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Join 411’s Live UFC on ESPN+ 123 Coverage

November 22, 2025 | Posted by Robert Winfree
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MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 2 p.m. ET)
#1 Arman Tsarukyan (156 lbs.) vs. #6 Dan Hooker (155.5 lbs.)
#6 Ian Machado Garry (170 lbs.) vs. #2 Belal Muhammad (171 lbs.)
#14 Alonzo Menifield (206 lbs.) vs. #9 Volkan Oezdemir (206 lbs.)
Jack Hermansson (170.5 lbs.) vs. Myktybek Orolbai (170 lbs.)
#6 Waldo Cortes-Acosta (265 lbs.) vs. #11 Shamil Gaziev (262 lbs.)
Kyoji Horiguchi (125.5 lbs.) vs. #11 Tagir Ulanbekov (125.5 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET)
Bogdan Grad (145.5 lbs.) vs. Luke Riley (145.5 lbs.)
Nicolas Dalby (170.5 lbs.) vs. Saygid Izagakhmaev (170 lbs.)
#8 Asu Almabayev (125.5 lbs.) vs. #7 Alex Perez (126 lbs.)
Rafael Cerqueira (204 lbs.) vs. Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev (205 lbs.)
Bekzat Almakhan (136 lbs.) vs. Aleksandre Topuria (135.5 lbs.)
Ryan Loder (185 lbs.) vs. Ismail Naurdiev (185 lbs.)
Nurullo Aliev (155 lbs.) vs. Shaqueme Rock (156 lbs.)
Marek Bujlo (265 lbs.) vs. Denzel Freeman (260 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC on ESPN+ 123, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host. The UFC is making their debut in Qatar here and they’ve brought a pretty solid fight night card along with them. The main event is relevant to the lightweight title picture when Arman Tsarukyan takes on Dan Hooker. The co-main event is relevant to the welterweight title picture when Ian Machado Garry taking on former champion Belal Muhammad, with Islam Makhachev taking that title last week the winner here has a chance to make their case as the next challenger. Beyond that we’ve got the UFC return of Kyoji Horiguchi, Asu Almabayev taking on Alex Perez, and the UFC debut of fairly well known grappler Marek Bujlo. All in all it’s a pretty solid card on paper, now let’s hope the action lives up to the potential. Just a minor note here, but this is the first UFC card in quite a while without a female fight on it.

UFC on ESPN+ 123 comes to the world from the Ali Bin Hamad al-Attiyah Arena in Doha, Qatar. We’ve got John Gooden, Paul Felder, and Michael Bisping on commentary. Charly Arnolt will be our roving reporter with Bruce Buffer handling announcements. We will have the larger 30 foot cage, and since the UFC is basically self regulating I imagine we’ll have the newer rules but will update if that’s inaccurate.

Boy that place is pretty much empty for the first fight of the night.

Marek Bujlo is undefeated in MMA and has a decently decorated jiu-jitsu career behind him, now he’s looking to make the most of his chance at a first impression. Denzel Freeman brings a two fight winning streak into his UFC debut and he’s likewise trying to make a good first impression on the UFC audience. Freeman is the favorite at -225 to Bujlo’s +185 comeback.

Heavyweight Bout: Marek Bujlo (6-0, 265 lbs.) vs. Denzel Freeman (6-1, 260 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Bujlo is three inches taller but the reach is identical. Southpaw for Freeman. Bujlo probes with some leg kicks as both men circle. Freeman lands a calf kick of his own, they’re just range finding. Bit of a right from Bujlo. Freeman with a bit of a left hand to counter an inside calf kick. Freeman misses a high kick. Bujlo with another calf kick. A few lead leg front kicks from Bujlo land, again not much on them though. Bit of a body kick from Freeman. Right to the body from Bujlo seems to fall a little short. Stiff jab from Freeman. Inside calf kick from Bujlo. Freeman tries a body kick. Glancing overhand right from Bujlo. Freeman has a high kick blocked. Spinning back kick from Freeman then Bujlo responds with a calf kick as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Bujlo but it was a low enough activity round that it could go either way

ROUND TWO: Both men show kicks again as the second round starts. Calf kick from Bujlo. They’re both just a bit out of range with most of their offense so far. Inside calf kick from Bujlo. Bit of a body kick from Freeman. Freeman blocks a right hand. A few calf kicks are traded. Freeman misses a lead leg high kick. Bit of a combination from Freeman, when he goes he seems to have decently fast hands for a heavyweight. Front kick from Bujlo. Bujlo blocks a high kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Freeman, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Freeman gets cut kicked and Bujlo gets on top in full guard. Bujlo passes to half guard but Freeman wrestles up and they separate. Left hand from Freeman. Bit of a right hook from Freeman. Calf kick from Freeman. Body kick from Freeman. Freeman with a left hand. Bujlo has a high kick blocked. Freeman lands a left to the body. Both men block some kicks. Bit of a left hand from Freeman. Freeman misses a wheel kick then blocks a high kick. Bujlo blocks a bit of a jumping kick to close out a lackluster fight.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Freeman, 29-28 Freeman overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Denzel Freeman via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

Well that fight sucked, no interview for Freeman.

