin up. Motta turns to the side
and has to recalibrate his sensors, and the horn blares. 10-9
Hayisaer.

Round 3

The fighters double bump their fists to get going in the last
round, and the promotion inadvertently leaves a Latin placeholder
phrase on the screen. The fighters are obviously unaware of a
broadcast mistake, and Motta wants to get right after it. He does
just that, charging like a bull and swinging like a madman. The
Brazilian’s clubbing blows knock Hayisaer to his seat, and instead
of trying to drum his stunned opponent out, he circles around to
take Hayisaer’s back. Motta fastens the body triangle in a hurry,
where he starts hunting for what would be his first career
submission. Hayisaer bucks and scrambles, breaking out of the
leglock around his waist and forcing his way to his feet. Hayisaer
strides forward with his longer strikes connecting, getting Motta’s
attention with his responsive blows. Motta chops at the front calf,
one that has turned red with welts. Hayisaer tosses out a high kick
and then a front kick, and suitably ends the three-kick salvo with
one down low. Hayisaer walks Motta down, the Brazilian showing
signs of fatigue, and he works behind his jab. Motta wings one
single power strike, and Hayisaer is able to time him and clip him
with a left on the temple. Hayisaer aims a kick or two to the lead
leg, and he drives a one-two through the guard. Motta keeps moving,
swinging hard but not connecting cleanly as Hayisaer is constantly
moving. Hayisaer chases him down but is not cutting him off, and he
is loudly warned for his fingers pointed at the Brazilian. Hayisaer
jabs and scores a two, and he goes off with a body kick only to eat
a left hand over the top. Hayisaer chops down the lead wheel, and
on four occasions Motta runs at him with left hooks. When the
10-second clapper sounds, the two men raise their arms in the air
and throw down one final time. They do the customary swanging and
banging, with Hayisaer getting the worst of it until time expires.
Motta goes over to hug his opponent after 15 minutes of fist
fighting. 10-9 Motta (29-28 Motta).

The Official Result

Nikolas Motta def. Maheshate Hayisaer via Unanimous Decision
(30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Round 1

No one likes more than to have a second chance to make a first
impression, and that is what these two bantamweights will have when
they share the Octagon next. It might a stretch to say it’s
impression no. 2 for Xiao (26-9, 0-1 UFC), who came up short in his
promotional debut in June and also lost on the Contender Series in
2021, but it is what it is. He takes on LFA veteran Le (8-1, 0-1
UFC), who also debuted this summer and came up short on the
scorecards. Referee Mike Beltran takes control of the cage for this
preliminary offering as the Octagon Ranger, one that commences
without a glove touchy. Xiao races out of his corner, only to be
met with a Le body kick. Xiao jabs the body and face, slowly
chaining the strikes into a low kick. Le chomps down on his
gumshield to release a right hand and a thudding left hook, the
latter sending Xiao spinning away. Xiao gathers a full head of
steam to march forward behind a quartet of punches, getting through
Le’s guard with the last two. Le shrugs them off to string his
fists together, marking up Xiao’s face early and hurling body kicks
to punctuate his combos. Xiao retaliates, slipping on his way in
but still getting hands on face. Xiao fires off three punches in
rapid succession, and Le stands in the pocket and trades with him
momentarily before backing off to reset and pitch a front kick down
the middle. Le goes up high with a kick that slides off the guard,
and Xiao backs him off with a concussive left hook. Xiao misses
with a second but lands with a leg kick and a follow-up flurry. Le
wears them well and aims a body shot at his man. Xiao loops as left
around the guard, and he sneaks in a left when Le comes at him.
Xiao slides in and counters with a clean right hook, digging a kick
to the body after as he chains his strikes well. Xiao rushes in
recklessly and gets clipped, but he still manages to find his
target once or twice as well. Le checks a low kick, throws a body
kick and it gets caught. Xiao dumps him to the floor, and Le
scrambles speedily to get up and into a clinch. Xiao disengages
with two elbows, and he reaches his foe with a low kick on the way
out. Xiao scores a right hand and eats one back, and he dings Le
with a right hand that stings “Bang” for a second. Xiao jabs and
parries a right hand to counter with a left, and his uppercut
cracks Le. Xiao points to the ground, and the fighters brawl it out
to the bell. 10-9 Xiao.

Round 2

Xiao reintroduces himself with a leaping knee, and Le cold-cocks
him with a huge right hand to embody his inner Fedor Emelianenko
against Andrei Arlovski. Xiao does not get smoked from the counter,
instead landing and wanting to throw hands. Le has drawn blood from
the mouth, and he aims his left hook at the red target. Le walks
through a series of punches to land his own heavier strikes. Le
clips Xiao on the way in with a left hook, and when Xiao sets up a
low kick, Le’s left is ready for him. A third left hook dings Xiao,
and Xiao again points to the ground to initiate a slugfest. When Le
does not bite, Xiao walks him down spamming knees to the body. Le
circles away, backs off when getting nailed with a right hand and
fighting off the clinch to absorb little more than a single knee to
the midsection. Le strides in with two looping punches, dropping
Xiao to a knee, and Xiao bursts back to his feet and asks for more.
Le again does not bite, instead allowing Xiao to land on him
cleanly with four or five crisp punches. Le pulls back before
letting his own hands go, kicking the ribs when Xiao points at the
mat. Le’s counters hard, causing more blood to flow from the
Chinese fighter, whose mouth is jacked up. Xiao absorbs a strike or
two he does not like, forcing him to shoot in for a single-leg
takedown. Le stops it in its tracks with his fists, but a second
try from Xiao results in them both hitting the floor. Le is the one
to slip around to take the back, and Xiao explodes to get back to
his feet and tie Le up. Xiao gets off a knee in the Thai plum
before Le breaks away, and Le drills him on the way out with a
clubbing left. The power strikes from Xiao have caused a slight bit
of swelling below Le’s left eye, and he does not recognize it and
keeps swinging for the fences. Le plods forward, knocking Xiao’s
head around, and Xiao hurls back with a vengeance. A few swinging
fists lead to a jump knee, and the horn sounds to conclude a close
round. 10-9 Le.

Round 3

Xiao again is fired up to start the round, running at Le with a
head kick that results in a clinch. Le punches his way out of it,
landing a right hand over the top. Xiao does the same with a left
hook, and he jabs the body. The two consider grappling, but abandon
it after a scramble. Le bops Xiao twice on the jaw with left hooks,
and his takedown effort is shut down. Xiao dings Le with a few
hooks and a flying knee, and Le escapes and kicks the body while
slipping to the floor.
Le gets up, Xiao takes a deep breath, and the Chinese competitor
lets fly a ruthless right hand that smashes square into Le’s
temple. Le is out before he hits the canvas, but just to make sure,
Xiao dives after him to further scramble his circuits with
hammerfists. Beltran quickly recognizes that Le is done like dinner
and gets between them to wave the fight off, and Xiao
sprints to the cage wall to climb it and drink in the crowd
reaction. This is a good way to fire up the locals, as Xiao becomes
the first fighter to finish Le as a professional.

