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411’s UFC Fight Night: Bautista vs. Oliveira Report
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MAIN CARD (Paramount+, 8 p.m. ET)
#9 Mario Bautista (135.5 lbs.) vs. #11 Vinicius Oliveira (136 lbs.)
#6 Amir Albazi (125.5 lbs.) vs. #8 Kyoji Horiguchi (126 lbs.)
#6 Jailton Almeida (241 lbs.) vs. Rizvan Kuniev (264 lbs.)
Marc-Andre Barriault (184.5 lbs.) vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk (186 lbs.)
Farid Basharat (136 lbs.) vs. Jean Matsumoto (135.5 lbs.)
Dustin Jacoby (204.5 lbs.) vs. Julius Walker (206 lbs.)
PRELIMINARY CARD (Paramount+, 5 p.m. ET)
Daniil Donchenko (170.5 lbs.) vs. Alex Morono (170.5 lbs.)
Niko Price (171 lbs.) vs. Nikolay Veretennikov (170.5 lbs.)
Bruna Brasil (116 lbs.) vs. Ketlen Souza (115.5 lbs.)
Javid Basharat (135.5 lbs.) vs. Gianni Vazquez (141 lbs.)*
#12 Wang Cong (127.5 lbs.)* vs. #13 Eduarda Moura (127 lbs.)*
Muin Gafurov (141 lbs.)* vs. Jakub Wiklacz (135.5 lbs.)
Priscila Cachoeira (135.5 lbs.) vs. Klaudia Sygula (135.5 lbs.)
Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC Fight Night 266: Bautista vs. Oliveira, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host. Well we’re back in the warehouse, but now it’s sponsored at least so there’s that. If you squint there are a few pretty good fights here, though 4 weight misses doesn’t help that much. The main event is quite good as Mario Bautista takes on Vinicius Oliveira, Bautista just lost his top 5 spot while Oliveira is on a long winning streak and looking for a big breakthrough win. The co-main event is decent as well, the recently returned Kyoji Horiguchi will be looking to get a title shot with a win over Amir Albazi, Albazi used to have some hype but injuries and inactivity largely hamstrung his momentum. Past that things get a little dicey, Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk should be decent meathead style fun, and Farid Basharat vs. Jean Matsumoto could be good. As for the prelims Daniil Donchenko vs. Alex Morono might be alright, Wang Cong vs. Eduarda Moura got tarnished by both women missing weight but the division still needs help so the winner will likely get a boost. So there’s a lot of filler here but there’s also cause for optimism. Now let’s hope the fights deliver.
UFC Fight Night: Bautista vs. Oliveira comes to the world from the Meta Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Brendan Fitzgerald will lead commentary along with Paul Felder and Laura Sanko, which is one of the stronger commentary teams the UFC can field, while Joe Martinez handles announcing. As a reminder Nevada is under the newer rules so your hands aren’t a factor in being downed, you need a knee or similar. They also have a much more liberal set of circumstances for instant replay to be used so keep an eye out for that, plus of course we’re in the smaller 25 foot cage.
Priscila Cachoeira has gone just 5-7 in the UFC, is 1-3 in her last four fights and most recently got beaten by Joselyne Edwards. Between the poor record and her penchant for incredibly dirty fighting Cachoeira feels perpetually on the verge of losing her spot on the roster and now she’s trying to avoid another losing streak. Klaudia Sygula has gone 1-1 in the UFC but she is coming off of a win and now looks for her first UFC winning streak. Sygula is the -160 favorite to +130 for Cachoeira.
Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Priscila Cachoeira (13-7, 135.5 lbs.) vs. Klaudia Sygula (7-2, 135.5 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Sygula is an inch taller with four inches of reach advantage, she’s also a full decade younger. They touch gloves. Both women throw rights early. Sygula lands a left hook. Cachoeira misses a calf kick. They both miss rights. Cachoeira misses a left hook, she already looks stiff. Front kick from Sygula. They’re both just kind of missing rights at this point. Bit of a left from Sygula. Body kick from Sygula. Cachoeira misses a few hooks. Front kick from Sygula. Bit of a winging right hand from Sygula but Cachoeira avoided most of it. Sygula lands a jab. Calf kick from Cachoeira. Cachoeira keeps ducking on entries, Sygula could time a knee if she’s hip to it. Sygula with a combination that partially lands. A few jabs from Sygula then Cachoeira lands a pretty solid right hand. Sygula lands a right hand then a left hook. Combination from Sygula, Cachoeira is still falling just a bit short with her hooks on the counter. Cachoeira’s face is becoming discolored at this point. Cachoeira avoids a takedown. Jabs from Sygula as she circles. There’s a production issue right now, commentary sounds very quiet relative to the ambient coaches noise. Inside leg kick from Sygula. Sygula with a one two. Bit of an uppercut from Sygula, she’s adding hooks while circling. Cachoeira’s nose is bleeding but she’s still trying to swing back. Combination from Sygula. They trade punches in close again. A final little flurry from Syugla closes the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Sygula
ROUND TWO: They split jabs to start the round, then Sygula lands a calf kick. Cachoeira avoids a takedown but then runs into a left hook while foolishly rushing forward. Again they split jabs. Left hook from Sygula stuns Cachoeira so they brawl a bit. Front kick from Sygula. Bit of a right from Sygula, Cachoeira’s eyes are staring to get messed up now. There’s some marks under the right eye of Sygula, one was from the first round but I’m not sure what caused the second. Front kick from Sygula, Cachoeira then fires a calf kick. Combination from Sygula. Cachoeira lands a stiff jab. Glancing right from Cachoeira. Jab from Sygula, then Cachoeira fires a right hand. Sygula lands a left hook. Combination from Syugla including an uppercut then a front kick knocks Cachoeira over for a second. Sygula lands a couple of front kicks. Sygula with a jab. Combination from Sygula, her volume is really winning the day so far. Both women land rights. A few more front kicks from Sygula between instances of them splitting jabs. Again they split jabs. Both women miss punches to close the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Sygula, 20-18 Sygula overall
ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. Sygula back to jabbing. Front kick from Sygula then they both land rights. Cachoeira’s nose is leaking again already. A couple body blows from Sygula. Check left hook from Sygula. Front kick from Sygula. Again Sygula with a combination then angles away from potential counters. Both women miss some looping rights. Cachoeira with a calf kick. They trade lefts. Another front kick from Sygula. Counter right from Sygula after she avoided a right hand. A few rapid jabs from Sygula land then Cachoeira lands a calf kick. They trade punches in close. More jabs go back and forth. Cachoeira is trying to force a brawl now and might be finding some success. More jabs go back and forth then Sygula misses a spinning back fist. Solid right hand from Sygula and she avoids the counters. Sygula with a front kick, then another one. Left hook then a straight right from Sygula. Cachoeira lands a right hand but can’t follow up. Left hand from Cachoeira but she’s just following Sygula instead of cutting her off and it’s preventing her from following up. They trade rights. Jab from Syugla. A couple front kicks from Sygula but Cachoeira trips her down then stands over her. Cachoeira goes into the guard of Sygula but misses a punch while doing so as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Sygula but could go either way, 30-27 Sygula overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Klaudia Sygula via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)
Mic time for Sygula, she mentions losing her UFC debut but her current coach told her what she’d have to do to improve and she puts her coaches over hard.