Nurullo Aliev is undefeated including two wins in the UFC, he’s trying for a third here to solidify himself as a rising prospect in the division. Shaqueme Rock brings a six fight winning streak into his UFC debut, he’s become a bit of a hardcore figure with his Oktagon fights over the last couple of years and now he’s trying to make a good first impression. Aliev is your -300 favorite to Rock’s +240.

Lightweight Bout: Nurullo Aliev (10-0, 155 lbs.) vs. Shaqueme Rock (12-1-1, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Rock has an inch of height and reach advantage, he’s also 8 years older. Southpaw for Rock. Pretty quick single leg from Aliev, Rock fights it off against the fence though. Inside calf kick from Aliev. Left hook from Aliev lands, they tie up briefly and then break but Aliev is looking to punch in the pocket now. Left hand from Aliev again. Aliev keeps backing Rock into the fence. Bit of a body kick from Rock, Aliev responds with punches. Rock reaches for a takedown, Aliev defends then cracks him with a left hand. Some more punches from Aliev land then they clinch in open space. They break without incident. Aliev avoids a poorly set up double leg. They clinch and Aliev lands some punches as he’s got Rock against the fence. They break without incident. Right hand from Aliev. Rock with a bit of a body kick. Body kick from Aliev, Rock does fire back with a right hook though. Combination from Aliev mostly lands. Right to the body from Aliev. Inside leg kick from Rock then he misses a side kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Aliev

ROUND TWO: Aliev keeps pressuring forward and lands a body kick to start the round. When Rock tries to kick Aliev is firing back punches. Aliev pushes for a takedown, that hits the fence though. Some short punches from Aliev to the body and head, his head position is nice too. Rock spins free and lands an inside leg kick. Aliev avoids a takedown and lands a knee. Right to the body from Aliev. Bit of a left hook from Aliev. Right hand from Aliev. Rock tries a high kick but that’s blocked. Left hand from Aliev. Hard left from Aliev wobbles Rock for a moment. Rock tries a takedown, Aliev counters into a double leg and gets Rock down against the fence. Rock wrestles up but Aliev moves to his back. They break without incident. Rock shows the head kick again, that’s a decent weapon for him. Aliev keeps pressuring forward and lands another left hook but Rock complains of an eye poke so we’ve got a time out. Replay shows there there was a bit of a head clash, that was more the issue I think. Rock doesn’t take much time anyway and the round ends not long after the restart.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Aliev, 20-18 Aliev overall

ROUND THREE: Aliev gets back to pressuring forward. Rock tries a takedown, fails, then Aliev presses him into the fence and lands left hands in a clinch. A few knees go back and forth, Rock takes one low and that’ll break the position but it wasn’t a bad blow so we’re not out for long. Rock tries a double leg, well timed but Aliev defends and they scramble around in the clinch. Rock is able to finish a takedown and moves to full mount. Aliev kicks off the fence and regains his feet before anything can happen with that position. Jab from Aliev. Left hand from Aliev then he sprawls from a double leg and grabs a ninja choke, Rock gives up the ride position to avoid the submission. They wrestle up and separate. A few punches go back and forth in close before they clinch. Aliev drives things into the fence again then lands a few short blows. Rock tries a scissor sweep, that doesn’t work and Aliev gets to a ride position. Rock stands with Aliev still on his back, I think Aliev could knee him in the head here but he chooses not to. They break and Rock shows more kicks, his right eye is kind of a mess though. Calf kick from Rock. Aliev avoids a wheel kick and that’ll close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Rock, 29-28 Aliev overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Nurullo Aliev via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Not sure about 30-27 as Aliev didn’t do much in the third round from my seat. No interview for Aliev.

Ryan Loder has gone 1-1 in the UFC, that one win was a fairly pointless TUF finale and he lost in short order to Azamat Bekoev his last time out. Loder is trying to avoid his first losing streak. Ismail Narudiev has gone 3-3 in the UFC across two stints with the promotion, he’s in his second time with them and is coming off of a loss. Narudiev is trying to avoid his first UFC losing streak. Close one here, -125 on Naurdiev to +105 for Loder.

Middleweight Bout: Ryan Loder (7-2, 185 lbs.) vs. Ismail Naurdiev (24-8, 185 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Loder is four inches taller with two inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Loder. Both men with some range finding work early. Front kick from Naurdiev then a right hand behind it. Loder pokes out a few lefts that don’t really land. Naurdiev has a high kick blocked. Right hand from Naurdiev lands and ENDS Loder.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Ismail Narudiev via KO, punch, at 1:26 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Narudiev for his work. Mic time for Narudiev, he plays with the crowd which has started to fill in then sucks up to the Moroccan royalty. We get some broadcast issues and miss a bunch of his post fight speech.