The Official Result

Long Xiao def. Quang Le R3 1:28 via KO (Punch)

Round 1

A pair of unbeaten newcomers with seven wins apiece meet in hopes
of keeping their spotless records intact. The prospects of Kavanagh
(7-0, 0-0 UFC) are high, with many calling for him to get a call up
to the big leagues after wiping out Davide Scarano with a spinning
back kick in 2023. It took a bit longer than he expected, but he
made it, and he meets Ochoa (7-0, 1 NC; 0-0 UFC). While the Brit
has heard the final bell in the past, Ochoa has never even fought
into the third round. Referee Mark Craig will have his hands full
with these flyweights for as long as it goes. They share a sporting
glove touch to get started, and Kavanagh strikes first with a low
kick. Kavanagh parries the jabs Ochoa is setting up, ignoring a
stomping kick to his knees so he can work his way in. Kavanagh has
to hop back to block a head kick, and he presses forward with a
push kick. Ochoa chops at the lead leg with a kick, and Kavanagh
responds in kind. A head kick buzzes past Ochoa’s face in the blink
of an eye, with the Peruvian looking at it with bemusement.
Kavanagh chips at the front leg, and Ochoa does the same as they do
not set up much else. Kavanagh nails the lead leg with a kick that
makes Ochoa recoil it, and he dodges a counter right over the top
when loosing a body kick. Kavanagh blocks a front kick and whiffs
with a head kick, and he sees Ochoa come barreling towards him and
blonks him on the head with a right hook. The Peruvian wears it
well and lets fly a head kick that is blocked, with the two going
tit-for-tat against one another. Ochoa connects with two leg kicks,
and the crowd starts wooing as it is not entertained. Both fighters
come up short on power strikes, with Kavanagh eventually reaching
with a leg kick and then one to the ribs. Kavanagh closes in when
Ochoa attempts a spinning back fist, and he chews up the inside and
outside of Ochoa’s right leg with kicks. Ochoa goes wide with a
haymaker, and Kavanagh slips the strikes and responds with a left
hook that cuts Ochoa’s right eye. In a flurry of strikes, a
Kavanagh kick does not find the right area and instead blasts Ochoa
square in the family jewels. Ochoa walks off in pain, and Kavanagh
knows what he did and apologizes. Craig calls time and tells Ochoa
he has plenty of time to recover, and Ochoa is not having a good
time right now. It takes over a minute for Ochoa to stand up, and
he asks for a chance to wipe his bloodied eye that is cut on the
lid. After 90 seconds, Ochoa is good to go, and they share a glove
touch to restart. Kavanagh reintroduces himself with two more
accurate leg kicks, and he allows Ochoa to kick him so he can plant
a capoeira kick on his ribs. An Ochoa kick appears to go low, but
Kavanagh waves it off and they trade front kicks. A clean Ochoa
front kick drives Kavanagh back, and Kavanagh rushes at him
swinging two hooks and a kick before the horn sounds. 10-9
Kavanagh.

Round 2

The fighters share a glove touch to get going in Round 2, with
Kavanagh twirling about when not committing entirely to a leg kick.
He instead aims one to the side, and he leans back when Ochoa’s
feet fly past his face. Ochoa scores a Mortal Kombat-inspired sweep
kick to the low leg, and Kavanagh no-sells it and responds with a
head kick. Kavanagh chambers and fires a slapping leg kick, hoping
to set up a high kick but Ochoa is wise to the latter. Ochoa keeps
his hands dangerously low as he prods out with front kicks, and he
sways back when Kavanagh kicks at him. Kavanagh scores a right
hand, has a kick roll off his shoulder and prepares to fire off a
counter. The right hand that comes from the Brit puts Ochoa on his
seat, and Ochoa, grinning the whole time, climbs back to his feet.
Ochoa attacks the front leg repeatedly, landing three or four until
Kavanagh lets fly a booming body kick. Ochoa’s kicks keep his man
at safe range until Kavanagh gets sick of waiting and lunges to
blaze him with a right and then a huge left hook. Ochoa wants to
engage, smiling all the while, and he absorbs a powerful left hand
that makes him smile and bleed. Kavanagh’s poker face never changes
as he unleashes kicks to the body and front leg, and Ochoa splits
the distance and delivers a clean body shot. Ochoa chains and fires
a few flashy strikes together that all miss, and he tries a
capoeira kick that comes up short. Kavanagh stays composed and
dings him with a left hook to draw more blood, and his leg kick
keeps battering the front leg. Ochoa splits the guard with a front
kick, and this makes Kavanagh bite down on his mouthpiece to
engage. Ochoa appears to get the better of the exchange, hurting
the former Cage Warriors fighter with a long series of punches.
Ochoa changes the strikes to body shots, lowering Kavanagh to the
floor until Kavanagh shoots desperately. The Peruvian jumps around
to take the back, and he hunts for a rear-naked choke while on his
foe’s back. Kavanagh leans against the fence to survive the
submission, with the horn ending the round. 10-9 Ochoa.

Round 3

The fighters reach the final frame and clap hands, and it could be
all tied up or Kavanagh could be ahead. No matter the score, the
competitors get to business before long. Legs fly from both sides,
with Ochoa picking and poking with kicks high and low, and his body
kick draws a reaction out of his man. With Ochoa selling out for
kicks, Kavanagh times a left hand that drops Ochoa. Kavanagh does
not go wild for long, letting Ochoa have it but paying attention to
when the jump knee inevitably comes at him. Ochoa gathers himself
and beats on the body with kicks, and Kavanagh returns fire with
two that leave mean looking welts on Ochoa’s waist. Kavanagh lunges
with a left hook, and he nails the front leg with a kick. Ochoa
digs a left to head and right to the body, and Kavanagh pays him
back with a short but fierce combination. Ochoa tries to sweep the
leg dramatically, and this time it is way short and the crowd boos
him. The two crash together with offense, as Ochoa tries a head
kick while too close. Kavanagh slips a huge punch to escape from
harm, hand-fighting and letting loose with a head kick. Ochoa
shrugs at him and belts him with a low kick. Ochoa chases Kavanagh
down, walking into a jump knee as he spins with a back fist that
bangs into the chest. Kavanagh strafes to the side, avoiding a hook
kick and a head kick with active movement. Ochoa’s kicks miss again
and again, resulting in Ochoa shrugging at him. Kavanagh wraps a
head kick around the guard, and they both land with their fists.
Ochoa steps in with a knee, and he gets countered with a left over
the top and has a head kick graze his chin. Ochoa walks Kavanagh
down without fear, kicking his way into a single-leg takedown
attempt that fails. Kavanagh intercepts a kick to blast Ochoa in
the face with a right hand, and he spins with a wheel kick that
connects cleanly. The two fighters hug it out, and Kavanagh hits a
back flip just because he can. 10-9 Kavanagh (29-28 Kavanagh).

The Official Result

Lone’er Kavanagh def. Jose Ochoa via Unanimous Decision (30-27,
29-28, 29-28)

Round 1

It’s a speedy battle of flyweights as the prelims carry on, with
unbeaten Mongolian Tumendemberel (8-0, 0-0 UFC)—say that five times
fast—introducing himself to the masses with a finish rate of 87%.
He encounters relative veteran Hernandez (9-4, 2-3 UFC), whose five
fights with a UFC record beneath .500 may undersell his skills.
Winking referee Marc Goddard should be ready for the action, and he
claps the fighters in as they touch gloves. Hernandez shifts right
to the center of the Octagon, measuring his range early with a low
kick and a right hand. Tumendemberel misses with a low kick, and
Hernandez shoots in for a takedown. It pushes the Mongolian against
the fence but ultimately fails, with Tumendemberel escaping out the
side and resetting. Tumendemberel lets fly a clubbing right that
bangs into the side of Hernandez’ head, and Hernandez wears it well
and wings a head kick at him. Hernandez shoots for a takedown, and
this time his double-leg entry succeeds as he dumps the unbeaten
fighter on the mat. Tumendemberel falls to his back while gripping
a guillotine choke, and wraps his guard up in hopes of completing
it. Hernandez calmly works through the submission, passing through
to half guard and claiming mount during a scramble. Tumendemberel
turns over to his belly and nearly falls into a rear-naked choke,
and he twists to his belly to not allow Hernandez to land on him or
try to choke him. Tumendemberel deftly turns Hernandez over, and he
walks away carefree even with Hernandez sprinting at him.
Tumendemberel frees himself from the grip and connects with a right
hand on the temple, and two more punches fly to put Hernandez on
notice. Tumendemberel throws a calf kick, and the crowd erupts in
boos suddenly for a perceived lack of action. Tumendemberel does
not change his approach, instead slowly cutting Hernandez off
measuring him with front kicks. Hernandez clips him with two right
hands on the way in, and Tumendemberel responds with a left hand
that reddens up his foe’s temple. Hernandez again strings two
punches together, and he meets a single-leg takedown attempt with a
guillotine setup. Tumendemberel lifts the leg up and sweeps the
other, and after a speedy scramble, both men get up. Tumendemberel
backs Hernandez to the fence, dropping him with a fierce left hook
and dives after him to lock down a submission. Tumendemberel rolls
for an armbar, Hernandez twists through it and sneaks around to
take the back standing. The round ends before Hernandez can do
something with the position. 10-9 Tumendemberel.