Muin Gafurov has gone 2-2 in the UFC but he’s on a two fight winning streak, he did badly miss weight for this fight though and will need a win to help smooth over that issue. Jakub Wiklacz is on an eight fight unbeaten streak including his UFC debut when he defeated Patchy Mix, he’s looking to continue his impressive streak here and prove he’s a rising force in the stacked bantamweight division. Despite the weight miss, or perhaps because of it, Gafurov is the -140 favorite while that +110 comeback on Wiklacz is a tempting little value bet.
Bantamweight Bout: Muin Gafurov (20-6, 141 lbs.)* vs. Jakub Wiklacz (17-3-2, 135.5 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Wiklacz is three inches taller with four and a half inches of reach advantage, plus of course Gafurov missed weight pretty badly. They touch gloves to get things going. Wiklacz lands a right hand then a front kick. Gafurov tries to fire back but he got a little caught there. Some stance switching from Wiklacz as he pressures forward. Gafurov lands a left hand into a collar tie, then lands a left as they break. Wiklacz misses a head kick. Gafurov avoids a few kicks then badly misses an overhand right. Wiklacz shows a few front kicks and body kicks. Gafurov misses a spinning kick. They tie up, Wiklacz lands a knee to the body. Little foot sweep from Gafurov then they separate. Combination from Wiklacz then Gafurov lands a right. Gafurov hits the body a few times, he’s starting to swing a bit bigger now when they get close. They tie up again, this time Gafuov pushes things to the fence. A few knees from Wiklacz, Gafurov then hits the body before they break. Up elbow from Wiklacz. Another clinch, Wiklacz tries a jumping knee. Gafurov pushes to the fence then has to muscle his way out of a front headlock threat. Gafurov lands a spinning back kick. Wiklacz lands a couple of knees to the body in close. Front kick from Wiklacz. Gafuov lands a body kick. Both men with punches in close to basically end the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Gafurov but could go either way
ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Front kick from Wiklacz folds Gafurov, he then grabs a guillotine and jumps for it winding up on top in side control. Wiklacz lands some elbows then a knee to the body. More knees to the body from Wiklacz, that’s an underused weapon. Gafurov wrestles up looking for a takedown against the fence, he then pushes away. Wiklacz lands a couple of front kicks. Gafurov misses a spinning kick and Wiklacz pushes him over. Wiklacz grabs a front headlock but can’t secure the guillotine and they break. Gafurov with a takedown but Wiklacz sweeps him to land in full mount. Wiklacz has an arm triangle attack going but Gafurov gets his arm back. Some short punches from Wiklacz, he’s still trying to scoop an arm to start the arm triangle attack again but Gafurov is blocking that. Gafurov gives up the back, Wiklacz gets a body triangle and starts fishing for a choke. Some punches and elbows from Wiklacz then he grabs the choke but there’s not enough time to try and finish it.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Wiklacz, 19-19 overall
ROUND THREE: Wiklacz shows kicks again as the round starts. Gafurov misses a few punches. Front kick from Wiklacz then a bit of a calf kick. Gafurov lands an inside calf kick. Elbow from Wiklacz in close. Gafurov is trying to bull forward. Wiklacz lands a front kick then a right hand. Gafurov pushes through a couple of front kicks and lands a body blow. Bit of a right hand from Wiklacz. Gafurov misses a left hook. Wiklacz grabs a double collar tie and lands knees but Gafurov hits the body before they settle against the fence. Bit of an elbow from Gafurov as they break. Another body blow from Gafurov. Knees from Wiklacz, Gafurov walked into those. A couple body blows from Gafurov then a right hand. Wiklacz lands a right hand. They tie up again and hit the fence. They break without incident. Bit of a high kick from Wiklacz. Gafurov hits the body again. Wiklacz with front kicks, Gafurov then lands a couple more body blows. Glancing right hand from Gafurov. Gafurov bulls into a takedown against the fence, Wiklacz drops for a guillotine then rolls to top position with it. Wiklacz sells out for the guillotine, he rolls to full mount with it and Gafurov taps at the last couple of seconds. It sure looked like a tap to me but they’re double checking it via replay. Thankfully they get it right.
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jakub Wiklacz via Submission, mounted guillotine choke, at 4:59 of Round 3
The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Wiklacz for his work. Wiklacz gets an interview, he talks us through the finish and mentions that the front kicks wore down Gafurov and that Gafurov would try to lean on grappling to ice the round late.
Finish is HERE, sometimes they allow embedding and sometimes they don’t. I’m doing the best I can with what they’re giving me.
Wang Cong has gone 3-1 in the UFC and is on a two fight winning streak, she missed weight for this fight though and will need a win as well as slightly more memorable win if she wants to really make a push through the ranks. Eduarda Moura has gone 3-1 in the UFC but she’s missed weight three times, twice at strawweight but now also up at flyweight. She’s missed weight more than she’s made it in the UFC, which is a rare stat to achieve. Moura is on a two fight winning streak though but will need a win to smooth over the weight issue. With both women missing weight the odds didn’t move much after weigh ins, -350 on Wang as the favorite to +275 on Moura.
