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Join 411’s Live UFC on ABC 9 Coverage

July 26, 2025 | Posted by Robert Winfree
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MAIN CARD (ABC, ESPN+, 3 p.m. ET)
#5 Robert Whittaker (185.5 lbs.) vs. #13 Reinier de Ridder (186 lbs.)
#3 Petr Yan (135.5 lbs.) vs. #12 Marcus McGhee (136 lbs.)
Shara Magomedov (186 lbs.) vs. Marc-Andre Barriault (185 lbs.)
#9 Asu Almabayev (126 lbs.) vs. Jose Ochoa (125.5 lbs.)
#10 Nikita Krylov (205 lbs.) vs. #13 Bogdan Guskov (205 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, noon ET)
Bryce Mitchell (136 lbs.) vs. Said Nurmagomedov (136 lbs.)
Muslim Salikhov (170.5 lbs.) vs. Carlos Leal (170 lbs.)
Davey Grant (135 lbs.) vs. Da’Mon Blackshear (136 lbs.)
#7 Amanda Ribas (116 lbs.) vs. #10 Tabatha Ricci (115 lbs.)
Ibo Aslan (204 lbs.) vs. Billy Elekana (204.5 lbs.)
Mohammad Yahya (146 lbs.) vs. Steven Nguyen (145.5 lbs.)
#13 Martin Buday (266 lbs.) vs. Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida (254 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC on ABC 9, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host. The UFC is back on ABC and they’ve brought a pretty solid TV card for the occasion. The main event sees former champion Robert Whittaker try to hold his place near the top of the division against surging newcomer Reiner de Ridder. De Ridder is making his third UFC appearance this year here as well as his first trip into the main event. In the co-main event former bantamweight champion Petr Yan takes on Marcus McGhee, McGee is getting a big step up in class here while Yan is trying to find the kind of performance that will get people excited to see him fight for the title again. Beyond that we’ve got Nikita Krylov, Asu Almabayev, Bryce Mitchell’s bantamweight debut against Said Nurmagomedov, Davey Grant making his once a year appearance, and the UFC debut of vaunted jiu-jitsu practitioner Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida. Really, this is a pretty strong TV card and is only one really high profile fight away from being PPV worthy these days. Now let’s hope the action lives up to the potential.

UFC on ABC 9 comes to us from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE. On commentary we’ve got John Gooden, Michael Bisping, and Paul Felder. That’s among the better trios the UFC can put forward from where I sit, plus we’ve got Heidi Androl as the roving reporter. We should be under all the newer rules here, so 12-6 elbows are good and hands don’t impact whether you’re considered a downed fighter.

Martin Buday has gone 6-1 in the UFC and is on a two fight winning streak, he’s trying to defend his ranking and then look to fight someone ranked above him next. Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida is one of the finest Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners of his era, twice taking gold in the ADCC competition and winning every BJJ worlds competition in his weight class from 2012 to 2019, and in that same time period he took gold in every absolute division except for 2018 where he took silver. He made the move to MMA in 2021 and went 5-1 in ONE championship, now he’s making his UFC debut and given the dire state of the division an impressive performance here could indicate good things for his time here. The odds are with the newcomer Buchecha at -265 to Buday’s +215.

Heavyweight Bout: #13 Martin Buday (15-2, 266 lbs.) vs. Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida (5-1, 254 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Buday is two inches taller but Buchecha has half an inch of reach advantage. Buday tries an early blitz but nothing comes of it. Both men probe a bit with punches, nothing serious. Buchecha hits a single leg, Buday quickly scrambles up and declines to go into the guard of Buchecha then makes him stand. Leg kick from Buday. Buchecha tries another takedown but has to settle for a clinch then they trade punches on the break. Left hand from Buchecha, he tries a takedown but winds up pulling guard. Buday stands free pretty quickly then makes Buchecha stand. Right hand from Buchecha. Buday avoids a takedown and lands a knee. Bit of a left from Buday. Front kick from Buchecha, Buday then lands a right hand. Buday avoids a single leg, Buchecha really needs another idea for his takedowns. Knee from Buchecha in close. Right hand from Buday. Buchecha wit a right hand in close. Both men land rights. Jab then an uppercut from Buday. Right from Buchecha then a couple of knees from a collar tie. Elbow then a right from Buchecha, he’s punching Buday back to the fence. Buday grabs a clinch to stop the offensive flurry. Buchecha pushes things to the fence and that’s where the round will end.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Buchecha but a close one