Round 2

Gloves are touched to commence the second round, and Tumendemberel
wades into action only to back off when Hernandez lets his fists
fly. Tumendemberel attempts a throw when the two clinch up, but
Hernandez wants nothing to do with it and fights it off to get some
space. Hernandez pitches out a front kick that does not quite split
the guard, and he switches stances to avoid a fastball of a right
hand aimed at his mug. Hernandez ducks a punch to jab the body, and
Tumendemberel leaps at him as a knee and the outstretched foot
bangs into Hernandez’ cup. Goddard calls time to allow Hernandez to
recover, and Hernandez takes 40 seconds to recover before he is
good to go and the fighters touch ‘em up. They trade jabs, and
Tumendemberel connects with a step-in elbow. Hernandez counters,
but he does not back Tumendemberel off, as the Mongolian is
marching him down and looking for power. Hernandez slips and rips
with a solid right hand, and Tumendemberel runs at him with a left
hook flying. Hernandez wraps him up and pushes him to the fencing,
using a body lock to deposit “Art of Knockout” to his back.
Hernandez easily shifts to half guard and is just about to hit
mount before Tumendemberel bucks at the same time to stop him from
advancing momentarily. Tumendemberel scrambles like a madman to
stand back up, only for the American to drag him back down and
return to half guard. Tumendemberel is warned for hooking his toes
in the fence to improve his position, and he does it a few more
times with Goddard yelling at him. Tumendemberel returns to his
feet, and Hernandez once more wrangles him to a knee. From behind,
Hernandez knees Tumendemberel in the face once, and Tumendemberel
realizes the old rule of a hand down is not enough to stop knees
from flying at his head. Hernandez takes the back and drags
Tumendemberel to the floor from behind, getting both hooks in.
Tumendemberel muscles his way back to his feet, sliding Hernandez
out the back door. Hernandez uses his flailing feet off his back to
keep him safe until the horn sounds. 10-9 Hernandez.

Round 3

Hands are clapped as the final round kicks off, with Tumendemberel
in the center of the cage slowly plodding forward. His winging
strikes hit nothing but air, with Hernandez well aware that the
headhunter is coming. Tumendemberel hurls pure power, and Hernandez
ducks away and escapes. Hernandez scores a few left hands while
scurrying around, but Tumendemberel gets his hands on him with a
few power right hooks as well. Hernandez stays moving, dipping away
from a huge uppercut and fighting behind his jab. Another booming
strike from Tumendemberel misses, drawing a reaction from the crowd
but not his opponent. Tumendemberel fakes a right hand and gets
popped with a left hook, and he goes right back to chasing.
Hernandez potshots, using his jab to set up other strikes, while
Tumendemberel is all power all the time. Hernandez chips away with
a few kicks, and Tumendemberel unloads a right hand at him.
Hernandez blasts the body with a kick while on his bike, and he
reaches his man with a right and then a left. Hernandez times a
right hand with a level change, and he keeps his guard up to block
a right hand when he sees Tumendemberel is about to hit him in the
face. Tumendemberel jabs and misses, and Hernandez’ level changes
are giving him fits. Hernandez uses them to set up strikes, and he
keeps Tumendemberel from getting anything serious going. Even
backing away most of the round, Hernandez is the one controlling
the range and pace, as Tumendemberel is just loosing single power
strikes. Hernandez ties him up briefly, and he lands a right hand
and a leg kick on the way out. Tumendemberel comes out firing, only
to get cracked with a right hook that slips around his guard.
Tumendemberel has his right hand cocked back, and his left comes up
short. Hernandez scores a low kick after avoiding a massive
uppercut, and he plants his jaw on the face and follows with a head
kick. Tumendemberel finally reaches him with a monstrous right
hand, and Hernandez hits the ground and climbs back to his feet.
Hernandez tries to wrap up the Mongolian with grappling, and the
horn sounds. The only question that remains: is that one big punch
to cause a partial knockdown worth more than the other four minutes
and 45 seconds of the round? It is going to be a close one. 10-9
Hernandez (29-28 Hernandez).

The Official Result

Carlos Hernandez def. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel via Split Decision
(29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Round 1

The first of three Road to UFC finals comes next, with strawweights
given 15 minutes or less to decide who receives the coveted
contract to the Las Vegas-based promotion. The more experienced but
considerably smaller Shi (16-5, 0-0 UFC) will collide with
22-year-old wunderkind Feng (10-2, 0-0 UFC) in what could be a fun
one. The referee for this tournament final will be referee Kevin
Sataki, and he will know first who can hold their head high today.
As a note, if they are tied after three rounds, there is a “sudden
victory” fourth round permitted. There is a glove touch offered by
Feng, but Shi wants nothing to do with it. Instead, Shi starts off
with kicks to the body and long leg of his opponent. Feng easily
reaches her with a responding kick. Shi kicks again on the outside,
and she reaches the body but gets popped with two punches up top.
Feng slaps the front leg with a few kicks, making Shi raise her leg
preemptively to avoid others. Shi punches her way into a low kick,
and she gets off a stomping kick to the knee and then aims one to
the ribs. Feng backs her off, kicking low and keeping her guard up
to block the overhand right counter. Shi blasts the body with a
kick, and Feng’s two punches and low kick draw a brief reaction in
response. Shi lands a kick to the thigh, and they trade punches
with Shi clipping Feng with a right hand. Feng lands flush on the
forehead, reddening it up and forcing Shi to shoot for a single.
Shi drives Feng to the wall, lifting the taller woman up and
dumping her to the mat. Feng imposes a butterfly guard, using it to
sweep her countrywoman and land in full mount. Shi scrambles with
all of her might, turning to her stomach but giving up her back
briefly. Shi breaks the grip around her waist to fight to her feet,
and she pushes Feng away from her. Shi explodes into a flurry of
strikes, and Feng meets her in the middle and then shoves her back.
Feng intercepts her opponent with a front kick, and she comes up
short with a left hook. Shi chops down at the front leg with a
kick, and falls to a knee when landing a body kick. Shi recovers
and plants another kick on the side, and she smacks the tall woman
upside the head with the instep of her foot. As Shi swings for the
bleachers, the round ends. 10-9 Shi.

Round 2

Shi strides out of her corner a confident woman, reintroducing
herself with a front kick right down the middle. Feng whiffs on a
counter, but she plants her feet and connects with wide punches as
Shi re-engages her. Shi walks into a right hook that shakes her up,
and she tries to reach and jab to the body. Shi kicks the body and
backs off from the counters, but Feng’s low kick makes her take a
step back. Shi advancing, swinging wildly, and a head kick buzzes
past Feng’s hair. Feng retaliates with two kicks that bounce off
the shoulder and upper arm. Shi’s front kick misses the mark, and
Feng sits down on a calf kick. Shi marches forward, fists flying,
and Feng intercepts her and ends up tied up with her. They split,
with Shi walking forward with a kick only to get met with a
clubbing right hand and a body kick. Shi comes up short with two
hooks, and a leg kick makes her tape a funny step. Again, Shi loads
up with inaccurate strikes, and Feng keeps chipping away at her
while avoiding what comes her way. Shi does get to her with a body
kick, and Feng’s counters do connect but do not dissuade Shi from
coming in. A left hand from Feng makes Shi’s right eye swell up a
tad, and she nods after absorbing a clean strike. Feng hammers the
front leg to disrupt the hard-swinging Shi, and Shi still struggles
to find her range while getting potshotted. Shi sells out for a
side kick, and Feng uses her range to pick and poke. Shi punches
her way into a clinch, pushing the younger woman to the wall to
take away the reach advantage. Shi uses a few knees on the inside,
and Feng does the same until they split and the round ends. 10-9
Feng.