Women’s Flyweight Bout: #12 Wang Cong (8-1, 127.5 lbs.)* vs. #13 Eduarda Moura (12-1, 127 lbs.)*
ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Moura has an inch and a half of reach advantage. Southpaw for Moura. Wang with a quick head kick then calf kick. Moura moves forward and Wang lands a right to the body. Again Wang lands a right to the body. Wang keeps landing that right to the body then an inside leg kick. Moura is still trying to move forward but Wang keeps hitting the body and chopping her legs. Both women land punches in close. Moura catches a kick, but nothing comes of it. Wang fights off a takedown attempt, they hit the fence though and start jockeying for position. A few knees to the body from Wang. Outside trip from Moura and she gets on top against the fence. Wang stands and Moura is on her back now. A few elbows to the forearm from Wang, Moura then trips her down briefly. They wind up chest to chest on the fence, Moura is really committing to these takedown attempts but Wang is defending so far. A few more knees to the body from Wang. Moura with a knee of her own, then Wang with another knee and pushes free. Body kick from Want. Right to the body from Wang. Again that right to the body from Wang. Right hand up top from Wang, then another that slumps Moura over. Wang on top and landing hammer fists, Moura tries to tie up a leg but Wang avoids that. Moura is able to get guard, Wang lands an elbow then stands over Moura as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Wang
ROUND TWO: Wang gets back to circling and then lands a right hand which gets Moura’s nose bleeding. Moura tries a takedown, Wang defends and lands knees to the body. Sacrifice drop from Moura but it works and she gets on top in half guard. Moura looks to pass to mount and gets there. Wang is able to hip escape to half guard. Moura moves to side control, Wang blocks the full back take for a bit but eventually Moura does get them in. Wang breaks the hooks and scrambles to her base but Moura jumps to the back again and rolls things back to the mat. Moura starts trying for a face crank, there’s not much there though. Wang is throwing some punches at Moura but not really fighting the hooks anymore. Moura gets the choke pretty close but Wang is able to break the grip. Now Moura is a little high and she fires punches. Wang gets half guard back and kicks Moura off as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Moura, could be a 10-8 argument in there, 19-19 overall
ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. Inside leg kick from Wang. Moura with a right hand. Both women land lead hand punches. Wang lands a right to the body. Jab from Wang. Moura tries a takedown, she slips towards a back take but they wind up just kind of tied up. They wind up clinched on the fence. Moura slips to the back standing. Wang is fighting the grip of Moura but Moura is just kind of holding the back. A bit of a fence grab from Wang. Wang pushes Moura over and lands punches then an elbow before Moura comes up looking for a single leg. Moura winds up just holding the back again, she’s losing with this strategy. Wang breaks free and lands punches, Moura with a bad shot to try and stifle that flurry. More punches from Wang and she rides Moura down against the fence. Wang moves to the ride and lands punches, she’s half trying for a choke but there’s a lot not going her way with the positioning. More punches from Wang as she’s bailed on the choke for the moment. Wang with more punches, she tries another choke but it’s just across the jaw right now and Moura seems OK. Yeah that angle is wrong and Moura’s fine so Wang bails to land punches as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Wang, 29-28 Wang overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Wang Cong via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
I have no earthly idea how a 30-27 score makes sense, Moura clearly won the second round. That said Wang was the rightful winner. No interview for Wang.
Javid Basharat has gone 0-2 with 1 No Contest in his last three fights, in fact his last win was just over three years ago in January of 2023. Basharat needs a win here to regain some of his hype and avoid the dreaded three fight losing streak. Gianni Vazquez brings a five fight winning streak into his UFC debut, he took the fight on short notice though which likely contributed to his missing weight pretty badly. Vazquez will need a win to smoother over the weight gaff and maintain his status as a prospect on the rise. Between the weight miss and short notice call up it’s totally understandable to have Basharat as the -700 favorite to Vazquez’s +500.
Bantamweight Bout: Javid Basharat (14-2 1 NC, 135.5 lbs.) vs. Gianni Vazquez (13-4-1, 141 lbs.)*
ROUND ONE: Basharat is two inches taller while Vazquez has two inches of reach advantage, plus Vazquez missed weight. Some pressure and kicks from Basharat early, he’s also doing a lot of stance switching.. Vazquez shows the jab but he’s still figuring out how to navigate the range. Bit of a body kick from Basharat. Vazquez lands a leg kick, Basharat returns it. Another calf kick from Basharat. Vazquez slips throwing a head kick but nothing comes of it. Vazquez checks a calf kick. Glancing right from Vazquez then they both land calf kicks. Basharat misses a high kick but lands a calf kick. Counter right from Basharat drops Vazquez, he gets on top and looks to unload but Vazquez is able to tie him up from half guard. Some elbows to the body from Basharat, Vazquez is able to stand though with Basharat on his back. Basharat lands a knee to the head, then another one. They break without incident then Vazquez misses a calf kick. Stiff left hand from Basharat. Right hand then a left hook from Basharat. Vazquez misses some punches, he really doesn’t have a feel for the range. Basharat keeps showing kicks. Right to the body from Basharat will close the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Basharat, could be a 10-8 argument though
ROUND TWO: Basharat circles again, Vazquez lands an inside calf kick. Calf kick from Basharat. Vazquez misses a few lefts then Basharat lands a spinning back fist. Left to the body from Vazquez. Basharat with a few jabs while circling. Hard right from Vazquez rocks Basharat, Vazquez looks to finish then grabs at an anaconda choke on the mat. Basharat recovers and regains his feet but Vazquez is still walking him down. Vazquez fights off a few takedown attempts then lands a left to the body. Both men with punches in close but Vazquez is stalking Basharat now, Basharat looks very flat and he’s not moving nearly as much. A few front kicks from Basharat. Glancing left hand from Vazquez. Both men land punches in close, then Vazquez lands a short uppercut. Basharat tries a single leg, it takes effort but he finishes it though Vazquez immediately tries an omoplata. Basharat is able to defend that and get to half guard. Vazquez inverts and grabs a tight heel hook, Basharat rolls through to come out on top in leg drag but that was a good attempt from Vazquez. They tie up on the mat, Vazquez tries a deep half sweep then move to another heel hook attack, again it’s decent but Basharat is able to pull free and retain top position. The round will end with Basharat moving to full mount.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Vazquez, 19-19 overall
ROUND THREE: Both men come out jabbing. Vazquez with a left to the body then a right hand. Bit of a right from Vazquez, he’s swinging hard. Basharat tries to manage distance with kicks again. Bit of a left hook from Vazquez. Basharat lands a front kick. Right to the body from Vazquez. Basharat lands a body kick. Counter jab from Basharat. Both men avoid punches in close. Basharat tries a takedown, Vazquez grabs a guillotine on the way down though. It takes a second but Basharat moves to the safe side so Vazquez scrambles up against the fence with Basharat on his back. Mat return from Basharat and he’s on top in side control now. Vazquez is able to shrimp to full guard. Again Vazquez looks for that deep half sweep, Basharat is blocking now though. A few short elbows from Basharat. Vazquez moves to his knees, Basharat is able to get the back with a body triangle though. Basharat loses the body triangle and Vazquez spins on top. Vazquez stands free then lands some wild punches back to the mat and he’ll end the round swinging leather on top.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Basharat, 29-28 Basharat overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Javid Basharat via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Vazquez acquitted himself well for taking this fight just a couple of days ago replacing Said Nurmagomedov. No interview for the winner.
Bruna Brasil has traded wins and losses while going 3-3 in the UFC, she’s hoping to break that pattern here as she’s coming off of a win and looks for her first UFC winning streak. Ketlen Souza has gone 2-3 in the UFC and is on a two fight losing streak, in fairness to her those were both split decisions but she still needs to halt the skid with a win. The odds are slightly with Souza at -160 to Brasil’s +130.