Bekzat Almakhan has gone 1-1 in the UFC but that loss was his UFC debut against Umar Nurmagomedov, he’s coming off of a win back in May and now looks for his first UFC winning streak. Aleksandre Topuria is on a four fight winning streak that includes his UFC debut back in February, he’s trying to get his first UFC winning streak up and running as well. Another close one here, -130 on Topuria to +110 for Almakhan.

Bantamweight Bout: Bekzat Almakhan (12-2, 136 lbs.) vs. Aleksandre Topuria (6-1, 135.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two have identical heights and reaches. They touch gloves to get things going. Jab from Topuria. Bit of an uppercut then a left hook from Almakhan. Almakhan keeps showing that uppercut, that’ll get him in trouble if he’s too predictable with it. Leg kick from Topuria, bit of a counter left from Almakhan. Again Almakhan with a bit of a left hook. Jab from Topuria. Calf kick from Almakhan gets Topuria down for a second but he gets right back up. Knee from Almakhan to the head. Another calf kick from Almakhan. Topuria is doing a lot more forward motion now and lands a jab. They tie up, Topuria with a headlock throw and he lands on top in full guard. Both men look for elbows on the mat. Topuria passes to side control then full mount. Almakhan bridges and is able to escape then force the reset. Both men with jabs. Counter left from Almakhan partially lands. Topuria keeps marching forward. Almakhan avoids a right hand. Jab from Topuria to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Almakhan but Topuria started finding momentum at the end of the round

ROUND TWO: Topuria gets back to pressuring forward then hits a double leg. Almakhan tries to post and wrestle up but has to settle for getting full guard. Almakhan scrambles up and Topuria gets to his back standing then Almakhan spins free. A few jabs from Almakhan. Uppercut from Almakhan. Topuria keeps coming forward, he’s blocking a lot of the punches now. Glancing right hand from Topuria. Calf kick from Almakhan. Topuria with a jab. Right to the body from Almakhan. Topuria with another jab. Almakhan fights off a takedown then has a spinning elbow smothered as he breaks away. Another jab from Topuria then a right hand. That Topuria jab is really bothering Almakhan, his nose is bleeding and he’s got a cut under the right eye about on the cheek bone. Bit of a right hand from Almakhan to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Topuria, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Topuria gets back to pressuring forward and blocks a blitz from Almakhan. A few more jabs from Topuria, bit of a counter left hook from Almakhan. Almakhan fights off a takedown and separates. Topuria’s pressure is really getting to Almakhan at this point. Right hand from Topuria. Bit of a one two from Almakhan. Almakhan is showing elbows now to try and stop Topuria from crashing distance. A right hand from Topuria drops Almakhan briefly, he’s back up but Topuria cracks him again. Almakhan blocks a takedown against the fence but his offense has been muted this round. One two from Topuria. Almakhan lands a jab. Short left uppercut from Almakhan. Double leg from Almakhan but he can’t secure position and Topuria scrambles up forcing the reset. Almakhan with some jabs but he can’t deter Topuria. Some jabs from Topuria then he tries a single leg, that hits the fence and he has to settle for a clinch. Almakhan is able to spin free then lands a one two. Almakhan with a flurry including a couple of knees to close out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Topuria, 29-28 Topuria overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Aleksandre Topuria via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)

Topuria might have stolen the first round with how he closed it. No interview for Topuria.

Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev is undefeated coming into his UFC debut and he’s looking to make a good first impression in a division that feels perpetually in need of talent. Raffael Cerqueira has gone 0-3 in the UFC and really needs to get that first UFC win under his belt here. Yakhyaev is the biggest favorite on the card at -1600 to Cerqueira’s +900.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Rafael Cerqueira (11-3, 204 lbs.) vs. Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev (7-0, 205 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Cerqueira is an inch taller but Yakhyaev has two inches of reach advantage and is 11 years younger. Yakhyaev tries a wheel kick, partially lands then he follows up with punches and a head kick that drop Cerqueira. Cerqueira fights up, gets dropped again and Yakhyaev grabs a no hook rear naked choke then eventually gets the body triangle and forces the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev via Submission, rear naked choke, at :33 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Yakhyaev for his work, also that’s the fastest submission in light heavyweight history. Sort of, if you ignore the actual history of that belt and how quickly Frank Shamrock won it when the weight classes were a little different. Mic time for Yakhyaev and the translator, he says the plan was always to attack right away and promises to do more of the same his next time out.

Alex Perez failed in a title fight back in 2020 then wound up not fighting until 2022, that all contributed to him being 1-4 in his last five fights and most recently he suffered a knee injury when fighting Tatsuro Taira. Perez really needs a win if he wants to prove he’s still got something left to offer the UFC. Asu Almabayev has gone 5-1 in the UFC, only losing in slightly controversial fashion to Manel Kape but he is coming off of a win and now looks to push his way higher in the rankings. The odds lean towards Almabayev at -190 to a +160 comeback on Perez.