Round 3

The ladies reach the last round—presumably, barring an unexpected
draw here—and Shi races forward winging a head kick. Feng’s jab
keeps Shi honest, with Shi aiming for kicks to get closer. Feng
whiffs on a left hand and Shi resets.
Chambering and loosing a monster head kick, the shorter woman’s
shin drills about as cleanly into Feng’s chin as one possibly can.
Feng is out cold, completely flatlined by the brutal kick. Shi
leaps on top to further punish Feng with her fists, and Sataki
sprints across the cage to tackle Shi off of the doomed
woman. Just like that, any question about the scores
is completely wiped away, with Shi the first strawweight winner of
a Road to UFC tournament with an exclamation point of a high kick.
Feng is still unconscious while Shi celebrates, but the celebration
is quickly muted when the scene turns from spectacular to scary as
medical professionals tend to Feng. The official decision is unable
to be read until Feng regains consciousness, with the doctors
wrapping her up and keeping her stable as they transport her
immediately to the hospital. Feng is eventually carried from the
cage on the stretcher, and she is awake which is a relief. Any
remaining information on her condition will come as the day
progresses, and we will keep you updated. On the positive side, Shi
is the first tournament champion of the evening, registering a
knockout worthy of “Knockout of the Year” consideration.

Following up on Feng’s condition, she is responsive and speaking to
her team and medical staff while underdoing scans to determine any
lasting damage, and was stretchered out as she was unconscious for
over four minutes from that head kick. According to the promotion,
Feng’s scans show no damage to her neck, and as long as the CT scan
goes well, she may be released from the hospital before long.

The Official Result

Ming Shi def. Xiaocan Feng R3 0:46 via KO (Head Kick)

Round 1

Keeping these Road to UFC finals going, flyweights will decide the
victor in a three-round preliminary contest. Sahota (12-2, 0-0 UFC)
will hope to turn his three-fight win streak to four, while Choi
(8-0, 0-0 UFC) has not yet tasted defeat as a pro. The fighters
will be joined in the Octagon by referee Mark Craig, who is prepped
and ready to keep up with these two speedsters. They touch gloves
before vying for the UFC contract, and Sahota bounces back and
forth behind a jab. Choi does not engage early, resulting in a
bunch of inaccurate strikes from Sahota including a spinning back
kick. Choi sneaks in a calf kick and darts away from any potential
counter, and Sahota fakes for a spin. The fans grow restless after
60 seconds of practically nothing, and Sahota finally walks Choi
down and reaches after him with a few jabs. Sahota kicks low and
draws his leg back to not allow Choi to snatch it up, and he lands
another calf kick. Choi surges into action, blasting “Kiru” in the
face with two right hands. They clinch, but break apart before the
two can do much with it. Choi’s right hand finds it home again on
the side of the dome, and Sahota shakes it off and tries to catch
Choi with a check left hook.
Sahota steps in with an elbow, and Choi slips it and bombards the
taller man with three ferocious punches that separate Sahota from
his consciousness. When Sahota slumps to the mat, Craig knows he is
done and rushes to him to call a halt to the action. Choi is able
to connect with two standing-to-ground punches before Craig
separates them, and Sahota goes out and is reactivated
by the damage. Still undefeated, the South Korean starts dancing,
further winning the crowd over. Choi is now the third Road to UFC
flyweight champion, having registered his first career Round 1
finish.

The Official Result

Dong Hun Choi def. Kierandip Singh Sahota R1 2:36 via KO
(Punches)

Round 1

It’s China vs. Korea for the third and final Road to UFC finale
match tonight, as submission specialists Baergeng (18-5, 0-0 UFC)
and You (13-3, 2 NC; 0-0 UFC) meet to handle their business. If the
first two finals were any indication, these bantamweights may
impress as soon as referee Mike Beltran clocks them in. They do not
tap their hands together before going for broke, and instead
Baergeng is the one to strike first with a leaping left hook. You
dodges and counters with a head kick that bangs into the guard, and
he slides back as Baergeng lunges with a one-two. Baergeng spins
with a back kick that pounds into the midsection, and he chains two
punches behind it. You shoots for a double, only to bail on it and
come up with a left hook. Baergeng stings his opponent with a right
hand, and You elbows him back to stagger him momentarily. Both men
appear to damage one another in an exchange, and they take a second
to reset. “You-Jitsu” uses his grappling to tackle Baergeng to the
canvas, landing in the guard. Baergeng smacks him repeatedly in the
back of the head, and Beltran warns him of these fouls. You steps
over to half guard as he clutches the back of his head, and the two
stall out as fans grow restless in the arena. Baergeng turns to his
side and recovers to get butterfly hooks in, and the South Korean
fights off a sweep but is forced to defend a sudden twist from
Baergeng who shoots on him. You defends with several knees to the
forehead, and he sweeps the leg and dumps Baergeng to the canvas
courtesy of a solid trip. This time, You lands directly in side
control, and he staves off a scramble while shifting to the other
side. Baergeng bucks his hips wildly, and You times this and leaps
into full mount with 30 seconds on the clock. Baergeng hangs on
tight until You breaks the grip to posture up and rain down elbows.
The South Korean lays into Baergeng with hammerfists until the bell
separates them. 10-9 You.

Round 2

The fighters are so amped to get back to combat that they forget to
offer glove touches, instead marching towards one another with
their guards high. Baergeng jabs a few times, and he leans to dodge
a counter right hand from the South Korean. You swipes out and has
an uppercut ricochet off the block, and he puts a few more punches
on it to drive Baergeng back. You counters a body kick with an
overhand right, and he nails the front calf with a kick and strings
two punches together after it. You rifles a right hand up top,
buzzing the forehead, but a counter from Baergeng appears to trip
him up. The You takedown attempt that follows is shut down hard,
and Baergeng pump-fakes knees hoping to have one primed and ready
to intercept a shot. You scores a heavy leg kick and comes out
swinging with a huge right hand, and Baergeng is left hitting air
with a long jab that does not find its home. You slaps a high kick
off the shoulder, and he kicks the other side. Baergeng hits
nothing but air with a head kick, his accuracy down in the tank so
far, with the elusive You hard to get his hands on. You stuns his
man with a step-in right hand, and he backs off to celebrate his
handiwork instead of add to it. You dips and rips with an uppercut,
and a left hook comes over the top. You works the lead leg on both
sides, and he sets up a level change but is stopped in his tracks
with the Chinese fighter’s defense. When Baergeng spins with a back
kick, You bowls him over and puts him on his back, landing in half
guard. You calmly works on top, getting off some ground-and-pound
without exposing himself to a reversal. A few right hands get
through, shredding the corner of Baergeng’s left eye and causing
blood to trickle down his face. Both men attack with elbows as time
expires. 10-9 You.