Strawweight Bout: Bruna Brasil (11-5-1, 116 lbs.) vs. Ketlen Souza (15-6, 115.5 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Brasil is three inches taller with two and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get things going. Circling from Brasil, she’s showing stance switches as well then lands a couple of left body kicks. Knee from Brasil and Souza pushes into a clinch on the fence. A few short blows from Brasil, Souza is trying to find a leg scoop but things are stalling out a bit. Brasil with a knee to the body before getting free. Souza gets back to pushing forward, Brasil with another intercepting knee. Brasil avoids a few strikes then misses a spinning back fist leading to Souza clinching her on the fence again. A few knees go back and forth but again things seem to be stalling. Bit of an outside trip from Brasil, Souza scrambles up still in the clinch and pushes Brasil into the fence. Again things seem to stall out, the ref warns them twice then breaks them up. Calf kick from Brasil off balances Souza for a moment. Souza eats a spinning elbow then lands a right hand. Brasil lands a knee and Souza clinches up yet again on the fence. Brasil with knees in the clinch, Souza fires a high kick on the break though and that basically ends the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Brasil
ROUND TWO: They touch gloves for the round. Brasil circles again, Souza resumes following her. Both women show some kicks but nothing really lands. A few jabs from Brasil land. Souza bulls forward and looks for punches that are mostly blocked. Knee from Brasil, Souza forces a clinch though. Brasil spins Souza and lands a few more knees. They keep jockeying for position. Not much happening here and the ref separates them. Left to the body from Souza. Brasil misses a spinning back kick. They tie up again and again hit the fence. Brasil avoids a single leg and they separate. Souza has a wheel kick blocked. Another clinch hits the fence. They break and both miss strikes. Body kick from Brasil. They split jabs, but Souza’s landed to the eye of Brasil. Souza avoids a spinning elbow and clinches up again. That’s where the round will end.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Souza, 19-19 overall
ROUND THREE: They hug for the final round. Both women land calf kicks. Brasil circles more then lands a knee as Souza pushes into a clinch. Things stall again and eventually the ref resets them. Jab from Brasil. Bit of a left hook from Souza. Brasil shows a knee but her eye is still a little messed up. Souza with hooks and she’s chasing Brasil down. Brasil lands a wheel kick but Souza just eats it. Souza lands a left to the body. Brasil has a high kick blocked. Souza tries a takedown but settles for, you guessed it, another clinch on the fence. The ref breaks them up. Jumping knee from Brasil lands then a spinning back kick. Souza avoids another spinning kick then lands a right hand. Calf kick from Brasil. Souza tries a takedown but Brasil kicks her away. They both show front kicks then tie up. Bit of a judo throw from Brasil but Souza scrambles up into another clinch on the fence. Brasil spins Souza and lands a knee. More knees from Brasil as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Brasil but could go either way, 29-28 Brasil overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Ketlen Souza via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
No problem with that outcome, the fight sucked though. No interview for Souza.
Nikolay Veretennikov has gone just 1-3 in the UFC and most recently lost to Punahele Soriano, now he’s trying to avoid another losing streak and start crawling his UFC record towards the .500 mark. Niko Price took this fight on very short notice, he’s also on a two fight losing streak and really needs to get back on the winning side of things here. Given how short notice Price showed up on it’s not surprising that Veretennikov is the -335 favorite to a +250 comeback for Price.
Welterweight Bout: Niko Price (16-9 2 NC, 171 lbs.) vs. Nikolay Veretennikov (13-7, 170.5 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Veretennikov is an inch taller while Price has two inches of reach advantage. Both men push into an early clinch and start trading uppercuts and knees. Veretennikov is getting the better of things so far and they both miss punches on the break. Solid right from Veretennikov but Price just eats it. Hard right from Veretennikov then a knee and elbow. Veretennikov with a few more punches and Price looks out on his feet as the ref steps in.
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Nikolay Veretennikov via TKO, elbows and punches, at 1:41 of Round 1
The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Veretennikov for his work. Well the quick finish gets Veretennikov an interview along with the translator, he thanks everyone for supporting him and feels great then talks us through the finish. He thanks Price for stepping in on short notice as well.
Nikolay Veretennikov hammers his way to a Round 1 TKO!
📺 @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/8KJdKrTgld
— Paramount UFC (@paramountufc) February 8, 2026
Alex Morono has been with the UFC just over a decade as his debut was in January of 2016 but now he’s on a three fight losing streak and at age 35 with this being his 38th fight he’s closing in on the end of his time here. Morono is trying to get another win here to possibly hold off that talk and at least get another good memory as he heads towards the sunset. Daniil Donchenko is on a five fight winning streak including winning his season of TUF last year, he’s looking to break in his new UFC contract with a win over a notable veteran in Morono. Donchenko is the biggest favorite on the card tonight at -800 to Morono’s +550.
Welterweight Bout: Daniil Donchenko (12-2, 170.5 lbs.) vs. Alex Morono (24-12 1 NC, 170.5 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: These two are the same height but Morono has an inch of reach, Donchenko is also 11 years younger. Donchenko avoids a right hand then lands a calf kick. Another calf kick from Donchenko, then two more and Morono’s left leg is hurt. Body kick from Donchenko then Morono checks a calf kick. Calf kick from Donchenko briefly drops Morono, Morono gets up but eats a punch and Donchenko clinches him on the fence. Hard elbow from Donchenko then Morono lands a right hand on the break. Calf kick from Donchenko. Donchenko avoids a wheel kick. Morono avoids a few punches. Left hand from Donchenko in close. Body jab from Donchenko. Morono lands a front kick. Donchenko lands a right hand then clinches up. Bit of an elbow from Donchenko then a knee. Morono lands a bit of a knee then Donchenko with an elbow on the break. Bit of a body kick from Donchenko. Left to the body from Donchenko then Morono avoids a right hook. Jab from Morono. Donchenko lands a hard calf kick. Right hand from Donchenko. Both men miss wild punches in close. A left hook from Donchenko drops Morono, Morono holds a leg but Donchenko is landing elbows and punches. Morono covers up and tries to tie up from guard. Donchenko slows his offense and avoids an armbar attack, Morono is bleeding from the nose. Morono tries an armbar again, Donchenko rolls free to the ride position and lands more punches. Donchenko keeps landing punches but Morono regains his feet and they both reset. Jab from Donchenko, Morono lands a back elbow though just as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-8 Donchenko but a slightly marginal one