Flyweight Bout: #8 Asu Almabayev (22-3, 125.5 lbs.) vs. #7 Alex Perez (25-9, 126 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Perez is two inches taller with half an inch of reach advantage. Some early feints from both men. Calf kick from Almabayev. Perez tries to blitz and eats a left hand. Wheel kick from Almabayev mostly lands. Bit of a left hook from Perez then a calf kick. Both men swing hooks in close that miss. Knee from Almabayev in close then a left hand. Single leg from Almabayev, it takes a second effort but he gets things to the fence and switches to a body lock. Almabayev lands an elbow as they break. Both men fall short with punches. Almabayev with a body kick then misses a spinning back fist. Perez tries to brawl forward but he keeps missing punches. Right to the body from Almabayev. Bit of a knee from Almabayev. Both men land punches in close then Almabayev fires another knee towards the head. Perez blocks a few punches. Both men land lefts then Perez lands a calf kick. Inside leg kick from Almabayev then they trade lefts. Bit of a one two from Almabayev. Perez with some punches to the body then a calf kick. Almabayev is starting to show southpaw now and lands a left hand. Another calf kick from Perez. Uppercut from Almabayev. Both men flurry in close then Almabayev hits a single leg. Perez is sitting but can’t get up before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Almabayev but a close one

ROUND TWO: Perez pushes forward early and off balances Almabayev, he lands a couple of punches before Almabayev regains his feet. Another takedown from Perez into half guard and he lands hammer fists. Almabayev wrestles up and separates. Bit of a right hand from Almabayev. Almabayev keeps showing an uppercut that’s not quite landing yet. Perez lands a calf kick. Right hand from Almabayev seems to bother Perez for a second. Both men miss left hooks. Spinning back kick from Almabayev hurts Perez but Perez quickly hits a double leg into full guard. Some elbows from Almabayev but nothing much from either man of substance is landing. Eventually Almabayev scrambles up, Perez grabs a front headlock and lands a couple knees before they break. Almabayev misses a wheel kick but finally lands that uppercut. Perez fights off a single leg until they hit the fence and clinch up. Bit of an elbow from Perez as they break. Uppercut from Almabayev. Almabayev fights off a single leg and they clinch up then he hits an outside trip to land on top in full guard as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Perez, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Almabayev with an uppercut, Perez tries a takedown but Almabayev jumps guard for a guillotine. Perez stands but Almabayev has that guard and choke locked up and Perez has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Asu Almabayev via Submission, guillotine choke, at :22 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Almabayev for his work. Mic time for Almbayev and the translator, he thanks God and wants a bonus then thanks Kazakhstan for the support. Asked about the future he brings up having seven fights in two years and will keep working hard to earn his title shot.

Saygid Izagakhmaev brings a five fight winning streak into his UFC debut, he’s been out of the MMA scene since beating Shinya Aoki back in 2022 but he could announce his arrival in the UFC in a big way with a memorable win. Nicolas Dalby has gone 4-2 in his last six fights but he’s on a two fight losing streak, granted one of those was a split decision that could easily have gone his way, and he really needs to halt that skid here. Izagakhmaev is a fairly heavy favorite at -340 to Dalby’s +270.

Welterweight Bout: Nicolas Dalby (23-6-1 2 NC, 170.5 lbs.) vs. Saygid Izagakhmaev (22-2, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Izagakhmaev is an inch taller while the reach is identical, he’s also a full decade younger. Izagakhmaev with some early jabs. Dalby grabs a clinch and pushes things to the fence. A few knees from Izagakhmaev. Dalby with some knees of his own while holding a body lock. Not much going on here apart from the busy work style knees. Dalby tries to change levels but can’t do it. The ref really could break them up at this point, and eventually does. Dalby shows some kicks at distance, he’s starting to stance switch as well now while moving around. Izagakhmaev looks a little flat after that grappling. They clinch up again and hit the fence. Dalby looks for a level change, Izagakhmaev defends and they get back to small knees being traded. Izagakhmaev spins Dalby into the fence briefly, that’s about the most notable thing. Dalby tries an outside trip but Izagakhmaev counters to land on top in full mount. Izagakhmaev captures the posting arm of Dalby and lands punches before Dalby gets his arm back and moves to wall walk. They’re up and still in the clinch. The round ends in the clinch as Izagakhmaev lands a knee.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Izagakhmaev but could go either way