Round 3

The crowd showers the fighters with love to start the last round,
as they prepare for one final stanza. You strikes first, slapping
Baergeng upside the head with the instep of his foot. Baergeng is
jittery as he works his way in, but he does not throw anything
while You occasionally potshots him. You’s calf kick has swelled up
Baergeng’s lead leg, and he mixes up a left hand into a head kick.
Baergeng swings for the bleachers and is nowhere near his intended
target, and he tries to draw the South Korean into a face-first
exchange that fails. Baergeng’s head kick also misses, with You
handling the range brilliantly and preserving himself from most of
the strikes aimed at him. You keeps investing in the leg kick,
chaining a right hand into a head kick on the other side to fluster
the finalist from China. Baergeng jabs and blocks a head kick, and
You wraps a right hand around his guard. Baergeng is stuck in
neutral, not committing to much while just walking You down. You
dips back and gets caught at the end of a left hand, but it is
one-and-done before You ties Baergeng up. Baergeng escapes the
clinch and is met with an uppercut, and he pays it no mind and
keeps plodding onward. Baergeng throws caution to the wind with
looping strikes, ones that rebound off the guard. You blocks a high
kick and shoots for a takedown, and Baergeng stonewalls him and
gets off a right hand. Baergeng is clipped with a short left hand
when advancing, and he shoots for a double and elevates You before
dropping him on his back. You clings to him like a cheap suit until
time expires, likely having done enough to earn the nod and get a
UFC deal. In the talent-rich bantamweight division, he has a long
way to go, but it is a start. 10-9 You (30-27 You).

The Official Result

Su Young You def. Jieleyisi Baergeng via Unanimous Decision (30-27,
30-27, 29-28)

Round 1

The main card has begun, and all the Road to UFC fights are behind
us. It’s time for some action. Light heavyweight finishers that
sport matching 100% stoppage rates come to blows, and referee Kevin
Sataki better fasten his safety belt. Zhang (17-6, 1-0 UFC) has the
crowd behind him and a ton of momentum with 10 straight knockouts
at his back. LFA vet Diaz (9-2, 0-0 UFC) will certainly not shy
away from a brawl, and it could get wild in a hurry. The two clap
their hands together, and it is Zhang who moves directly to the
center of the cage. The fans are energized and chanting support for
“Mountain Tiger,” who leads the dance with a push kick and then two
calf kicks. Diaz leaps forward with a left hand that is blocked,
and he ducks down and nearly gets kneed. Zhang splits the guard
with a leaping left hand, and Diaz lunges at him back with a jab.
Diaz’ jab is countered by a few leg kicks, and Zhang reaches him
with a left hand up top. Diaz scores a right hand to make the
Chinese fighter smile, and Zhang races after him loaded for bear.
Diaz backs him off with an overhand right, and he slips away from a
body jab but cannot get out of the way of a one-two. Diaz plunks
his foe with a right hand around the guard, and Zhang smiles and
resets.
Zhang hammers the front leg, and he nails Diaz with a short but
devastating elbow that puts Diaz down. Barely still with it, Diaz
turns to his knees and turtles up, and the man from China rushes
after him to pummel him. About a dozen swarming punches get through
from Zhang before Sataki has seen enough, and Zhang’s
100% finish rate—all in the first round—stays intact by crushing
the LFA vet. The crowd goes wild.

The Official Result

Mingyang Zhang def. Osman Diaz R1 2:25 via TKO (Elbow and
Punches)

Round 1

From one pair of knockout-friendly 205ers to another we go, this
time with rankings implications on the line. A spot in the top 10
could loom for the victor. Former title challenger Oezdemir (20-7,
8-6 UFC) does not care about the odds and plans on springing an
upset with his mighty fists, while Ulberg (10-1, 6-1 UFC) wants to
take no time to put “No Time” away. Referee Mike Beltran dons his
proverbial hard hat before the fighters get after it, and he
commences the melee as the light heavyweights touch ‘em up.
Oezdemir has no fear and wades into the fray almost immediately,
landing a leg kick and a punch. Ulberg responds with a few kicks,
one of which bounces off the cup. Beltran calls time, and Oezdemir
waves him off so they do not stop. Oezdemir continues plugging
forward, chewing up the front leg with kicks and swiping left hooks
to the body. Oezdemir walks face-first into a left hand, and he
lets Ulberg kick and fall over so he can chase him with hooks.
Ulberg springs to his feet and escapes, only for Oezdemir to chase
after him and lunge with a big left hook. Oezdemir scores with a
booming strike, Ulberg gives him one back, and both men are on
notice that a knockout could come with one blow. Oezdemir’s face
turns red from the impacting shots of the Kiwi, who backs off
against the fence and prepares counters. Oezdemir lands three
punches, gets away and then kicks the front leg. A sneaky knee from
Oezdemir gets through as they briefly consider a clinch, and he
clubs Ulberg with a right hand when meandering forward with his
chin high and hands low. Ulberg’s leg kick is countered with a
sharp left hook, and he strafes away to make sure no harm was done
from the concussive blow. Oezdemir reaches him with another power
left hook, and he chains a leg kick into it. Ulberg prods out jabs
and backs off when a front kick meets his sternum, and Oezdemir is
the bull to Ulberg’s matador. Oezdemir connects with a few strikes,
and Ulberg gives him a few back to think about. Both men blast one
another with huge left hands, and Oezdemir gets the worst of an
exchange and has to back off. Ulberg strings punches and kicks
together in rapid succession, and Oezdemir reaches him with swiping
left hooks. Three massive punches from Ulberg slam into the guard
and still knock Oezdemir’s head around, but the Swiss fighter is
not concerned. Instead, Oezdemir attacks the front leg and causes
the City Kickboxing fighter to stumble. Oezdemir darts forward,
going to the body, and this reminds Ulberg that he can do that too,
as he chains two hooks to the body into a head kick. Oezdemir rips
a left to the liver, lands a right hand and then a head kick, and
the two have reached the end of Round 1. 10-9 Ulberg.

Round 2

The light heavyweights meet in the middle, and Oezdemir says hello
with three kicks on both sides. Ulberg uses his jab to try to stop
the kicks from landing, but it does not slow Oezdemir, who buckles
his foe’s knee for a second. Ulberg responds with a powerful right
hand that knocks Oezdemir back, and “No Time” takes a look at his
watch and loads up with power strikes. Ulberg takes them on the
chin and fires back with impunity, and they trade hooks in the
pocket as Oezdemir sways just enough to dodge the worst of them.
Oezdemir slips in to score a right hand and a body kick, and they
smack one another with left hooks. Ulberg scoops hooks around the
guard, and Oezdemir shrugs at him. Ulberg’s jab marks up Oezdemir’s
nose, and he keeps it framed in front of him to discourage Oezdemir
from wildly approaching. They connect at the same time, and
Oezdemir lands at the end of the short flurry. Oezdemir loops a
left over the guard, and he doubles up on it and kicks the calf. A
left from Ulberg to the liver causes Oezdemir to briefly double
over, but it might be sandbagging as he comes out swinging and even
partially lands a spinning back fist. Ulberg busts Oezdemir’s nose
open with a one-two, sharper and more accurate while Oezdemir is
swinging recklessly. Ulberg’s jab sets up opportunities for him to
move and counter, and he takes a leg kick to put a right hand down
the middle. Oezdemir checks a kick and fires back with two, and the
second stops Ulberg from swinging at him. Oezdemir swings, misses
and tries a standing hammerfist. Ulberg keeps moving, and Oezdemir
chases without slowing and spins again with a back fist that goes
wide. Ulberg probes the nose with his jab and stomps out with a
kick, using the rangy strikes to keep Oezdemir from reaching him.
Oezdemir misses a left hook by a matter of inches, and he gets
clubbed with a right hand in response. Oezdemir keeps his guard up
high to defend from the oncoming blows, and he spins after whiffing
to have a back fist bounce off Ulberg’s gloves. Ulberg clips
Oezdemir with a left hook, and the horn blares. 10-9 Ulberg.