ROUND TWO: Morono moves forward, Donchenko drops him with a calf kick then makes him stand back up. That left leg of Morono is kind of in trouble. Donchenko avoids a right hand then lands a jab. Hard right from Donchenko into a clinch on the fence. Donchenko lands an elbow as they break. Hard calf kick from Donchenko. Morono lands a jab but his base is pretty messed up. Left hand from Donchenko. Another calf kick from Donchenko. Morono with a jab, Donchenko returns it. Right to the body from Donchenko. Donchenko with an inside leg kick. Morono blocks some punches but his offense remains pretty muted. Donchenko lands a calf kick, Morono’s limping now. They clinch and Donchenko lands another calf kick. Morono goes southpaw now so Donchenko lands a body kick. Bit of a spinning elbow from Morono. Donchenko lands a right hand. Bit of a spinning elbow from Donchenko and Morono is backing up now with his nose all leaking again. Calf kick from Donchenko and Morono locks up for a second. Morono sort of checks a calf kick but even that is damaging at this point. They clinch up again, Morono grabs a front headlock but Donchenko gets his head out and they trade elbows on the break. Donchenko with a leg kick that sweeps Morono down as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Donchenko, 20-17 Donchenko overall
ROUND THREE: Morono’s left leg is still a mess, he’s also cut around the right side of his upper lip from a spinning elbow last round. Inside leg kick from Donchenko, then another one. Bit of a right hand from Donchenko then an inside leg kick. Calf kick from Donchenko. Both men avoid spinning back fists. They both miss punches again. Donchenko lands a calf kick. Jab from Morono then Donchenko lands a couple of body blows. Hard inside leg kick from Donchenko. Donchenko with a calf kick then he avoids a few swinging punches. Morono avoids a few kicks then misses a wheel kick. Donchenko with a front kick. They get close, Donchenko wit a knee then a glancing left hand. Inside leg kick from Donchenko. Some jabs from Morono. Donchenko is trying to get a brawl going, Morono grabs a front headlock but Donchenko pulls free. Right hand from Donchenko. Donchenko with a left to the body, he’s tired but finding his second wind for power punches. Calf kick from Donchenko. Glancing right from Morono then Donchenko lands a calf kick. Yeah that left leg is toast but he’s gutting through it. Donchenko rocks Morono with a left hook but he recovers pretty quickly. Some jabs from Morono, Donchenko is a bit more stationary now. Short elbow from Donchenko. Both men swing near the end, Donchenko off balances Morono but Morono fires an up kick as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Donchenko, 30-26 Donchenko overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Daniil Donchenko via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26 x2)
Quick interview for Donchenko and he puts over Morono’s toughness and thanks him for making him better. He hopes they get Fight of the Night, that’s possible but I’d say a tad unlikely at this point.
Dustin Jacoby has gone 2-2 in his last four fights but he’s on a two fight winning streak and despite being pretty long in the tooth he’s looking for a somewhat surprising three fight winning streak. Given the state of light heavyweight Jacoby might even be looking at returning to the rankings with a win. It’s worth noting that Jacoby took this fight on short notice though as Uran Satybaldiev was originally in this spot. Julius Walker has gone 1-1 in the UFC but he did get a win in his last fight and now he’s looking for his first winning streak and to add a fairly recognizable veteran to his hit list. Jacoby closed at -175 to a +150 payout on Walker.
Light Heavyweight Bout: Dustin Jacoby (21-9-1, 204.5 lbs.) vs. Julius Walker (7-1, 206 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Walker is an inch taller, has two inches of reach advantage, and is 11 years younger. They touch gloves to get things going. A few jabs from Jacoby then Walker with a bit of a calf kick. Calf kick from Jacoby. Another leg kick from Jacoby. A couple punches land for Jacoby, Walker tries a takedown but Jacoby sprawls. Jacoby is threatening an anaconda choke, he winds up bailing on that and they reset. Bit of a left hook from Jacoby. Walker is trying to pressure forward, he eats a leg kick then is able to hit a double leg slam. Jacoby quickly scrambles, Walker moves to the ride but Jacoby is able to stand with Walker on his back. A few knees to the leg from Walker, then he tries for the head with mixed results. Knee to the head from Walker. Mat return from Walker, again Jacoby wall walks with Walker holding his back. Jacoby avoids another mat return. Walker with another double leg slam as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Walker
ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Both men land jabs but Walker is the one sent backwards. They trade a few calf kicks then Jacoby wobbles Walker with a right hand. Another right from Jacoby drops Walker, an uppercut on the mat lands too. Walker tries to wrestle up, he’s up and now on Jacoby’s back again. Jacoby gets chest to chest and drops elbows then pushes Walker over. More punches from Jacoby, Walker stands but takes more punches and falls to his knees which finally prompts the stoppage.
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Dustin Jacoby via TKO, punches, at 1:42 of Round 2
Jacoby gets an interview, he feels great then thanks God for everything. He talks us through the finish and mentions maybe the stoppage being a little late. He mentions taking the fight on short notice then talks about his long career and asks to fight on the White House card as well as asks for a performance bonus. To close he asks to go golfing with President Trump. Seems really unlikely but why not ask.
THAT WILL DO IT 👏
Dustin Jacoby gets the finish in RD 2!
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— Paramount UFC (@paramountufc) February 8, 2026
Jean Matsumoto has gone 3-1 in the UFC and most recently beat Miles Johns, he’s trying to get another winning streak going here and hopefully to break the string of split decisions in his last couple of fights. Farid Basharat is undefeated including being 5-0 in the UFC, he most recently beat Chris Gutierrez and if he can get another win here he should be looking at completing the difficult transition from prospect to contender. The odds are with Basharat at -300 to a +240 comeback on Matsumoto.