ROUND TWO: Both men come out jabbing. Bit of a calf kick from Buday. Front kick from Buchecha. Right to the body from Buchecha. Short left from Buday. Buchecha with a lower single leg and he drives through this time to complete the takedown to get on top in full guard. Pretty quick pass to half guard from Buchecha, not surprising really. A few body blows from Buchecha, both punches and elbows. Right hand from Buchecha, he’s going back and forth between threatening a kimura or an arm triangle. Buchecha gets the double wrist lock, as Buday defends Buchecha moves to the back with both hooks in. Now Buchecha moves to the ride, he was getting a little high there, and keeps landing punches. Buday scoots to the fence and he’s able to slightly off balance Buchecha then get on top in full guard. They trade a few strikes, nothing serious from either man lands though before the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: Both men circle to start the round. Buday misses a left hook. Jab from Buday. Buday lands a right hand. Both men block punches in close. Buday avoids a takedown, Buchecha looks a little unsteady on his feet. Right to the body from Buchecha. Buday blocks a single leg. Buchecha tries a few takedowns but he doesn’t have the drive from his legs at this point. Buday lands a jab. Buchecha looks to pull half guard, Buday winds up on top in side control. Buday scoots towards the ride, Buchecha goes for an octopus sweep and gets to the back with 2 minutes left. Buchecha with punches from the ride position. Both hooks in for Buchecha now and he starts looking for the choke. Buday breaks one of the hooks, Buchecha moves to the ride again though. Buchecha gets to a crucifix position, Buday slides free though and gets on top. Both men swing some punches on the mat as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Buday, 29-28 Buchecha but this hinges on the first round

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Martin Buday via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

No issues with that, no interview for Buday though.

Mohammad Yahya has gone 0-2 in the UFC and really needs to get that first UFC win under his belt here. Steven Nguyen dropped his UFC debut over a year ago and now hopes for a better outcome from his sophomore outing. Nguyen is the favorite at -360 to Yahya’s +285.

Featherweight Bout: Mohammad Yahya (12-5, 146 lbs.) vs. Steven Nguyen (9-2, 145.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Nguyen is two inches taller but the reach is identical. Quick right hand from Nguyen drops Yahya, but Yahya fights his way up. Calf kicks from Nguyen as he’s backing Yahya up. Left hook from Nguyen wobbles Yahya. Nguyen keeps pressing forward, Yahya is struggling to get off the fence. They trade a few calf kicks. Nguyen with a left hook in close. Yahya with a knee but he’s getting countered. Body kick from Yahya but Nguyen pushes close and drops him with another right hand. Nguyen unloads on the mat, Yahya fights up to his feet again though. Yahya lands a body kick, he’s still throwing. Nguyen lands another right then a left hook that drops Yahya again but again Yahya fights up. Bit of a body kick from Yahya. Calf kick from Nguyen. Nguyen with a few punches then Yahya tries a partially successful spinning elbow. Naturally that means Yahya throws more spinning attacks that don’t land. Nguyen with a calf kick. A left hook from Nguyen drops Yahya again, he gets on top in half guard and fires punches but again Yahya recovers then fights up to his feet. Takedown from Yahya but Nguyen easily gets back up. Another right from Nguyen drops Yahya, the ref really should stop this but doesn’t and Nguyen lands punches then tries a choke but the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-7 Nguyen

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. One more drop should end this. Nguyen avoids a takedown. Yahya with a right hand that drops Nguyen, Nguyen fights back up and lands punches of his own though. Nguyen drops Yahya with a punch then he stands over Yahya and lands punches before going into the guard. Nguyen with hammer fists then he stands and lands a few more punches going back into the guard. Yahya’s left eye is swelling pretty visibly at this point. Nguyen drops a few elbows then passes to half guard. Arm triangle attack from Nguyen, he moves to mount with it then lands an elbow. Yahya scrambles up, that left eye is a mess. Nguyen blocks a high kick then lands a right hand. Another right from Nguyen wobbles Yahya. Yahya has some punches blocked. Nguyen defends a takedown. A left hook from Nguyen stuns Yahya, he backs him up and looks to line up a kill shot. Yahya is still throwing though. Nguyen with a few body blows then an uppercut. Yahya tries a takedown but Nguyen avoids it. Nguyen times a right with a kick that off balances Yahya, he gets on top and fires some punches to close the round. They should stop this, Yahya’s eye is shut and swollen badly.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Nguyen, 20-16 Nguyen overall

ROUND THREE: Yeah, they wave it off, that left eye is horribly swollen. One of the worst I’ve seen.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Steven Nguyen via TKO, doctor stoppage, at 5:00 of Round 2

Mic time for Nguyen, he feels amazing and talks about how hard he worked to get here then puts over his team. He really wanted the finish and is happy to have gotten it.

Ibo Aslan has gone 2-1 in the UFC but he’s coming off of a pretty poor outing against Ion Cutelaba and needs a rebound win to regain momentum. Billy Elekana came up short in his UFC debut back in January, but that was on pretty short notice and he’s hoping a full camp will yield better results. Aslan is your favorite at -310 while +250 on Elekana might tempt some bettors given how volatile lower level light heavyweight fights are.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Ibo Aslan (14-2, 204 lbs.) vs. Billy Elekana (7-2, 204.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Aslan has half an inch of reach advantage. Southpaw for Elekana. Both men engage in some hand fighting. A couple of front kicks from Elekana. Aslan shows a few leg kicks but nothing serious. Both men land jabs. Elekana with another front kick. Aslan misses a head kick. Left hand from Elekana. Aslan blocks a head kick but that surprised him a bit. Elekana tries a single leg, Aslan defends it though. Front kick from Elekana. Bit of a body kick from Aslan. Elekana with another front kick, that basically ends the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Elekana I guess