Round 3

Perhaps a surprise to some, the strikers have reached the third
round. They pick up right where they left off, with Oezdemir
walking Ulberg down ready to throw hands. Ulberg snipes him from
his preferred range, using straight strikes to Oezdemir’s hooks.
Oezdemir gets his hands on the Kiwi with clubbing hooks, hurting
Ulberg. Ulberg escapes as fast as he can, skipping to the side and
keeping his wits about him. Oezdemir punches his way into a
surprise takedown attempt, and Ulberg shucks him to the side.
Oezdemir leaves himself wide open to get caught with a right hook,
stumbling him but not putting him down. Instead, Oezdemir takes
another huge right hand, and he somehow pops Ulberg with a
hammerfist. Oezdemir slides away from a punch just enough to
counter with a booming left, and Ulberg’s chin is made of sterner
stuff. Ulberg’s intercepting jab flusters and bloodies Oezdemir up,
and he chains a right after the jab to sting Oezdemir again.
Oezdemir tries to pay him back with a left hook, only for his
strike to deal less damage. Oezdemir kicks the leg and blocks a
counter to come up top with a left hook, and he allows Ulberg to
bang into his guard so he can swing with short but looping strikes.
Ulberg keeps him at arm’s reach, absorbing a low kick and scoring
two right hands. Oezdemir counters a single jab, but it does not
dissuade Ulberg from throwing them. The Swiss fighter sits down on
a low kick, and he shoots for a takedown and has to abandon ship
when Ulberg pushes him over. They reset standing, and they both jab
at one another. Oezdemir blocks a head kick to blast Ulberg in the
face with a left hook, and Ulberg tanks it like a champ. A straight
right hand from Oezdemir stuns his opponent, and Oezdemir tries to
keep a stiff upper lip but is getting busted up and slowing
considerably. Oezdemir kicks the front leg, backing off to bait
Ulberg in and unleash a spinning wheel kick. “Black Jag” dodges it,
and the two reach the final horn. 10-9 Ulberg (30-27 Ulberg).

The Official Result

Carlos Ulberg def. Volkan Oezdemir via Unanimous Decision (30-27,
30-27, 29-28)

Round 1

Fresh off a crushing 62-second debut three months ago, Wang (6-0,
1-0 UFC) wants to ride the wave and climb the flyweight ladder in a
hurry. Wang will serve as the largest betting favorite of the
evening, coming in with astronomical odds above -1000. She meets
Brazil’s Fernandes (9-3, 1-2 UFC) in her sophomore effort, with
referee Marc Goddard drawing the charge between them. They touch
gloves, and Wang wastes little time as she kicks the front calf
early. Wang tries another kick, but the Brazilian dances out of the
way and kicks her back. Wang meanders her way in, feinting and
faking before firing off a thumping kick to the ribcage. Wang
slides away from a left hook to kick the front leg, and he jabs the
body. The woman from China kicks her in the midsection, and she
slips away to dodge a sweeping kick. Another front kick lands for
Wang, who is able to stay at her preferred range while she picks
her shots carefully. Wang punches high and to the body, and
Fernandes retaliates with her back against the wall. Wang’s
question mark kick buzzes the hair of the Brazilian, and she digs
to the body again but it is caught. Fernandes lets loose with a
right hand up high, and Wang rips the body twice as Fernandes tries
to get away. Wang continues working the midsection, absorbing a
left hand without batting an eye so she can loose a head kick. Wang
plants a side kick on the torso, and she splits the guard with a
one-two. Fernandes’ offense is largely muted, as she wishes to take
the fight down while Wang is all about hitting her in the face.
Wang stops the takedown and gets clubbed in both sides of the head,
and she recovers to let loose a right hand up top. Fernandes takes
a right hand to the ribs and gets popped with an overhand right
when trying to counter, and she surprises “The Joker” with a short
flurry that leads into a takedown attempt. Fernandes bullies Wang
to the wall but cannot ground her, and she clips Wang with a
looping left hand as they get after it. Fernandes lands again flush
with a left hook, and Wang’s body work continues to have an impact.
Wang ducks down, the two clash heads and Fernandes misses with a
left hook. A side kick from Wang punctuates the fairly one-sided
round. 10-9 Wang.

Round 2

The flyweights touch ‘em up to start Round 2, and it is right where
they left off with Wang aiming body shots while Fernandes keeps to
the outer edge looking for the occasional counter one-two. Wang is
more fluid and active, and she strings unusual strikes together
like a left hook into a step-in side kick. Wang boxes her way in,
working the head and body and sliding back when the Brazilian
launches haymakers at her. Another side kick from Wang finds its
home on the ribs, and she fakes an overhand right to make Fernandes
flinch. Wang watches a head kick whiz by her so she can set up a
low kick on the plant leg, and she fires off a high kick much
faster than her foe. Fernandes measures and fires a body kick, and
she misses on a big left hand and a looping kick as Wang stands
confidently before her. Wang winds up her hands before unloading
them on Fernandes’ jaw and torso, and Fernandes bounces off the
fence and chin-checks her opponent as they crash together.
Fernandes lands a leg kick, and Wang’s one-twos to the body keep
reaching the target. Wang probes through the guard with jabs,
dodging only when strikes come her way. Wang walks directly into a
head kick, and she is stunned by the damaging blow. They both fall
to the floor, and Fernandes gets up faster and starts to brawl.
Wang engages, her legs not totally beneath her, and Fernandes busts
her in the chops with short but effective hooks. The massive
favorite hits the deck, and before she can scramble to her knees,
Fernandes is on her back with both hooks in.
Fernandes wraps up a rear-naked choke, and she adjusts her hands to
fasten the submission. The choke is under the chin and it is a
matter of time at this point, as Wang is flattened out on her
stomach with no way out. Goddard is watching closely, and he
appears to see the life leaving Wang’s body and
intervenes. Incredible! Fernandes just pulled off the
betting upset of the year and one of the biggest in UFC history,
with Wang somewhere around -1300 to Fernandes’ +725 on the
comeback. Just like that, the hype train of Wang has taken a
tremendous hit, although with only six wins into her pro career, it
might be a lesson to bettors to value one brief UFC win that
greatly. Meanwhile, Fernandes speaks about the adversity she went
through leading up to the bout, with multiple deaths in her family
including one she learned about this morning. What a sport this
is.

The Official Result

Gabriella Fernandes def. Cong Wang R2 3:49 via Technical Submission
(Rear-Naked Choke)

Round 1

Two welterweights with finish rates of 75% or above collide as the
main card continues, with two relative elder statesmen in the
weight class plying their trade against one another. Song (22-8,
6-4 UFC) celebrates an equal number of knockouts to submissions,
while “King of Kung Fu” Salikhov (20-5, 7-4 UFC) is all about the
former. Referee Mark Craig will serve as the cage commander for a
tense showdown, one that kicks off as the fighters clap hands. Song
comes in, and before he can throw, Salikhov kicks his front leg.
Song tries again, this time reaching out with a left hand first.
Salikhov chops at the leg again, and he blocks a high kick. They
both attempt leg kicks, and Salikhov doubles up on his efforts.
Song guards against a few punches and throws a few back to counter,
and he is driven away with a spinning back kick that lands square
on his ribs. Salikhov kicks and then opens up with two left hooks,
and as there are lulls in the action, the crowd begins riling up in
support of the Chinese competitor. Salikhov darts in and out to
attack, picking his shots until getting met with a spinning back
kick coming back his way. Salikhov grits it out and blasts the lead
wheel with a kick. Song does not like this, and he blitzes forward,
drilling Salikhov in the side of the head and stunning him. As Song
closes in, he clinches, and a knee bangs into Salikhov’s cup. Song
backs away apologetically to allow Craig to call time, and Salikhov
takes 40 seconds to get his wind back. They restart, and Salikhov
picks up where he left off with calf kicks. Salikhov scores a right
hand, catches a head kick and dumps Song to the mat. Salikhov backs
off, with no interest in exploring the ground game, and instead he
keeps adding money in the bank with these vicious calf kicks. Song
shakes his leg out and hops away from a spinning back fist, and he
races forward with a left hand.
The Russian, known for his spinning arsenal, dips into the well
with a wheel kick that smashes cleanly into the melon of Song. “The
Assassin” crumples to the ground in a heap, rolling to his side as
he is bordering on the edge of consciousness. Salikhov drums him
out with two hammerfists that are academic at best, and Craig gets
between them to tend to the defeated fighter. Song
comes to before long and he graciously accepts the loss. Meanwhile,
Salikhov becomes the first fighter in company history to deliver
multiple knockouts via wheel kick. The “King of Kung Fu” is for
real, even at the ripe age of 40.