ROUND TWO: Pretty quick takedown from Izagakhmaev against the fence. Dalby looks to wall walk, Izagakhmaev moves to his back as they stand. A few knees from Izagakhmaev then Dalby spins into him. They’re back to positional jockeying in the clinch. Both men with some knees but nothing serious. Eventually Izagakhmaev level changes against the fence and hits a double leg. Dalby quickly wall walks but again Izagakhmaev is on his back. They get chest to chest and resume throwing some knees to the leg and body. They break without incidnt. Izagakhmaev tries a takedown, then lands a knee and counters a takedown from Dalby then gets the back. Body triangle for Izagakhmaev. Some short blows from Izagakhmaev, he’s just trying to open up a choke. Dalby is able to spin into Izagakhmaev and get on top in full guard. Bit of an elbow from Dalby. The round will end in that position.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Izagakhmaev, 20-18 Izagakhmaev overall

ROUND THREE: They quickly get back into a clinch. A few short knees are traded, Izagakhmaev is adding a few upward elbows as well. They break then clinch again. They break again then split jabs. Dalby looks to open up with combination work. Izagakhmaev ties up and they hit the fence yet again. Dalby lands an uppercut before they break. One two from Izagakhmaev. Dalby tries a high kick but it doesn’t land. Another clinch and Dalby pushes things to the fence again. They get off the fence then break. Right hand from Dalby. Another clinch, Izagakhmaev looks for a single leg but can’t find it. Eventually Izagakhmaev hits an inside trip and briefly gets on top but Dalby gets the back as they wrestle up. They get chest to chest again, Dalby lands a knee. Izagakhmaev is looking for another takedown but can’t find it. Dalby lands a right hand before they break. Jab from Dalby. High knee from Dalby then they trade in close. Another clinch, they break then both men miss punches to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Dalby, 29-28 Izagakhmaev overall but could go either way

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Nicolas Dalby via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)

Can’t argue too much with 29-28 either way. No interview for Dalby.

Luke Riley is undefeated coming into his UFC debut and he’s looking for a memorable fight for his first time in the Octagon. Bogdan Grad has gone 1-1 in the UFC but he’s coming off of a loss to Muhammad Naimov and now he’s trying to avoid his first losing streak. The odds like Riley at -260 to Grad’s +210.

Featherweight Bout: Bogdan Grad (15-3, 145.5 lbs.) vs. Luke Riley (11-0, 145.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Riley is an inch taller while Grad has an inch of reach advantage. Grad looks for spinning attacks early as he pressures forward. Riley shows a few jabs. Grad tries a double leg, switches to a single leg against the fence and eventually spins Riley down to get on top in full guard. Grad is able to pass to half guard. A few short elbows from Grad. Riley is able to wrestle up with Grad on his back. Grad is able to drag Riley back to his knees but Riley wrestles up again. They get chest to chest along the fence. Some body punches from Grad then an elbow and he looks for a double leg then switches to a single leg which gets Riley down. Riley wall walks then Grad lands an elbow as they break. Grad shoots into a clinch on the fence again. The round ends with Grad hitting a takedown then firing punches.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Grad

ROUND TWO: Riley is quickly able to drop Grad with a left hook. Riley gets on top and lands punches until the ref jumps in as Grad looks like he went out.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Luke Riley via KO, punches, at :30 of Round 2

Mic time for Riley, he says the first round was terrible for him then puts over Qatar as a great place. He says he’s coming for the top of the division and you’ll find him in the gym if you need to find him. To close he talks us through the finish.

Kyoji Horiguchi left the UFC in 2016 on a three fight winning streak after failing to take the title from Demetrious Johnson, since then he’s 16-3 with 1 No Contest as he fought for both Rizin and Bellator. Horiguchi is on a six fight unbeaten streak and he’s hoping to score a memorable win in his return to the UFC. Tagir Ulanbekov has gone 6-1 in the UFC, only falling to Tim Elliott and currently he’s on a four fight winning streak. A win here would be the highest profile win of Ulanbekov’s career and could set him up for a real run in the division next year. The odds are solidly with Ulanbekov at -240 to Horiguchi’s +195 comeback.

Flyweight Bout: Kyoji Horiguchi (34-5 1 NC, 125.5 lbs.) vs. #11 Tagir Ulanbekov (17-2, 125.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Ulanbekov is three inches taller with a serious seven inches of reach advantage. A lot of circling from Horiguchi early. Ulanbekov tries a few kicks. Both men miss some kicks. Horiguchi with a side kick to the knee. Both men miss punches. Horiguchi with a left hand to counter a kick. Inside leg kick from Horiguchi. Left hand from Horiguchi and Ulanbekov pushes into a clinch. Bit of a takedown from Ulanbekov, Horiguchi quickly looks to wall walk. Ulanbekov is just kind of holding on as Horiguchi sits on the fence, Horiguchi is able to wall walk into a clinch. Horiguchi is able to spin free and reset at distance. Calf kick from Horiguchi. Another one, Ulanbekov doesn’t like those. Pretty solid right hand from Horiguchi. Another right from Horiguchi partially lands then a front kick to the body. Right hand then a bit of a left hook from Horiguchi to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Horiguchi