ROUND TWO: Similarly slow start to the second round. Bit of a jab from Elekana. Aslan misses a right hand. Bit of a left from Elekana. Elekana avoids a few punches then misses a right hook. Front kick from Elekana. Another front kick from Elekana, he should be building off of that kick by now, either send it higher or try a question mark kick. Both men miss jabs then Elekana lands a front kick. Bit of a right hook from Elekana. Aslan with a right to the body. Elekana tries a single leg but Aslan defends. Aslan avoids a left hand. Both men miss punches again. Elekana avoids a high kick then fails on a single leg to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Elekana but who the heck knows, 20-18 Elekana overall

ROUND THREE: Another slow start to the round. Bit of a right from Aslan. Glancing left from Elekana. Front kick from Elekana. Elekana with another front kick. Both men land lead hand punches. Bit of a left from Elekana. Aslan misses an ugly right hand. Jab from Elekana. Elekana misses a head kick. Eventually Elekana lands a bit of a one two. Aslan lands a jab. Well that was just too much excitement for these two, they’re back to circling and doing nothing. Bit of a left from Elekana. Aslan with a bit of a left hand. Elekana misses a left hand. Jab from Aslan. Aslan points at the ground, after this fight that should get him fired, and both men miss a few punches to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Elekana I guess, this sucked, 30-27 Elekana overall

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

Aslan looks shocked, should have actually tried to fight then buddy. That sucked, no interview for Elekana.

Amanda Ribas has spent a lot of time bouncing between flyweight and strawweight, she’s just 2-4 in her last six fights but at her UFC record at strawweight is 5-2 with her only losses in the division coming to Marina Rodriguez and Mackenzie Dern. Ribas is coming off of the Dern loss but a win here would help keep her campaign in the weight class alive. Tabatha Ricci has gone 6-3 in the UFC, she’s coming off of a loss to Yan Xiaonan though and is looking to avoid her first losing streak. The odds like Ribas at -185 to a +155 comeback for Ricci.

Strawweight Bout: #7 Amanda Ribas (12-6, 116 lbs.) vs. #10 Tabatha Ricci (11-3, 115 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Ribas is two inches taller with five inches of reach advantage. Ricci comes out looking to push the pace. Ribas with a right hand. Ricci pushes into a clinch and lands a few short blows as she’s got Ribas on the fence. Judo toss from Ribas and she’s on top in side control. Ricci scrambles around back up into a clinch and again pushes Ribas into the fence. Some short lefts from Ricci and a few knees as well. Ricci avoids a hip throw and keeps Ribas on the fence. Some knees to the body and leg from Ricci. Ribas keeps avoids single leg level changes but she can’t get out of the clinch. The ref breaks them up. Ribas tries southpaw now. Body kick from Ricci, but of a jab from Ribas. Ricci shoots into a clinch on the fence again. Some more short lefts from Ricci. A few knees go back and forth. Ribas with a little trip to off balance Ricci then she gets back to space. Bit of a left from Ribas. Ricci lands a right hand. Ribas with a right of her own. Ricci has gone southpaw now. Bit of a left from Ricci. They trade a bit to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ribas

ROUND TWO: Body kick from Ricci. Ribas has opened southpaw, they’re both just going to switch at will at this point. Ricci pushes into another clinch and that hits the fence. A few knees go back and forth, Ricci just can’t finish a single leg here to save her life. Elbow from Ricci. Another elbow from Ricci, Ribas reacted badly to that one. Ricci keeps showing the left elbow, Ribas has damage around her left eye from that. That hurt Ribas, Ricci gets her down and unloads with punches from the ride position until the ref steps in. Elbowing the eye is a good strategy it seems.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Tabatha Ricci via TKO, elbows, at 2:59 of Round 2

Mic time for Ricci, she jokes about striking like a shark and says she wants to make a real push up through the ranks now. She talks us through the finish then wants to fight again this year.

Da’Mon Blackshear is on a three fight winning streak that indicates he’s finally finding his footing in the UFC, a fourth win here would start the transition from prospect to contender. Davey Grant has been with the UFC since 2013 but has fought only 13 times during that stretch, he got a win in December of last year and now looks for another winning streak. Blackshear closed as a -375 favorite to Grant’s +295.

Bantamweight Bout: Davey Grant (14-7, 135 lbs.) vs. Da’Mon Blackshear (17-7-1, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Blackshear is two inches taller with three inches of reach advantage, he’s also 9 years younger. Southpaw for Grant. Both men probe with kicks early, they’re both doing stance switches as well. Bit of a calf kick from Grant. Blackshear with a right hand, then eventually hits a double leg but it took serious effort. Grant scoots to the fence then gets full guard. Blackshear with a few short punches and elbows as he moves to half guard. Grant works to wall walk, Blackshear gets to the ride then pulls Grant down and gets both hooks in on the back. A lot of hand fighting from Grant now as Blackshear tries to open up choke attacks. Eventually Blackshear gets a face crank going, he’s trying to slip the arm lower but can’t get it and bails on that attempt. Blackshear gets a little high and goes for an armbar, Grant knows the threat is there and does get his arm out to get on top. An elbow from Grant closes the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Blackshear