The Official Result

Muslim Salikhov def. Kenan Song via R1 3:49 via KO (Spinning Wheel
Kick)

Round 1

It’s a top-10 contest at strawweight in the co-headliner, with a
former title challenger in Yan (18-4, 1 NC; 8-3 UFC) trying to
cement her place atop the division. She draws Brazilian grappler
Ricci (11-2, 6-2 UFC), who will try to tie her up like a pretzel.
With both ladies sporting finish rates of 50% or lower, referee
Marc Goddard may not be needed for the proceedings, but the judges
are on standby in case they are called upon to hand in their
scorecards. The women want to get right to business, and Ricci runs
a circle around her opponent without a glove touch in sight. Yan
looks to set up her jab early, and Ricci’s frenetic movement keep
her away. Yan reaches her foe with a one-two, and she swipes with a
left to the body. Ricci gets driven back to the wall when blocking
a right hand, and she bounces off and resets. Another clubbing
right hand from Yan makes Ricci think twice about approaching with
her guard low, and Ricci responds with a takedown effort that is
effortlessly stuffed. Yan sits down on a solid right hand, and the
Brazilian wears it well. Yan reaches her once more with a right,
and she whiffs on a subsequent one-two and a front kick. Yan
targets the body as she can get away with seemingly anything on the
feet, as Ricci does not have much to offer standing. Yan’s one-two
makes Ricci drift in and out, and she digs two kicks to the
midsection to follow. Ricci has a low kick checked as she keeps
moving, and a head kick is feet away from her intended target. Yan
clips her chin with a left hook, and she rushes forward with a
right and an axe kick. Yan scoops a left around the guard, and a
one-two is chained into it. Ricci charges in, but her tackling
takedown makes her bounce off the chest of her opponent as the horn
sounds. The Brazilian may not have landed a single strike that
round. 10-9 Yan.

Round 2

Yan swats at the body and head without fear of reprisal, and Ricci
sits down and hits Yan with a body kick. Yan responds in kind, and
she loops a left up top. When Ricci advances, Yan blasts her in the
face with a stern right hand. Ricci appears stunned, and she dives
after a takedown. Yan keeps her occupied with a few more punches
and a head kick to think about, but Ricci is still able to wrap Yan
up and drag her to the canvas. Yan scrambles effectively to kick
off and get back to her feet, and she nails the Brazilian with a
right hand that again hurts “Baby Shark.” Yan points at the ground
in front of her when Ricci escapes, and she opens a cut on Ricci’s
left eyebrow from her right hand. Yan chains punches into a head
kick, and Ricci barely gets away. Yan kicks low and strings three
punches together, and Ricci’s flailing response is easily dodged.
Yan swings a right hand that nails Ricci on the eyebrow, and she
kicks the Brazilian in the ribs because there is almost nothing
keeping her honest at this point. Ricci’s charge is met by a
counter right, and Yan measures her and pops her with a one-two.
Ricci kicks the front leg and is partially checked, and she has to
stand firm as she takes a one-two on the chin. They land left hands
at the same time, and Yan’s mouthguard falls out. Goddard gets her
to replace it, and Ricci runs forward throwing hands. The Brazilian
lands with a power punch, and she takes that brief bit of momentum
to bowl Yan to the fence. As Ricci swings wildly and does little,
the horn sounds. 10-9 Yan.

Round 3

Reaching the third round, the two meet in the middle fighting
behind their jab. It is Yan’s that actually lands, while Ricci’s
paws at air. Ricci still cannot find her range 10 minutes into the
bout, while Yan easily gets her hands on her with a flurry. A
responsive flurry from Ricci is parried without concern, and she
kicks the front leg only to be met with a turned shin that checks
it. Yan drills her foe with a one-two, and a second right hand
comes shortly thereafter. As Ricci meanders forward, Yan’s counter
left hook gives her pause. Yan drives home another accurate right
hand, and Ricci feebly attempts a head kick that is a safe distance
away. Yan jabs and puts a bit of mustard behind one left hand, and
she races in punching. Ricci tries to do the same, and when she
jumps with a Superwoman punch, Yan knocks her back with a stern
right. Ricci scores a left hand, and Yan stands and looks at her as
if to send a message that her strikes do not impact her. Yan lets
Ricci fly by her so she can bust her in the chops with short
two-punch salvos, and she jabs the body a few times. Yan slaps her
foot off Ricci’s guard, and the gust of wind behind a right hand
makes the Brazilian stumble back. Ricci reaches her foe at the end
of a right, and she dives after a single but ends up landing on her
face. Yan takes one to land three, and she dips in a few times to
deliver body shots. Yan catches her opponent on the way in with
left hands, as she picks her target to the head and midsection.
Ricci scores a right hand, only for Yan to pay her back in spades.
Yan hits harder, faster and more accurately. Ricci tries mightily,
swarming her way in, and Yan boots her in the face. Yan points at
the ground to initiate a final brawl, but time expires to end this
one-sided affair. 10-9 Yan (30-27 Yan).

The Official Result

Xiaonan Yan def. Tabatha Ricci via Unanimous Decision (30-27,
30-27, 30-27)

Round 1

A big one at 135 pounds wraps up this fight card, with a possible
title challenger emerging depending on the result. Former
beltholder Yan (17-5, 9-4 UFC) has struggled as of late but did
right the ship in March with a decision over Yadong Song. On the
other side of the cage stands ex-flyweight kingpin Figueiredo
(24-3-1, 13-3-1 UFC), whose run at the new division has gone
swimmingly thus far with three wins in three appearances. Whether
he makes it four in the next 25 minutes or less, referee Mike
Beltran and his outstanding moustache will be here for it every
step of the way. As he brings them to the center of the cage to
issue final instructions, the combatants eagerly bump their fists
together. Yan starts aggressively, backing the Brazilian off early.
Figueiredo strikes first with a body kick and shoots for a
takedown, and Yan defends the double but falls victim to an inside
trip takedown. Figueiredo lands in the guard, with Yan smacking him
off his back. Yan tries to elevate and sweep his opponent, and
Figueiredo hangs on from above when Yan turns to his knees.
Figueiredo looks to keep Yan grounded, staying heavy on Yan’s back
and following Yan when he rolls. Yan elbows from behind, bopping
Figueiredo on the nose a few times as the bantamweights keep
twisting and turning. Yan uses elbows to the thigh to break up a
partial leg grip around him, and this results in Figueiredo getting
both hooks in and taking the back. Figueiredo looks for a body
triangle, and Yan maintains a two-on-one wrist lock so he can
explode and twist around to claim top position. Yan gets off a
single elbow before Figueiredo grips hold of him with all of his
might, and Yan drags him to put his neck on the corner of the fence
and the floor. Yan covers the Brazilian’s mouth when not driving
his elbow into his face, and he postures up every so often to land
a strike. Yan drills his man with a solid right hammerfist and an
elbow with his other arm, forcing Figueiredo to turn to his side in
an escape attempt. Figueiredo bucks and kicks, but Yan stays above
him scoring a solid right hand. As Figueiredo leaps back to his
feet, Yan knees him hard, and he kicks the front leg while
Figueiredo circles away to end the round. 10-9 Yan.