Bantamweight Bout: Farid Basharat (14-0, 136 lbs.) vs. Jean Matsumoto (17-1, 135.5 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Basharat is two inches taller with two and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Both men feint then Basharat lands a calf kick. Bit of a right from Matsumoto. Another right from Matsumoto. Basharat lands a leg kick, he’s showing stance switches as well. Elbow from Basharat and Matsumoto is cut under the left eye. They clinch up, obvious fence grab from Basharat but the ref says nothing. They jockey for position while trading some knees. Short elbow from Matsumoto then they break. Matsumoto back to moving forward. Basharat lands a calf kick. Matsumoto with a calf kick of his own. Short left from Matsumoto. Basharat lands a jab. Double leg from Basharat hits the fence and stalls out. Short blows from Matsumoto as he’s pressing Basharat into the fence. They jockey for position and trade knees before breaking. Spinning elbow from Basharat is blocked. Matsumoto lands a right hand. Knee from Basharat then they clinch and hit the fence. Matsumoto is able to hit a double leg, Basharat looks to wall walk quickly but eats punches along the way back into a clinch. Some defensive work from Matsumoto then he lands an elbow as they break. Basharat avoids some punches but then eats a calf kick. Matsumoto is switching stance a bit as they move around now. Basharat lands an uppercut. They circle away the final seconds.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Basharat but could go either way
ROUND TWO: Matsumoto moves forward and lands a calf kick. Basharat grabs a clinch and they hit the fence. They jockey for position, Matsumoto lands a few short punches then they break. Bit of a spinning back kick from Basharat. Stiff jab from Basharat stuns Matsumoto for a second, both men then land punches in close. Basharat lands a knee before avoiding a takedown attempt. Short left from Basharat in close. Matsumoto lands a left hook then a bit of a right hand. Matsumoto pushes forward and lands a few punches in the pocket before they clinch up. Against the fence Matsumoto rides Basharat down and gets to the ride. Matsumoto with a few punches then a knee to the body. Mat return from Matsumoto, he jumps to the backpack position but only gets one hook in. Matsumoto bails on the backpack but tries a cheese donkey, Basharat avoids that though Matsumoto is still on his back. They wrestle up and Matsumoto lands a couple of knees. Body jab from Matsumoto. Basharat lands a right hand. Matsumoto lands a calf kick, he’s still pressuring forward. Front kick from Matsumoto. Matsumoto shoots and hits a double leg against the fence, Basharat looks to wall walk but Matsumoto lands punches then gets to the ride. Basharat wall walks but Matsumoto is on his back landing knees then he fires a couple of hooks on the break. Both men trade as they reset. Body kick from Matsumoto. Basharat lands a jab then they trade as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Matsumoto, 19-19 overall
ROUND THREE: Matsumoto gets back on pressure to start. Body kick from Matsumoto, he’s throwing in combination. They clinch and Matsumoto trips Basharat down then punches him on the way up into the clinch. They break then trade a few jabs. Solid one two from Matsumoto. Left hook from Matsumoto, his pressure is getting to Basharat. Double leg from Basharat, Matsumoto scoots to the fence pretty quickly and wall walks into a clinch. Matsumoto spins Basharat into the fence then punches as they break. More pressure from Matsumoto and he lands a calf kick. Basharat misses a one two then Matsumoto lands a body kick. Right from Basharat then Matsumoto lands a combination. Matsumoto pushes for a takedown, he gets Basharat down to his knees against the fence then lands punches while Basharat wall walks. Basharat is able to spin free. Short right from Matsumoto. Basharat lands a jab but Matsumoto with a counter right. Matsumoto just keeps coming forward and throwing punches. Right hand from Matsumoto. Body kick from Matsumoto then an inside leg kick. Basharat tries a takedown but Matsumoto defends then lands a right hand. Both men land punches in close but pocket fighting is to Matsumoto’s favor. Body kick from Matsumoto and he punches into a clinch. Knee from Matsumoto then he slips to the back and rides Basharat down against the fence. Matsumoto moves to the ride then punches Basharat as they break. More punches from Matsumoto, he’s got Basharat off his game then Basharat tries a double leg against the fence. Matsumoto scrambles but takes an illegal knee, the ref says nothing, then they trade on the feet as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Matsumoto, 29-28 Matsumoto overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Farid Basharat via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)
I can see 29-28 either way, the third round was close even if I disagree. Mic time for Basharat, he tries to get the crowd on his side but they’re booing him. He thinks he might have won 30-27. Asked about the future he doesn’t like trash talk but 6-0 in the UFC and he wants a ranking and then to fight a ranked opponent, preferably Deiveson Figueiredo. Not an unreasonable call out given that Figueiredo is on a bit of a slide.
Michal Oleksiejczuk went 2-0 last year which broke a three fight losing streak, he’s trying to build on that momentum here and start moving up through the middleweight rankings. Marc-Andre Barriault has gone 6-9 with 1 No Contest in the UFC, he’s also 1-4 in his last five fights and coming off of a loss. Barriault is trying to avoid another losing streak and prove he’s still worth his spot on the roster. The odds like Oleksiejczuk at -550 to Barriault’s +400.
Middleweight Bout: Marc-Andre Barriault (17-10 1 NC, 184.5 lbs.) vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk (21-9 1 NC, 186 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Barriault is an inch taller while the reach is identical. Southpaw for Oleksiejczuk who pressures forward right away. Feinting from Oleksiejczuk and both men show the lead hand. Body kick from Barriault. Oleksiejczuk with an inside calf kick. Bit of a left from Oleksiejczuk. Left to the body from Oleksiejczuk. Solid left hand from Oleksiejczuk then he looks to unload on the fence but Barriault recovers and throws back. Inside calf kick from Oleksiejczuk, he’s still moving forward. Left to the body then one up top from Oleksiejczuk but Barriault lands a left hand of his own. Oleksiejczuk lands another inside calf kick. Left hand from Oleksiejczuk. Again Oleksiejczuk lands the inside calf kick then a left to the body and a body kick. Barriault lands a body kick as well. Oleksiejczuk keeps working that left to the body as he’s pressuring forward. Barriault with a jab but he’s starting to bite on the feints of Oleksiejczuk. Glancing left hand from Oleksiejczuk. Oleksiejczuk with a left then a left to the body. Right hand from Oleksiejczuk then a left to the body. Barriault is still trying to work his jab but he’s struggling a bit on the back foot. Oleksiejczuk avoids a few punches then lands a one two. Left hand from Oleksiejczuk. Jab then an inside leg kick from Oleksiejczuk. Oleksiejczuk catches a kick and off balances Barriault then gets on top and lands a few blows to close the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Oleksiejczuk
ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Oleksiejczuk gets back to pressuring forward and lands a jab. Inside leg kick from Oleksiejczuk. Bit of a jab from Barriault. Oleksiejczuk with a partially blocked left hand. They both land power hand punches in close. Oleksiejczuk with a right to the body then a left hand. Jab from Oleksiejczuk. Another Oleksiejczuk jab lands. Barriault blocks a few punches, he’s not backing up quite as much now. Oleksiejczuk with jabs then a short right hook. Body blow from Oleksiejczuk. Oleksiejczuk lands a couple of lefts to the body then a one two that stuns Barriault. Body kick from Oleksiejczuk. Barriault lands a couple of rights then clinches in space to land an elbow. They break but now Barriault is coming forward and Oleksiejczuk swings body blows. They tie up and both men with some hockey uppercuts before breaking. Oleksiejczuk with punches in close. Left to the body from Oleksiejczuk. Barriault with a right hand, he’s still getting these single collar ties and looking to rough up Oleksiejczuk. Oleksiejczuk lands a left to the body. They tie up then Oleksiejczuk hits the body again and breaks free. One of the elbows from Barriault has cut Oleksiejczuk up in the hair. Left hand from Oleksiejczuk. Solid left from Oleksiejczuk. Barriault lands a left, Oleksiejczuk returns it. Counter right hook from Oleksiejczuk. Right to the body from Oleksiejczuk. Barriault lands a right hand but then walks into a couple of body blows. Bit of a left from Oleksiejczuk as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Oleksiejczuk but could go either way, 20-18 Oleksiejczuk overall
ROUND THREE: Barriault looks to regain the initiative, Oleksiejczuk lands a one two. Both men are circling, neither has much of a forward motion advantage. Oleksiejczuk with a couple of lefts to the body. Barriault starts moving forward and lands a one two into a clinch. Oleksiejczuk spins Barriault into the fence and then they break. Jab from Oleksiejczuk. Barriault starts moving forward but can’t quite find a clinch. Oleksiejczuk lands a left to the body but Barriault pushes close and lands a few rights. Both men with power hand punches. Oleksiejczuk lands a left to the head then one to the body. Oleksiejczuk pushes a single leg attempt into the fence then they break and Barriault lands an elbow. Jab from Oleksiejczuk. Barriault lands a right then Oleksiejczuk with a left to the body. Oleksiejczuk with another left to the body then one up top. Jabs from Oleksiejczuk then a left to the body. Barriault avoids a takedown and they trade in the pocket. Oleksiejczuk with a hard left to the body, Barriault is circling away now. Barriault blocks a high kick. They tie up and trade in close again, Barriault lands a knee before they break. One two from Oleksiejczuk. Another left from Oleksiejczuk lands and Barriault is backing up. Oleksiejczuk with a left to the body. Another left to the body from Oleksiejczuk. A few jabs go back and forth. Barriault blocks a left hand. Oleksiejczuk with a left to the body. Bit of a high kick from Barriault, Oleksiejczuk then fires a left hand and a high kick of his own. Oleksiejczuk with a front kick and a left hand as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Oleksiejczuk, 30-27 Oleksiejczuk overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Michal Oleksiejczuk via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Yeah I probably got the second round wrong in real time. Mic time for Oleksiejczuk, he thanks Barriault for the fight and puts him over. Asked about the future he wants a ranked opponent, might be unlikely but he’s definitely deserving of a higher profile fight if nothing else.