ROUND TWO: Grant moves forward to start this round and lands a right to the body. Bit of a front kick from Blackshear, Grant then fires a right hand. Body kick from Blackshear. Bit of a body shot from Grant. Right to the body from Grant then Blackshear lands a leg kick. Inside leg kick from Blackshear. Grant lands a calf kick. Bit of a right hand from Blackshear. Grant with a right to the body, left hook, then a head kick which is partially blocked but that was a nice combination. Clipping left hook from Grant. Blackshear fires a head kick that’s blocked. Inside leg kick from Blackshear. Grant avoids a takedown but eats a knee. Bit of a left hook from Grant, he’s starting to sit down and swing with his punches. Blackshear moves forward, lands a bit of a right hand. They trade left hooks. Blackshear jabs the body. Grant has a right hand blocked. Bit of a combination from Grant. Right to the body from Grant. Grant with a glancing left hook then a calf kick. Blackshear lands a jab, then Grant fires a few kicks to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Grant, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Grant swings a right to the body to start the round. Blackshear lands an inside leg kick then a body kick. Grant is really committing to his punches, if Blackshear can time that he can get him down again. A couple of punches land for Grant. Blackshear shows a few more kicks. Calf kick from Grant. Front kick from Grant then a calf kick, Blackshear didn’t like that. They trade jabs. Inside leg kick then a right hand from Blackshear. Grant fights off a takedown, they trade knees in the clinch then break. Left hook from Grant. There’s a cut on the shin of Grant. Blackshear tries a takedown, Grant stuffs it. Leg kick from Grant then a right to the body. Calf kick from Grant. Grant keeps swinging hooks when he gets into the pocket. A couple more calf kicks from Grant. Blackshear lands a one two. They trade rights then Grant lands a follow up left hook. Grant sprawls away from a double leg then punches Blackshear towards the fence. Blackshear keeps circling then lands a few jabs to close the round.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Davey Grant via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Mic time for Grant, he says he got controlled but his submission defense is really good and Blackshear couldn’t get more going. He beat up Blackshear to the body and leg and wanted to force exchanges in boxing range as Blackshear isn’t that good there.

Muslim Salikhov has gone 8-4 in the UFC and is on a two fight winning streak, at the age of 41 a serious run at the top seems unlikely but another win here could earn him a bigger name his next time out. Carlos Leal has gone 1-1 in the UFC but that loss was a dubious decision in his debut and most recently he bulldozed Alex Morono, now he’s looking for his first UFC winning streak to firmly establish himself as a rising force in the division. The odds are heavily with Leal at -550 to Salikhov’s +410.

Welterweight Bout: Muslim Salikhov (21-5, 170.5 lbs.) vs. Carlos Leal (22-6, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height but Leal has four inches of reach advantage and is a full decade younger. Southpaw for Leal, he pushes forward right away and looks to crowd Salikhov. Left hand from Leal. Counter right hand from Salikhov ENDS Leal in one punch.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Muslim Salikhov via KO, punch, at :42 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Salikhov for his work. Mic time for Salikhov, he jokes about being 41 but feels he’s still improving and feels younger than his age. He thanks his team and family then talks us through the finish. He feels he should get a bonus for that, then says he’d like to fight Stephen Thompson. You know, I could be down for that fight at this point.

Bryce Mitchell has gone 8-3 in the UFC but he had a few key setbacks at featherweight, namely to Ilia Topuria, Josh Emmett, and most recently Jean Silva all of which contributed to him trying his hand at bantamweight here. Mitchell will be trying to announce his arrival in the new weight class with a win. Said Nurmagomedov has gone 7-3 in the UFC, he had a string of bad luck that caused him to miss all of 2024 then his last time out he came up short against Vinicius Oliveira, now he’s trying to avoid his first losing streak. Fairly close one here, -150 on Mitchell to +125 for Nurmagomedov.

Bantamweight Bout: Bryce Mitchell (17-3, 136 lbs.) vs. Said Nurmagomedov (18-4, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Mitchell is two inches taller but the reach is identical. Southpaw for Mitchell, he looks to move forward early. Glancing head kick from Nurmagomedov then an inside leg kick. Left hand from Nurmagomedov to counter a front kick. Right hand from Nurmagomedov, Mitchell’s punch defense basically isn’t there right now. Body kick from Nurmagomedov then a right hand. Mitchell grabs a clinch and fights for a takedown but he can’t secure one so settles for keeping things on the fence. A few knees go back and forth. Not much going on here. They break and Nurmagomedov lands a right hand. Front kick from Nurmagomedov. Intercepting knee from Nurmagomedov drops Mitchell, Nurmagomedov gets on top and fires a few elbows before Mitchell ties things up to slow him down. Mitchell tries to work a rubber guard, Nurmagomedov blocks that. Nurmagomedov looks to pass but can’t quite get around the butterfly hooks. Eventually Nurmagomedov gets to half guard and drops a few elbows but Mitchell wrestles up into a clinch and pushes things to the fence. That’s where the round will end.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Nurmagomedov