ROUND TWO: Quick pressure from Horiguchi, he lands a right hand then a calf kick that seems to drop Ulanbekov. Horiguchi on top in full guard and he lands a few short elbows. Ulanbekov blocks a pass attempt and gets butterfly guard but Horiguchi looks to pass again. Guillotine attack from Ulanbekov, Horiguchi pulls his head free though and lands some more punches. Horiguchi spins to a front headlock as Ulanbekov wrestles to his knees. Some punches from Horiguchi as he grabs a cradle for control then punches from the ride. Ulanbekov gets to the fence, Horiguchi is still in the ride though. They stand and Horiguchi lands punches as they break. Ulanbekov seems to be fading a bit now. Horiguchi is still moving pretty well and backs up Ulanbekov then lands a calf kick that bothers Ulanbekov. Bit of a head kick from Horiguchi, Ulanbekov reaches for a single leg but Horiguchi defends and makes him stand. Southpaw now for Ulanbekov to protect his left leg. Horiguchi with a bit of a head kick then a left hook, Ulanbekov tries to tie up but Horiguchi pushes him over and gets on top in half guard. Ulanbekov is able to get guard but eats elbows while doing so. Horiguchi lands a couple more punches to close out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Horiguchi, 20-18 Horiguchi overall

ROUND THREE: Horiguchi drops Ulanbekov with a left hook then he lands elbows from top half guard. Ulanbekob is trying for a sweep, Horiguchi moves to mount though and lands punches. They wrestle a bit, Horiguchi gets Ulanbekov to the fence and lands more punches from top position. Horiguchi with punches to the head, Ulanbekov tries an octopus guard move but Horiguchi kills that and moves to a front headlock. Knee to the body from Horiguchi then some punches as Ulanbekov wall walks into a clinch. They break and Horiguchi gets back on pressure and crushes Ulanbekob with a head kick then punches on the ground. I don’t know how Ulanbekov ate that kick, but Horiguchi gets a choke in from the back and he puts Ulanbekov out with the choke.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Kyoji Horiguchi via Technical Submission, rear naked choke, at 2:18 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Horiguchi for his work. Mic time for Horiguchi, Bisping brings up that Horgichi has been out of the UFC for 9 years and he feels really good being back in the UFC. Asked what he wants next he wants a title shot and while he’s a team mate of Alexandre Pantoja he’s willing to beat him up for the belt. They might be team mates but this is business.

Waldo Cortes-Acosta took this fight on very short notice but he’s coming off of a weird win and is trying to build up another winning streak. Shamil Gaziev has gone 3-1 in the UFC and is on a two fight winning streak, he’s looking to get another win here and line up a run towards the top 5 next year. The odds are with Cortes-Acosta at -150 to a +125 comeback for Gaziev.

Heavyweight Bout: #6 Waldo Cortes-Acosta (15-2, 265 lbs.) vs. #11 Shamil Gaziev (14-1, 262 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Gaziev has half an inch of reach advantage. Both men miss some early punches. Gaziev looks to pressure forward and jabs the body. Cortes-Acosta tries to get his jab going. Gaziev misses some punches. Left hook from Gazeiv but Cortes-Acosta counters with a right hand and Gaziev drops but gets back up. Jabs from Cortes-Acosta then he lands a right hand that floors Gaziev and will prompt the stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Waldo Cortes-Acosta via KO, punches, at 1:22 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Cortes-Acosta for his work. Mic time for Cortes-Acosta who’s gone 4-1 in 2025, and he says he wants to fight in December then plays with the crowd. He talks about taking the fight on two days notice and just wanting to fight. He talks us through the finish then says he’d like a ranked fighter for December specifically maybe Curtis Blaydes.

Jack Hermansson has traded wins and losses while going 5-5 in his last 10 fights, that has led to this fight being down at welterweight where he’s hoping to change his fortunes and avoid his first losing streak since 2013. Myktybek Orolbai has gone 3-1 in the UFC but he’s had some weight issues at lightweight that led to his last couple of fights being catchweight affairs. Now Orolbai is looking to establish himself at welterweight with a win. Orolbai is the favorite at -190 to a +160 payout for a Hermansson win.

Welterweight Bout: Jack Hermansson (24-9, 170.5 lbs.) vs. Myktybek Orolbai (14-2-1, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Hermansson is three inches taller with three and a half inches of reach advantage, he’s also a full decade older. Orolbai looks thick enough to be a welterweight but that frame on Hermansson at this weight is kind of nuts. Calf kick from Orolbai after missing a few punches. Both men miss punches. Right to the body from Orolbai. Another right to the body from Orolbai. Hermansson avoids an overhand right. Bit of a left from Orolbai. Hermansson lands a jab. Glancing right hand from Orolbai. They clinch up and then break as Hermansson lands an uppercut. Bit of a calf kick from Orolbai. Knee from Hermansson in a brief clinch then they break. Orolbai lands a right hand. Bit of an uppercut from Orolbai then he lands a right hand behind the ear that ENDS Hermansson.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Myktybek Orolbai via KO, punch, at 2:46 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Orolbai for his work. Mic time for Orolbai and the translator, he thanks God and plays with the crowd a bit before saying all his fights are exciting. He thanks the fans then says he’ll be figuring out if he wants to stay at welterweight in the near future. To close he sends love to his family and thank his team.