Jailton Almeida has gone 2-2 in his last four fights, most recently he was in one of the most baffling fights of last year when he landed 9 strikes over 15 minutes then whined about losing the decision. Almeida is trying to put that loss behind him and remind everyone he’s a viable heavyweight contender. Rizvan Kuniev had a 12 fight unbeaten streak broken in his UFC debut when he dropped a split decision to Curtis Blaydes, now he’s trying to find that all important first UFC win. The odds like Almeida at -160 to Kuniev’s +130.
Heavyweight Bout: #6 Jailton Almeida (22-4, 241 lbs.) vs. Rizvan Kuniev (13-3-1 1 NC, 264 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Kuniev is an inch taller while Almeida has three inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get going. Almeida tries a takedown, and has to settle for a clinch on the fence. Kuniev with a few short punches, then some pointless hammer fists to the thigh. Almeida is just holding. Bit of a knee from Kuniev, Almeida looks to level change off of that but he can’t get his hands together for a high crotch. Knee from Almeida but Kuniev gets him on the fence. Almeida avoids an elbow. Kuniev lands a hard knee to the body. Short uppercut from Kuniev. Not much going on and the ref breaks them up. Almeida tries another takedown, Kuniev defends and pushes Almeida into the fence. Some lefts from Kuniev as he’s got Almeida pressed into the fence. Kuniev hits the body a couple of times. The ref breaks them up as things have stalled out. Both men with some lead hand punches. Calf kick from Almeida. A few jabs go back and forth as they circle. Left hook from Kuniev then he clinches up on the fence. Some more short lefts from Kuniev then an elbow. Body blows from Kuniev, he’s putting effort into his dirty boxing and clinch fighting at least. Knee from Kuniev then a right hand as they break. Bit of a punch from Almeida to end the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Kuniev
ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Kuniev pressures forward and lands a left hook. Almeida starts moving forward and misses a right hand. Both men miss punches in close. Almeida avoids a left hook. Front kick from Almeida. Almeida with a right hand. Kuniev misses a right hand. Bit of a left hook from Kuniev. Kuniev avoids a takedown and pushes Almeida in the fence in a clinch. Short punches to the body and head from Kuniev, he’s staying busy at least. Uppercut from Kuniev then a knee to the body. Things stall out enough for the ref to separate them. Front kick form Kuniev. Almeida avoids a few punches. Jabs from Kuniev partially land. Right hand then a left hook land for Kuniev in a blitz. Another clinch and Kuniev pushes Almeida into the fence. Kuniev again with some body blows before Almeida spins free. Bit of a right from Kuniev then they clinch again. Kuniev pushes Almeida back to the cage and lands an uppercut. Elbow from Kuniev. Body to head punches from Kuniev. Almeida spins free and they stare away the final seconds.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Kuniev, 20-18 Kuniev overall
ROUND THREE: Pretty quick clinch and a few knees go back and forth as Kuniev pushes Almeida into the fence yet again. Elbow from Kuniev. Almeida ducks under an elbow but can’t get out of the clinch. Almeida is able to spin free after a bit. Both men miss jabs then Almeida hits the body a couple of times in close. Bit of a left from Kuniev. Almeida pushes forward but misses a hook then gets clinched on the fence. Kuniev has pretty good head position, he hits the body before they break. Almeida with a bit of a one two. Right hand from Almeida into a clinch. They trade knees then break. Kuniev with a left hand. Bit of an uppercut from Kuniev. Almeida lands a right hand but gets clinched yet again. Kuniev with a knee in the clinch as he’s pushed Almeida to the cage. A few body blows from Kuniev then the ref breaks them up. Almeida avoids a few punches. Jab from Kuniev. Both men land rights. Almeida with a one two. They tie up and Almeida hits the body before getting pushed into the fence. Kuniev with body blows while they jockey for position. A few punches from Almeida land, Kuniev then lands an uppercut and a couple of elbows. Things stall and they break. Knee from Kuniev. Both men with punches, then Kuniev lands a flurry of punches and a knee. That’s the last exchange of the fight.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Kuniev, 30-27 Kuniev overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Rizvan Kuniev via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)
Almeida might have gotten the third, but the fight sucked which shouldn’t surprise anyone. No interview for Kuniev.
Amir Albazi has gone 5-1 in the UFC but he’s had activity issues, he only fought once in 2023 to a somewhat dubious split decision win then in his only fight of 2024 he lost to Brandon Moreno and he missed all of last year. So now with a layoff of over a year and coming off of a loss he’s trying to avoid his first losing streak and to remind everyone that he’s a top flyweight. Kyoji Horiguchi is on a six fight winning streak including his return to the UFC last year when he battered and choked out Tagir Ulanbekov, now he’s trying to extend that streak and make his case for a title shot with another win. The odds like Horiguchi at -350 while an Albazi win pays out at +275.