ROUND TWO: Mitchell gets back to forward pressure and tries a single leg then switches to a double and gets Nurmagomedov down into side control. Kimura attack from Mitchell, he can’t quite get to the double wrist lock though. Nurmagomedov has an empty half guard hook. Not much going on here, Mitchell then switches to an arm triangle attack. Nurmagomedov rolls through and gets to the ride position then drops a few blows. Mitchell scrambles to his knees against the fence then wall walks into a clinch. Nurmagomedov with some knees. Mitchell fires a few punches and does not want to give up the clinch, he tries to ride Nurmagomedov down and nearly gets the back but misses the second hook. Nurmagomedov gets on top ultimately and moves to half guard. Mitchell moves to his knees then they stand and separate. Nurmagomedov misses a spinning elbow, poor decision, and Mitchell gets him down against the fence again. The round ends there.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Mitchell, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Mitchell tries an immediate takedown, that hits the fence. Nurmagomedov uses a guillotine on the takedown and moves to top position with it. A few punches from Nurmagomedov land. Mitchell rolls to his knees, Nurmagomedov tries for the back but loses the hooks. Another bad decision from Nurmagomedov, Mitchell is now on top in half guard. Mitchell tries to set up another arm triangle, he’s got the attack going. Nurmagomedov rolls to his knees, Mitchell gets a body triangle and has the back. That’s where the round will end.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Bryce Mitchell via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Mic time for Mitchell, he’s happy with the win but feels this was a very hard fight and puts over Nurmagomedov. He will continue to be a company man, then thanks God.

Nikita Krylov just had a three fight winning streak broken by Dominick Reyes, if Krylov wants to make a real push towards the title he cannot afford another losing streak here. Bogdan Guskov has gone 3-1 in the UFC and is on a three fight winning streak, he’s getting a decent step up in class here but a win would be the best of his career so far. The odds like Krylov at -200 while +165 on Guskov might tempt some bettors, especially with how the fights have been going so far.

Light Heavyweight Bout: #10 Nikita Krylov (30-10, 205 lbs.) vs. #13 Bogdan Guskov (17-3, 205 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Krylov has an inch and a half of reach advantage. Circling from both men early. They both probe a bit with the lead hand. Forward pressure from Krylov, he’s showing kicks thus far and lands a jab. Right hand from Krylov but Guskov just eats it. Calf kick from Krylov. Guskov lands a right hand. Right to the body from Guskov. Another right from Guskov then a left hook. Krylov fires back and lands a left hook but Guskov avoids the follow ups. Calf kick from Krylov. Bit of a left from Krylov. Right hand from Guskov, he’s got a decent read on Krylov’s entries at this point. Front kick from Krylov. Hard right from Guskov, he’s got Krylov down and jumps on top looking to finish. Krylov gets flattened out and Guskov lands enough punches to get the finish.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Bugdan Guskov via TKO, punches, at 4:18 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Guskov for his work. Guskov gets an interview along with a translator, he speaks OK English, and is happy to be a top 10 fighter with the win. Asked about the future he will fight anyone. He talks us through the finish then closes by putting over his team and switching to Russian a bit.

Asu Almabayev just had a 17 fight winning streak snapped by Manel Kape, now he’s trying to defend his ranking and avoid his first losing streak since 2017. Jose Ochoa has gone 1-1 in the UFC, he is coming off of a win though and if he can take out the ranked Alambayev it’ll be the biggest win of his career to date. This one closed as a -110 pick ’em.

Flyweight Bout: #9 Asu Almabayev (21-3, 126 lbs.) vs. Jose Ochoa (8-1 1 NC, 125.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Ochoa is three inches taller with two inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves, Ochoa fighting southpaw. Inside leg kicks go back and forth. Bit of a left from Ochoa. Almabayev ties up in a clinch then shoots things to the fence. A few knees from Almabayev then he starts looking for trips. Eventually Almabayev spins things down then gets to the back standing as Ochoa stands. Almabayev jumps to the back, but he’s too high and winds up bailing then Ochoa forces a reset. Bit of a right from Almabayev then a high kick. Body kick from Ochoa then Almabayev forces a takedown and gets the back with both hooks in. Face crank from Almabayev, Ochoa is able to push it up over the top but that sucked. Almabayev keeps going after face cranks, Ochoa keeps defending so far. Ochoa is able to base up, Almabayev is still on his back with both hooks in. Almabayev keeps fishing for choke attempts then grabs at a Suloev stretch but Ochoa blocks that and they wind up on the feet. Ochoa charges at Almabayev, Almabayev shoots for a single leg but Ochoa defends and lands a knee. Glancing right from Almabayev. Ochoa smothers a spinning kick and gets the back. Body triangle from Ochoa now. Nothing will happen down there as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Almabayev