Volkan Oezdemir just had a two fight winning streak broken by Carlos Ulberg, now he’s trying to avoid his first losing streak since 2021 while also defending his top 10 ranking. Alonzo Menifield is on a two fight winning streak and now he’s trying to get the biggest win of his career, rankings wise at least, and look to an even better 2026. The odds like Oezdemir at -240 to Menifield’s +195.

Light Heavyweight Bout: #14 Alonzo Menifield (17-5-1, 206 lbs.) vs. #9 Volkan Oezdemir (20-8, 206 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Oezdemir is two inches taller while Menifield has an inch of reach advantage. Pressure early from Oezdemir, bit of a left hand from Menifield. Oezdemir with a left hand then a knee. Menifield blocks a few punches. Glancing knee from Oezdemir then a calf kick. Left uppercut and a knee from Oezdemir, he then flurries missing a lot but keeps throwing until he lands a left hand that puts Menifield out on his feet and gets the stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Volkan Oezdemir via KO, punches, at 1:27 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Oezdemir for his work. Oezdemir gets an interview, he wanted to use a lot of volume for this fight and his barrage was what led to the finish. Asked about the future he still wants to fight for the belt a second time. He talks us through the finish noting that Menifield always changed levels on punches so he could intercept him with a knee.

Belal Muhammad is a former welterweight champion but he’s coming off of that title losing effort which snapped an 11 fight unbeaten streak, now he’s trying to avoid his first losing streak and maintain his position near the title. Ian Machado Garry has only lost to Shavkat Rakhmonov and most recently got a decision over Carlos Prates, if Garry can best a former champion it would be a critical step towards the title picture given how crowded the top of welterweight has become lately. Garry is a surprisingly heavy favorite at -290 while that +235 comeback on Muhammad might tempt some bettors out there.

Welterweight Bout: #6 Ian Machado Garry (16-1, 170 lbs.) vs. #2 Belal Muhammad (24-4 1 NC, 171 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Garry is four inches taller with two and a half inches of reach advantage, he’s also 9 years younger. Garry with a quick oblique kick then shows a left high kick. Muhammad is trying to move forward but he’s falling short with punches so far. Stiff jabs from Garry as he circles, then Muhammad complains of an eye poke so we’ve got a time out. Replay shows some finger to eye contact, it doesn’t look bad and he’s cut under the other eye from Garry’s jabs. The doctor comes in to check on Muhammad, he seems mostly OK and after 1:44 we’re back to fighting. Garry gets back to jabbing and moving. Bit of a left hand from Muhammad. Front kick from Garry. Oblique kick from Garry, that looked like a slightly awkward landing when Muhammad tried to recollect his stance. Both men with rights. Garry lands a few jabs then lands another oblique kick. Muhammad misses a right hand and eats a counter left. Glancing right from Muhammad, he’s navigating the distance a little better now. Garry lands a few more jabs. Hard oblique kick from Garry then a right hand behind it. They split jabs. Calf kick from Garry sweeps Muhammad for a second. More jabs from Garry. Muhammad pushes into a clinch and that hits the fence. Garry is able to spin free without Muhammad landing anything of significance. Bit of a right hand from Muhammad. Garry lands another calf kick then a left hook. Jabs from Garry and he avoids the counters from Muhammad this time. Another calf kick from Garry then an oblique kick. Muhammad tries a takedown, Garry defends and they hit the fence. Garry spins Muhammad then pushes free. They trade punches then Garry fires a body kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Garry but a competitive one

ROUND TWO: Garry back to jabbing quickly as the round begins. Body kick from Garry then an oblique kick. Garry with a jab. Glancing right hand from Muhammad then a body kick. Garry avoids some strikes then lands a jab. Garry avoids some punches then lands a right hand. Spinning back kick from Garry then an oblique kick. Garry with a calf kick. Muhammad pushes to grab the back standing. Garry turns into him then avoids a punch as they break. Jab from Garry, he’s making the most of his reach advantage. Oblique kick from Garry. Muhammad tries a single leg, that hits the fence and stalls out though. Garry is able to escape without taking damage. Both men miss rights. Muhammad tries another single leg and again they stall on the fence, this time though Garry slips to the back and then shoves free of the contact. Calf kick from Garry then an oblique kick. Muhammad complains of another eye poke so we’ve got another time out. That looks like fists to me on the replay, not pokes. The left hand of Garry was definitely in a fist on the replay and that’s the one Muhammad is complaining about. Muhammad can continue so we’re back to fighting. Garry lands a right hand. Both men slip punches. Jab from Garry. Muhammad tries a takedown, Garry defends against the fence. Not much happening in the clinch here, they trade some short punches then Garry with an elbow as they break and the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Garry, 20-18 Garry overall