Flyweight Bout: #6 Amir Albazi (17-2, 125.5 lbs.) vs. #8 Kyoji Horiguchi (35-5 1 NC, 126 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Albazi is an inch taller with five inches of reach advantage. Circling to start as both men look for reads. Inside leg kick from Horiguchi. One two from Horiguchi. There seems to be a speed advantage for Horiguchi, and he lands a calf kick. They tie up and Horiguchi pushes things to the fence. A few knees to the leg from Horiguchi. They break without incident. Albazi keeps trying to get forward pressure but Horiguchi is moving around him very easily so far. Right hand from Horiguchi. One two from Horiguchi then a calf kick. Both men miss rights. Left hook from Horiguchi. Albazi avoids a one two. One two from Horiguchi, the man just glides out there and his hands are very quick. Right hand from Albazi off balances Horiguchi for a moment. Albazi pushes into a clinch and lands a knee to the body. Horiguchi slips free then starts showing southpaw as he moves around. Left hand from Horiguchi then a body kick. They feint away the final seconds.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Horiguchi
ROUND TWO: Horiguchi gets back to moving and feinting. Calf kick from Horiguchi. Albazi gets a clinch and pushes things into the fence. Things are stalling out here, Albazi is trying to work his left hand but with minimal results. Horiguchi slips free and lands a one two. Left hook from Horiguchi then a one two to follow up. Albazi might be a little stunned. Horiguchi keeps pressing forward and lands a knee after faking a knee tap. Right hand from Horiguchi wobbles Albazi but Albazi stays upright. Horiguchi keeps up the pressure, at range he’s just got Albazi chasing shadows. Intercepting jab from Horiguchi. Jab from Horiguchi then a body kick. Another right from Horiguchi lands. Horiguchi avoids a punch then lands a counter. Jab from Horiguchi, then a bit of a left hook behind it. Horiguchi with a calf kick. Albazi lands a right to the body. Horiguchi keeps up the pressure, bit of a right hand then he pushes Albazi into the fence. Albazi looks tired, at least by flyweight standards. They jockey for position, Albazi is trying for a trip then slips to the back standing. Horiguchi slips free and they reset. Jab from Horiguchi then a wheel kick. Another left from Horiguchi. Albazi misses an uppercut. A right hand from Horiguchi closes the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Horiguchi, 20-18 Horiguchi overall
ROUND THREE: Horiguchi opens the round with a left hook, he wants to keep up the pressure. Right hand from Horiguchi then a jumping knee. Albazi gets a clinch and moves to the back standing to land a knee. Horiguchi blocks a few trip attempts then Albazi lands an elbow as they break. Left hook from Horiguchi. Albazi is bleeding from the bridge of his nose and around his right eyebrow. Right hand from Horiguchi. A left hook from Horiguchi wobbles Albazi, Horiguchi pressures after him and keeps landing punches. Albazi is still upright but in trouble as he moves off the fence. Horiguchi with a one two but Albazi clinches up to by himself recover time. Albazi is able to slip to the back but can’t get much offense going. Horiguchi lands a left hand as he slips free. Again Horiguchi lands the left. Jab from Horiguchi. Bit of a head kick from Horiguchi, he’s almost doing whatever he wants at this point. Bit of a right from Horiguchi, Albazi’s face is kind of a mess. They clinch up and Albazi pushes things to the fence then lands an elbow. They break without incident. Left hand from Horiguchi. Horiguchi with a couple of rights. They tie up one last time just before the round concludes.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Horiguchi, 30-27 Horiguchi overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Kyoji Horiguchi via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)
Albazi made the first round close enough I guess. Mic time for Horiguchi and the translator, he opens with English and jokes that he only did OK and promises to do better next time. Asked about the future he wants to fight for the belt and mispronounces Van’s name a few times, he’s tryin in earnest not doing a bit. I’d like that fight.
Mario Bautista just had an eight fight winning streak broken by Umar Nurmagomedov, he’s trying to avoid his first losing streak as well as defend his ranking. Bautista has made no secret of still having title aspirations and he can ill afford a loss here if those are to come to fruition. Vinicius Oliveira is on a six fight winning streak including being 4-0 in the UFC. Oliveira has been facing a general increase in competition during his time in the UFC but this represents a pretty big step up, so naturally a win would be the biggest of his career. A win here would also set up Oliveira to fight top 5 opponents his next time out. Close main event, -150 on Bautista to +125 for Oliveira.
Bantamweight Bout: #9 Mario Bautista (16-3, 135.5 lbs.) vs. #11 Vinicius Oliveira (22-3, 136 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Oliveira has an inch and a half of reach advantage. Southpaw for Oliveira, he comes out range finding with inside and outside leg kicks. OK both men are switching stance a lot now as they move around. Bautista misses a one two but gets a clinch, then Oliveira pushes things into the fence. Some knees to the leg from Oliveira, he’s looking at changing levels but can’t get a real takedown going. Bautista is able to stay upright, Oliveira lands a knee but then Bautista hits a takedown out into open space and he lands in butterfly guard. Oliveira looks to attack a leg, he’s got a heel hook attack but not much with it and Bautista spins into him then lands a punch. Solid top control from Bautista, he lands an elbow. Bautista stands over Oliveira, lands a right to the body then takes an up kick. A couple of leg kicks from Bautista close the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Bautista but could go either way
ROUND TWO: Pretty quick clinch up and Bautista gets to the back. Bit of a sweep from Bautista but Oliveira bounces up with Bautista on his back. Another trip from Bautista then he tries for the backpack as Oliveira stands but he can’t quite get both hooks in. Bautista with a mat return, Oliveira wall walks but he can’t get away from Bautista. Oliveira fights off a level change but is still clinched on the fence. Elbow from Oliveira then they break. Bautista walks into a few punches but just eats them. Oliveira doesn’t look good, not sure what when sideways for him but he is not making it 5 rounds looking like this. Bautista keeps up the pressure. Inside leg kick from Oliveira. Body kick from Bautista, Oliveira takes him down but Bautista immediately with a sweep to get on top. Some punches from Bautista then he stands over Oliveira before going back down into half guard. Oliveira is able to get guard back. Bautista with a few elbows then he looks to pass again. Oliveira tries to block the pass but Bautista gets to a mounted crucifix. Some elbows from Bautista, he tries a kimura attack and uses that to get the back then lock up a choke and force the tap.
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Mario Bautista via Submission, rear naked choke, at 4:46 of Round 2
Mic time for Bautista after the win, he says he used his wrestling and mentions getting better at the grappling after his fight with Umar Nurmagomedov. He talks us through the finish, which was a really nice series of moves, then says he wants to fight Cory Sandhagen in a rematch. Not an unfair call out.
MARIO BAUTISTA GETS THE TAP #UFCVegas113
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— Paramount UFC (@paramountufc) February 8, 2026
Well on that note UFC Fight Night: Bautista vs. Oliveira comes to a close. Thank you for reading, be that live or after the fact. We’ll be unpacking the fallout from this on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast, that now goes live on Youtube and I will hopefully remember to post it here this time. With the move to video and being live again there are still a few growing pains with the show but it’s pretty much back and running now. There’s no UFC event next week but in two weeks we get the Fight Night headlined by Sean Strickland and Anthony Hernandez. I’ll be back for that one and I hope you will too. Until then thank you again for reading, stay safe out there and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.