ROUND TWO: Ochoa fights off a single leg to start the round. Almabayev lands an inside leg kick. Left hand from Ochoa then he sprawls away from a takedown. Body kick from Almabayev. Almabayev catches a kick and gets a takedown into butterfly guard. Some punches land for Almabayev. Ochoa gives up his back but Almabayev gets too eager taking it and gets tossed over the top, but Almabayev wrestles up on a single leg and then knees Ochoa in the clinch. They trade a few knees before breaking the clinch. Right hand from Almabayev, he tries a takedown and eats a knee but powers through it to finish the takedown into full guard. A few punches land for Almabayev. Ochoa throws hammer fists from his back while trying to get his guard working. Almabayev lands a couple more punches and looks to pass the butterfly guard of Ochoa. Armbar attack from Ochoa, Almabayev reads it and lands a hammer fist then pulls his arm free. Ochoa now tries a triangle choke, Almabayev postures through it and lands punches as the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: Inside leg kick from Almabayev, Ochoa didn’t like that one. Almabayev punches into a double leg and gets Ochoa down. Ochoa wall walks pretty quickly into a clinch. The ref breaks the clinch, apparently Almabayev was grabbing the cage to keep it. Double leg from Almabayev, but Ochoa grabs a guillotine on the way down. The choke is pretty tight but Almabayev is able to wiggle around just enough to get his head out and settle into top position. Ochoa tries another triangle choke attack, Almabayev isn’t too bothered and lands a few hammer fists. Ochoa can’t get his legs into proper triangle position, he tries the teepee variant but Almabayev gets free and drops elbows. Almabayev moves to half guard and throws more strikes. Ochoa can’t get up but does get full guard back. Ochoa is able to finally wrestle up and free but eats a body kick. Almabayev shoots into a clinch and they trade knees then Ochoa lands an elbow as they break. Right hand from Almabayev then he shoots again, Ochoa sprawls but winds up clinched on the fence. They trade knees again before breaking. Ochoa lands a left hand. Almabayev with a duck under and he gets the back standing then holds it as the round ends.

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

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

I could see Ochoa getting a round. Mic time for Almabayev and the translator, he gives glory to God and then thanks his country and puts over Ochoa as a tough opponent. Asked about the future he wished he did better and would like a fight with Joshua Van. Seems unlikely given what Van has done lately.

Shara Magomedov is coming off of his first loss, coming up short to Michael “Venom” Page in a fight that seems to have taken away all of Magomedov’s thunder. He’s trying to regain some of that prior hype with a win. Marc-Andre Barriault just broke a three fight losing streak with a brutal knockout win over Bruno Silva, he’s trying for his first winning streak since 2023 here as well as one of his higher profile wins thus far. Magomedov is the biggest favorite on the card at -650 to Barriault’s +470 comeback.

Middleweight Bout: Shara Magomedov (15-1, 186 lbs.) vs. Marc-Andre Barriault (17-9 1 NC, 185 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Magomedov is an inch taller while Barriault has an inch of reach advantage. Barriault pushes forward to start. Magomedov lands a leg kick. Calf kick from Magomedov. Barriault has a lot of forward pressure but hasn’t landed anything yet. Another leg kick from Magomedov then a body kick. Inside leg kick from Magomedov. Barriault tries a takedown against the fence, he’s able to get the double leg but Magomedov wall walks right away into another clinch. Some uppercuts from Barriault then Magomedov lands an elbow as they break. Another leg kick from Magomedov. Barriault pushes into another clinch. They jockey for position and trade a few knees. Knee from Magomedov as they break then a leg kick. Another leg kick from Magomedov then a side kick. Barriault pushes into yet another clinch, he lands a few short lefts. Elbows from Magomedov then a body kick as they break. Magomedov keeps showing kicks while circling and switching his stance. Barriault avoids a slow motion wheel kick. A leg kick from Magomedov closes the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Magomedov

ROUND TWO: Magomedov back to circling and kicking. Barriault misses a few punches. Leg kick from Magomedov. Left to the body from Magomedov, bit of a counter right from Barriault though. Magomedov lands a body kick. Intercepting right from Magomedov. They trade in close. Elbow from Magomedov cuts Barriault on the top of the head. Another elbow from Magomedov in close. Magomedov lands a hook kick. Barriault lands an elbow of his own that staggers Magomedov, he gets a clinch and follows up with a few uppercuts. The nose of Magomedov is smashed after that elbow. Barriault with a knee as they break. One two from Barriault then a left hook. Magomedov lands a punch but Barriault gets a clinch. Body punches from Barriault then uppercuts as well. Magomedov fires a few knees of his own. Barriault tries for a double leg, he briefly gets Magomedov down but Magomedov wall walks very quickly. Elbows from Magomedov in close then an uppercut. Body shots from Barriault then Magomedov knees him in the body and head. More knees from Magomedov as he turns Barriault, Barriault is hurt and they start trading as they break. Magomedov with a right ot the body then a knee but Barriault will see out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Magomedov but could go either way, 20-18 Magomedov overall

ROUND THREE: Barriault gets back on forward pressure. Magomedov lands a leg kick. Jumping knee from Magomedov but Barriault is after a takedown against the fence. A few elbows land for Magomedov. Magomedov lands knees then Barriault shoves him away. Hook kick from Magomedov. Calf kick from Barriault. Magomedov lands a jab. Bit of a left from Barriault. More jabs from Magomedov as he circles. Barriault lands a jab. Leg kick from Magomedov then another jab. Barriault pushes into another clinch but Magomedov lands elbows before Barriault pulls free. Another leg kick from Magomedov. Barriault pushes into a clinch on the fence. They jockey for position then Magomedov lands an elbow on the break. Another leg kick from Magomedov. High kick from Magomedov is blocked. Barriault is the one circling now but he corrects that and moves forward. Magomedov grabs a clinch and fires knees then trips Barriault down into full guard. Some body punches from Magomedov, he keeps throwing as the round ends.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Shara Magomedov via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Magomedov gets an interview with the translator, he is very happy to have gotten the win and thinks he can still become champion. He felt very good for this fight and feels this was a tough fight. Asked about the future he just wants to stay active and keep winning. To close he plays a little with the crowd.