Round 2

The bantamweights re-engage after five minutes of largely
grappling, with Yan setting up punches and a head kick with a low
kick. Figueiredo walks through a stomping kick to his knee to fire
off his own head kick, and Yan blocks it and blasts the front leg
with his shin. Figueiredo sits down on a clubbing right hand that
sends Yan backpedaling, and it is one-and-done so Yan recovers
without issue. Yan strikes again with a low kick, and he kicks
high. Yan is warned for outstretched fingers, and he belts the
Brazilian in the body with his foot. A level change from Figueiredo
is easily thwarted, and Yan chops at his front leg when his foe
backs off. Figueiredo absorbs a head kick, blocks a second and
retaliates with one to the ribs. Yan steps in with a right hook,
and he brings up a knee shield to defend a body kick. Figueiredo
whizzes past his man to connect a right hand, and he spins with a
wheel kick and misses the mark. A second power right from
Figueiredo wobbles Yan’s legs, and he spins with a back kick that
pounds into the ribcage. Yan bounces off the wall and gets his
bearings, with Figueiredo not committing to anything additional.
Yan kicks the lead leg and then reaches out with a left hand, and
Figueiredo trips and hits the floor but climbs up without concern.
A jumping switch kick from Figueiredo bounces off the guard, and he
lunges in with a right hand and checks a leg kick. Yan plants a
left hand on the cheek, stuffs a takedown and does it again. Two
clean punches from Yan make Figueiredo blink it out, and his
fingers are pointed towards his opponent and draw another warning.
They clash shins together with simultaneous kicks, and Figueiredo’s
hooks get his foe’s attention. Yan pays him back with an elbow up
close, and his kicks pepper “Daico” on the way out. Figueiredo
wraps two hooks around the guard, and Yan keeps his fist
outstretched to back Figueiredo off. Yan hits a clean trip and
throw, and Figueiredo throws his legs up for a triangle as the bell
sounds. 10-9 Figueiredo.

Round 3

The fighters are revved up and excited to get back to hitting one
another in the face, so much so that Beltran has to back them off.
When they start, it takes nearly 20 seconds before they strike. Yan
jabs and kicks with his front leg, and Figueiredo hammers the body
with a left hand. Yan chips at the front leg, backing away to block
a body kick. Both fighters switch stances time and again directly
in front of one another, and Figueiredo kicks his way into a
tackling double-leg takedown. Yan’s scramble allows him to grab
hold of one leg, and he is able to escape before long. Yan slams
home a low kick, and he connects with a short but explosive
uppercut that stuns and sends Figueiredo falling to his back. Yan
climbs into the guard in hopes of finishing the job, but “Deus da
Guerra” is hanging tight to protect himself from further damage.
Figueiredo wall-walks and shoves Yan away, and Yan walks him down
and boots him in the front leg. Figueiredo switches stances
immediately, and Yan kicks him in the ribs but eats a right hand up
top for his handiwork. The two crash together, and the impact
sounds like they clacked heads. Figueiredo breaks out of the clinch
and throws a haymaker from downtown, one that does not hit the
broad side of a barn. Figueiredo hunts for a step-in trip, and he
hand-fights Yan who is trying to box his way in. Figueiredo
connects with a body kick, and he reaches out with a right hand as
Yan shakes it off. Yan times a head kick, and Figueiredo boots him
in the chest right back. Figueiredo splits the guard with a
one-two, and a body shot makes Yan take a second to think about
things. Figueiredo closes in on him and digs several uppercuts up
the middle, and he appears to find a strike that is doing some
serious damage. A few more uppercuts ring Figueiredo’s bell, and
Yan leaps in the air to knee Figueiredo on the chin. Figueiredo
gets his mouthpiece knocked out, and Beltran has him replace it.
When Figueiredo puts the gumshield back in, he looses one final
combination of strikes that lead him to the horn. 10-9 Yan.

Round 4

It is championship round time, and both men still appear to have a
full head of steam. Figueiredo rushes out of his corner to engage,
lobbing kicks from both legs. Yan attempts a trip and throw, and he
disrupts Figueiredo’s footwork to make him hit the floor.
Figueiredo’s mad scramble gets him upright in seconds, and they
resume from striking range. They hand-fight until Figueiredo kicks
his man in the ribs. Figueiredo shoots for a double, and he
leverages Yan to the wall when the first try fails. Figueiredo
tries with a single, lifting Yan’s leg but not going anywhere. Yan
pushes him away, and they reset. Yan times a powerful uppercut that
knocks Figueiredo’s mouthpiece out, and he follows it with a head
kick that is just blocked in time. Beltran waits until he has an
opening to give the Brazilian back his mouthpiece, and he replaces
it. Yan slaps Figueiredo in the face with his toes, and he slides
back when Figueiredo bears down on him. The boxing of Yan allows
him to slip a huge punch and uppercut Figueiredo cleanly, and when
they are in close range, Figueiredo claims about glove grabs.
Figueiredo dips down and fires off a body shot, and two punches go
up top. Yan jabs and steps in with an elbow, and a piece of his
tape on his thumb comes off. Figueiredo blasts the body with a
ferocious left hand, and he ducks a looping strike for a takedown
shot. Yan stifles the effort and just misses with a booming head
kick, but he does connect with uppercuts and a flying knee when the
two let loose. Figueiredo tries his own uppercut, and he blocks a
head kick and comes over the top with a left. Figueiredo strides
forward to unleash a right hand, and Yan goes flying. When Yan gets
up, Figueiredo hurts his man in the body with follow-up strikes,
and Yan steels himself and unloads a series of uppercuts until time
expires. 10-9 Yan.

Round 5

Five minutes left to work, and the fighters touch ‘em up one last
time. Yan hand-fights on his way into attack, and Figueiredo
catches him with an uppercut. Yan tries to escape, but one left
hand to the body gets his attention again. Yan attempts a big knee
when Figueiredo is ducking, and it grazes off the red line on
Figueiredo’s dome. Figueiredo gets clinched, eats a knee and an
uppercut without landing anything before getting shoved back. Yan
goes into boxer mode, pinning his punches on Figueiredo’s chin
again and again. Figueiredo throws back with bad intentions,
shaking his foe up with an elbow and a few mighty left hands.
Figueiredo digs a kick to the body, and he watches as body kick
soar past him. Figueiredo shoots, Yan sprawls and they reset. Yan
steps in with a left hand, slides away and does not get tagged on
the counter. Yan rifles off a left hand, and Figueiredo decides to
pay him back with a clubbing right hook. Yan bounces off the
fencing and absorbs a flush body shot, and he just misses with a
huge uppercut. Yan spins with an elbow, and Figueiredo grins and
tells him good work. Figueiredo points to the ground in what has
been a gesture repeated frequently today, and Yan shrugs it off and
times another spinning strike. Yan scores an elbow, and Figueiredo
drives an elbow into the torso. Another elbow forces Figueiredo to
back off, if only for a second, and Yan smacks him cleanly with a
flying switch kick. Figueiredo boots him in the head with a
question-mark kick, and he hurts the Russian with two huge right
hands. Figueiredo rushes forward to attack, and both fighters duck
down and crash together. Figueiredo goes hind quarters-over-tea
kettle and falls off the back, and he jumps back up and walks Yan
down, throwing everything he has at his opponent. Yan looks for a
knee up the middle, and he belts the Brazilian’s body with his
shin. Figueiredo swings hard, and he stops a takedown. Yan scores
with one more left hand, and this terrific 25-minute engagement
comes to a close. A few rounds were close, but one fighter appeared
to outwork the other over the course of their “Fight of the
Night”-worthy battle. Both men climb to the top of the cage to
celebrate their handiwork, hugging it out and taking time to enjoy
the crowd showering them with love. 10-9 Yan (49-46 Yan).

The thriller in the books, the victorious Yan is joined in the cage
by his son, who it appears may be watching his father fight live
for the very first time. Like the winner of the co-main event, Yan
calls for another title shot, although he is two fights removed
from the championship bout and not one like the strawweight from
earlier. Even in defeat, Figueiredo is all smiles, appreciating
Yan’s handiwork and generally a happy camper. With that, UFC Macau
is in the books, and there is no UFC next week as it is
Thanksgiving week in America. Instead, PFL runs its championship
event on Friday, which contains a remarkable 10 title fights. We
will be there for each and every one, and we hope you are too.

The Official Result

Petr Yan def. Deiveson Figueiredo via Unanimous Decision (50-45,
50-45, 50-45)