UFC 313 delivered some surprises in Las Vegas, providing entertaining battles, clever submissions and some showstopping knockouts. Here is what happened at the T-Mobile Arena.
early prelims
Djorden Santos vs Ozzy Diaz (Middleweight Bout) - Diaz wins via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
In a fantastic striking battle, Diaz did enough to earn his first UFC win, despite losing his 100% finish rate against the debutant. One Hit's sharp jab seemed to be the most useful weapon in his arsenal, stunning Santos a couple of times in rounds two and three. With such a redeeming victory, Diaz will be on course to fight again and challenge himself to claim his first stoppage triumph in the organisation.
preliminary card
Mairon Santos vs Francis Marshall (Featherweight Bout) - Santos wins via Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 27-30).
Santos made it four wins-in-a-row after defeating Francis Marshall by split decision, although many of the MMA community disagreed with the decision as they believed Marshall should have won. The Brazilian struggled with the striking in the first round and the grappling from Marshall in the second and third round, but yet he came out victorious. Still undefeated in the UFC, The Legend will certainly want to improve in his next performance.
Alex Morono vs Carlos Leal (Welterweight Bout) - Leal wins via TKO (R1, 4:16).
Leal picked up his first win in the UFC, stopping Welterweight veteran, Morono, by first-round TKO as he redeemed his debut loss from UFC 308. The Lion's striking was impeccable as despite Morono throwing powerful bombs, the Brazilian's punching was just too accurate. With such an impressive win, Leal will hope to continue taking out the biggest dangers outside the 170-pound rankings and become an eye-catching prospect.
Brunno Ferreira vs Armen Petrosyan (Middleweight Bout) - Ferreira wins via Armbar (R2, 4:27).
Ferreira claimed his first submission win in the organisation after making Petrosyan tap with an Armbar, late in round two. Both fighters were mainly testing each other on the feet, but after a successful takedown from The Hulk, the Armenian was not lasting any longer inside the Octagon. Ferreira continues to have a 100% finish rate in MMA and will be hopeful to soon fight for a place in the Middleweight rankings, if he can begin a winning streak.
Joshua Van vs Rei Tsuruya (Flyweight Bout) - Van wins via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
The Fearless proved he should be a Flyweight contender after a very convincing decision win against Tsuruya, becoming the first man to defeat the Japanese fighter. The Hakha-born mixed martial artist defended 17 of 21 takedowns throughout three rounds, while giving Tsuruya problems on the feet. With a three-fight winning streak in three consecutive PPV events, fans will be hoping to see Van contest against a ranked opponent in his next bout.
main card
King Green vs Mauricio Ruffy (Lightweight Bout) - Ruffy wins via KO (R1, 2:07).
The Fighting Nerds have taken the MMA world by storm, especially after Ruffy knocked out Green with a spinning wheel kick in the first round, making it a strong Knockout of the Year contender. There was a reason why the Brazilian was the favourite in this matchup as his teasing pressure would catch Green off guard with the remarkable head kick. After a phenomenal finish and a seven-fight win streak, Ruffy is in a deserving position to fight for a place in the 155-pound rankings, especially after beating a former contender.
Amanda Lemos vs Iasmin Lucindo (Women's Strawweight Bout) - Lemos wins via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
Lemos redeemed herself for a fourth time in the UFC after securing an unanimous decision win against fellow Brazilian, Lucindo. The Belem-born fighter showcased that she was the stronger fighter, especially on the ground as Lucindo had no chance of competing. Lemos maintains her spot in the top five in the Strawweight division and will be aiming to face a higher ranked opponent in her next battle, in order to get another shot at UFC gold.
Jalin Turner vs Ignacio Bahamondes (Lightweight Bout) - Bahamondes wins via Triangle Choke (R1, 2:29).
Bahamondes became a ranked Lightweight after surprising the crowd with a submission against Turner, making it his second submission win in his MMA career. La Jaula was thought to be in a bad position with his back against the ground, but he soon managed to take advantage of it and lock in a Triangle Choke to seal the deal. The Chilean is now on a three-fight winning streak with all of those triumphs ending in the first round as he has truly become a prospect at 155 pounds.
Justin Gaethje vs Rafael Fiziev (Lightweight Bout) - Gaethje wins via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
Gaethje claimed redemption from his knockout loss at UFC 300, doing just enough to beat Fiziev in a thrilling three-round war, giving a ton of respect to his opponent who came in on short notice. The Highlight was surprised when he was taken down twice in the first round, but after earning a knockdown from an uppercut in the second round, and getting the better of the striking exchanges in the third, he confirmed the victory. There are plenty of questions for Gaethje's future as some believe he could fight for the title next or fight for the #1 contender's spot in the Lightweight division.
Alex Pereira vs Magomed Ankalaev (Light Heavyweight Title Bout) - Ankalaev wins via Unanimous Decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46).
Ankalaev earned the biggest win of his MMA career when he went the distance with Pereira to become the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. The Russian's gameplan and fighting style made it a struggle for Poatan as he did catch the Brazilian with a couple of clever shots, as well as keep him against the cage in a clinch. The new King of the Light Heavyweights will most likely rematch Pereira, but with such an impressive performance, it leaves fans to speculate who can really challenge Ankalaev.
Performance of the Night bonuses:
- Mauricio Ruffy
- Ignacio Bahamondes
Fight of the Night bonus:
Justin Gaethje vs Rafael Fiziev
Written by Charlie Oxtoby
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MMA Instagram: undisputed._.mma
Twitter: Charlie_Oxtoby1
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