Petr Yan is a former bantamweight champion and is now on a winning streak for the first time since 202, he’s looking to get another fight for the title with an impressive performance here. Marcus McGhee is on a six fight winning streak including four UFC wins, he’s taking a pretty bit step up in class here but a win would launch him towards the very top of the hyper competitive division. Yan is the favorite at -375 to +295 for McGhee.

Bantamweight Bout: #3 Petr Yan (18-5, 135.5 lbs.) vs. #12 Marcus McGhee (10-1, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: McGhee is half an inch taller with two inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Early stance switching from McGhee, Yan can do that as well if he feels like it. Yan stalks his way forward. McGhee falls short with a few punches. Inside leg kick from McGhee. Yan misses a right hand. Bit of a right from Yan. They clinch up but nothing comes of it. Cut kick from Yan but McGhee gets back up quickly. Inside leg kick then a left hook from Yan. McGhee misses a couple of punches. Bit of a right from Yan. McGhee lands a left. Leg kick from McGhee. Left hook from Yan then they tie up long enough to trade uppercuts. McGhee with a few punches, Yan responds with a one two. They both land in close. McGhee with a calf kick. Yan lands a left hook then a right hand. Each time the get close Yan is grabbing a single collar tie and landing punches before McGhee gets free. Right hook from McGhee. Yan with an uppercut in close. Yan stalks forward to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Yan but a close one

ROUND TWO: Yan lands a right hand to start the round. McGhee avoids a left hand then clinches up. They trade elbows then break the clinch. One two from Yan. Right uppercut from McGhee. McGhee with a calf kick. Yan with a left to the body. They tie up and Yan with short punches then a knee. One two from Yan lands clean but McGhee eats it. McGhee takes a right hand, he’s bleeding now but then lands a knee. Left hook from Yan. McGhee hits the body, he’s still in this thing. Right hand form Yan in close, McGhee responds with an elbow. Hard right from Yan, he’s timing McGhee now. Uppercut from Yan then a left hand. Right from McGhee but he’s taking two or three blows for each one he’s landing. Calf kick from Yan. Yan with a stiff jab. A couple of body shots from Yan in close. Both men miss rights. Jabs from Yan then a left to the body. McGhee jabs the body but Yan lands a knee. Yan misses a high kick. Left hand from Yan. Yan punches in close as the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: Yan jabs and moves forward to start the round. Inside leg kick from McGhee. Yan lands a left. Another inside leg kick from McGhee. Yan with a left hand out of a clinch. Bit of a one two from Yan. Yan with a right hand. Elbow from Yan as he avoids a takedown. Combination from Yan as he’s got McGhee against the fence. Right hand from Yan. They tie up, Yan then slips to the back. A bunch of knees to the leg from Yan. Knee to the head from Yan, then another one and a mat return. McGhee bounces up but Yan is still on his back. McGhee is just kind of stuck and Yan is content to knee him. Eventually McGhee gets chest to chest. Yan with some punches then they break. Head kick from Yan then he trips McGhee down and grabs a kimura but McGhee fights free of that. Yan gets the back standing and lands punches to close the round.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Petr Yan via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

No issues with McGhee getting the first. Mic time for Yan and the translator, he gets his kids in the cage with him then plays a bit with the crowd before putting over McGhee. He’s very happy, then when asked about the title picture he says he beat Cory Sandhagen and would like a title shot next. To close he thanks his team.

Robert Whittaker is a former middleweight champion and frankly has the kind of resume that should be engendering more fan love than it has, he’s nearly analogous to Dustin Poirier but with the full title to his name. Whittaker is coming off of a loss though and he’s trying to avoid what would be his first losing streak at middleweight, or of any kind since 20-14. Reiner de Ridder is a former two weight world champion from ONE championship, he’s also never lost at middleweight and has gone 3-0 in the UFC. He is taking a big step up in class here, but a win would have to put him into the title picture all things considered. The odds are with Whittaker ate -150 to a +125 comeback on de Ridder.

Middleweight Bout: #5 Robert Whittaker (26-8, 185.5 lbs.) vs. #13 Reinier de Ridder (20-2, 186 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: De Ridder is four inches taller with four and a half inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for de Ridder. Both men do some early feinting. Bit of a left from de Ridder. Whittaker with a bit of a right. Single leg attempt from de Ridder, Whittaker lands punches then limp legs but is still tied up in a clinch. De Ridder almost has a Russian arm grip, he pokes in a few knees but Whittaker is keeping them off the fence. Eventually Whittaker pulls free but he did take a knee doing so. Whittaker looks to blitz in and lands a right hand. De Ridder with a few jabs then tries a single leg but Whittaker defends. Solid jab from Whittaker. De Ridder avoids a one two. Bit of a right from Whittaker, then another one. Whittaker avoids another takedown, de Ridder needs more drive on those attempts. Knee from de Ridder into a clinch. More knees from de Ridder before Whittaker is able to pull out of the clinch. Whittaker blocks a head kick then lands a jab. Left hook from Whittaker. Stepping knee from de Ridder, Whittaker didn’t like that. Bit of a right from Whittaker. Another knee from de Ridder closes out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Whittaker