ROUND THREE: Garry back to jabbing and avoiding punches from Muhammad. Counter left from Garry. Bit of a right from Muhammad. Garry with a front kick then a jab. Garry with a calf kick. Muhammad misses a right hand and Garry grabs a clinch then breaks away. Hard right hand from Garry and he avoids the counters. Bit of a spinning back fist from Garry then a front kick to the face and a calf kick. Muhammad pushes into a clinch but can’t keep it. Garry defends a single leg then avoids a clinch. Calf kick from Garry. Both men with rights. A few jabs from Garry land. Muhammad tries a takedown, he gets to the back standing. Garry gets chest to chest then pushes free. Oblique kick from Garry then a calf kick. Bit of a right from Garry and Muhammad grabs yet another clinch. Garry blocks a level change then gets Muhammad on the fence and knees him before getting free. A few lefts land for Garry while moving around. Muhammad lands a right hand. Right hand from Garry then he avoids the counters. Muhammad tries another takedown, we get another clinch, and this time Garry pushes Muhammad into the fence. They break without incident. Garry with some more jabs. Short right from Muhammad then they clinch in space. Garry with an elbow as he’s got Muhammad on the fence. They break cleanly then Garry lands a right hand. Muhammad avoids a wheel kick then they clinch and Muhammad fires a left hook as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Garry, 30-27 Garry overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Ian Machado Garry via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)

Mic time for Garry, he puts over Muhammad as a tough guy who hasn’t been finished in 9 years. He puts over the top of the division and knows he needed to be able to stop the grappling. Asked about the future he wants to fight for the title and wants to take the title from Islam Makhachev. He’s got a decent overall case but the UFC don’t seem to be leaning his way at the moment.

Arman Tsarukyan is on a four fight winning streak and was supposed to fight for the lightweight title back in January but a back injury forced him out of that fight, now he’s back in action and looking to secure a title shot with a win. Dan Hooker is on a three fight winning streak and if he can best Tsarukyan it would be one of the biggest wins of his career and would move him close to the title picture as well. Tsarukyan is a very big favorite at -800 to Hooker’s +550 comeback.

Lightweight Bout: #1 Arman Tsarukyan (22-3, 156 lbs.) vs. #6 Dan Hooker (24-12, 155.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Hooker is five inches taller with two and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get things going, Hooker will do a lot of stance switches. Some long range finding attacks from Hooker early. Tsarukyan shows some kicks of his own but he’s not got a feel for the range yet. They trade lefts then Tsarukyan fires a calf kick and pushes into a clinch. Not much going on in the clinch here. Hooker spins free but Tsarukyan lands a knee on the break. Both men throw high kicks. Left hand from Tsarukyan. Hooker lands a front kick. Bit of a right from Tsarukyan, when he gets into punching range he’s able to land at this point. Both men with jabs then rights. Hooker with a double collar tie and some knees to the body then he looks to spin for the back, Tsarukyan with a takedown but Hooker grabs a guillotine. Tsarukyan is able to spin out of the guillotine and get on top in north-south. There’s some swelling around the eyebrows of Hooker, looks like they banged heads but he’s starting to get an anime style brow especially on the left side. A few short elbows land for Tsarukyan as he’s moving mostly to side control now. Tsarukyan with a hammer fist and that will be the last blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Tsarukyan

ROUND TWO: That left eye of Hooker is swelling up rapidly after the headbutt in the first. Both men show kicks to start the round. Hooker keeps working front kicks to the body. Bit of a left hand from Hooker. Right hand from Hooker in close. Tsarukyan grabs a single leg, Hooker tries for a guillotine again but Tsarukyan escapes and winds up on top in full guard. Some short rights from Tsarukyan land. Tsarukyan lands a few short elbows then postures up to fire punches. Now Tsarukyan passes to half guard after landing more strikes. More elbows from Tsarukyan and he passes to full mount. Arm triangle attack from Tsarukyan, it seems a little high but he adjusts it and tightens things down to get the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Arman Tsarukyan via Submission, arm triangle choke, at 3:34 of Round 2

Mic time for Tsarukyan and he plays with the crowd then thanks Hooker for taking the fight and not ducking him. He calls for a title shot next and he’d like to see a contract at the end of January. He puts himself over quite a lot to close.

Well that closes UFC on ESPN+ 123. We’ll be breaking down the fallout from this event on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast. There’s no UFC event next week because of the proximity to Thanksgiving here in the States, but in two weeks we’ve got UFC 323. Potentially the last UFC PPV for years given how the Paramount deal is currently structured. I’ll be back for that one and I hope you will as well. Until then thanks for reading, and next week you can find me covering WWE Survivor Series because no one else would. Stay safe out there and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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