ROUND TWO: Whittaker gets back to forward pressure. Bit of a left from de Ridder off balances Whittaker for a second. Whittaker avoids a single leg attempt. Knee from de Ridder. They trade punches, Whittaker is the better striker though. Looping left from de Ridder partially lands. Both men miss punches. Again de Ridder enters with a knee then Whittaker lands a punch. De Ridder jabs his way in close, he’s starting to land his punches a bit more now. Knee from de Ridder. Whittaker has a one two blocked. A few more jabs from de Ridder then a stepping knee, Whittaker did not like that and de Ridder gets him down off of it. De Ridder on top in half guard. Whittaker tries to get full guard but de Ridder moves to the other side. A few punches land for de Ridder as Whittaker does get butterfly guard. De Ridder passes to half guard and looks to use strikes to set up a submission attack. Whittaker is able to get full guard back and he closes it up. Elbows to the body from de Ridder then he lands a few punches. The round ends with de Ridder on top landing a few short elbows.

SCORECARD: 10-9 de Ridder, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Whittaker avoids a single leg. De Ridder jabs in close then lands a knee. Whittaker is bothered but de Ridder over commits to a knee and Whittaker clobbers him with a right hand. Whittaker goes into the guard of de Ridder looking to finish, he fires punches but de Ridder wrestles up into a clinch then they break. De Ridder jabs into a clinch, both men are beat up and worn down at this point. Some body shots from de Ridder then Whittaker pushes free. Knee from de Ridder. Whittaker fights off a single leg. Bit of a front kick from de Ridder. Jab from Whittaker. De Ridder lands a left hand. Whittaker with a right hand. Bit of a blitz from Whittaker but de Ridder then hits a takedown into half guard. Solid shoulder pressure from de Ridder and he’s looking to pass. De Ridder moves to side control, nice pass, but Whittaker shrimps to get half guard back. Now de Ridder looks to pass to full mount, he got close and lands a few punches before Whittaker gets half guard back. Whittaker is trying to get on a hip, de Ridder keeps threatening him with a front choke version. Some body shots from de Ridder then punches as he stands up. Another few short elbows from de Ridder to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Whittaker but a close one, 29-28 Whittaker overall

ROUND FOUR: De Ridder with a knee into a clinch right away. Whittaker is trying to get free but de Ridder is poking in knees and keeping him on the fence. More uppercuts from de Ridder before Whittaker slips free. Knee from de Ridder into another clinch, he’s really starting to wear down Whittaker. Again de Ridder works some knees and punches to the body before Whittaker gets free. De Ridder shoots into a clinch and gets back after the knees. Shoulder strikes from de Ridder then he tries a throw but Whittaker avoids it and they reset. De Ridder pokes out more jabs while moving Whittaker towards the fence. Jab from Whittaker. De Ridder lands a jab. Left from de Ridder then he clinches up and keeps hitting the body. Whittaker with an uppercut then he gets out of the clinch. Glancing head kick from de Ridder. Another jab from de Ridder then a fake knee into a left hand. Whittaker has a right hand blocked. Jab from Whittaker. Bit of a left from de Ridder. De Ridder with a stepping knee, that one sounded nasty. Left hand from de Ridder stuns Whittaker for a second. De Ridder avoids a one two to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 de Ridder, 38-38 overall

ROUND FIVE: Whittaker looks to keep his jab going. Bit of a left from de Ridder. De Ridder tries a single leg, Whittaker defends. A lot of forward motion from de Ridder now and he grabs a clinch. Body shots from de Ridder as he’s got Whittaker on the fence. Knee from de Ridder. More body shots and uppercuts from de Ridder, he’s good about keeping his offense going. Whittaker pulls free but de Ridder punches into another clinch quickly. They break without incident. De Ridder with a single leg trip, it results in a clinch on the fence though. Once again de Ridder works short punches before Whittaker gets free. Knee from de Ridder. Whittaker with a jab. De Ridder jabs into another clinch and knees Whittaker in the body. Whittaker is able to spin free but he’s falling behind. Right to the body from Whittaker, he probably needed that earlier. Knee from de Ridder then he jabs while moving forward. Another knee from de Ridder into a clinch. They break without incident. Whittaker avoids a single leg. Bit of a knee and left hand from de Ridder. Whittaker with a right hand. They tie up, de Ridder then hits the body in the clinch and knees Whittaker in the head before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 de Ridder, 48-47 de Ridder overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Reiner de Ridder via split decision (47-48, 48-47 x2)

3-2 either way is fine, and both guys turned in a pretty grueling but entertaining fight. Mic time for de Ridder, he says the fight was close then plays a bit with the crowd. Asked about the next fight he jokes that he hates these fights as they’re super tough and puts over Whittaker, then says he’d like to fight for the title. He puts over Whittaker again.

Whittaker gets an interview as well, he feels he’s hurt and puts over de Ridder’s pressure and particular skill set.

On that note UFC on ABC 9 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 plus looking ahead to UFC on ESPN 70 when they head back to the warehouse. I’ll be back for that event and I hope you will as well. Until then thank you again, stay safe out there and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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