UFC 311 Results and Thoughts

Islam Makhachev def Renato Moicano sub r1

Islam Makhachev had plenty at stake when he agreed to face a late replacement opponent at UFC 311, but hesitation was never part of the equation. Stepping up to the challenge, Makhachev made quick work of Renato Moicano, securing an expected dominant first-round finish.

The victory extended Makhachev’s incredible unbeaten streak in the UFC to 15 fights, placing him third on the all-time list behind Anderson Silva (16) and Jon Jones (20). In addition, he set a new record for the most UFC lightweight title fight wins, further cementing his legacy in the division.

Merab Dvalishvili def Umar Nurmagomedov by UD

It was all about the visuals.

Bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili stood victorious with a crooked nose, reddened cheeks, and blood streaming from cuts near his eyes. Yet, through the chaos, he was grinning.

In stark contrast, challenger Umar Nurmagomedov wore the expression of a man who wished he could be anywhere else.

The reigning king at 135 pounds endured a barrage of strikes from Nurmagomedov during the first two rounds, but as the fight turned into an instant classic, Dvalishvili’s relentless pace dragged the unbeaten contender into uncharted territory – a post-fight locker room without a win.

Merab Dvalishvili. The Machine.

Dvalishvili dropped the first two rounds on two of three scorecards, but his relentless energy saw him sweep the final three rounds across all cards. He secured a unanimous decision victory with scores of 48-47 (twice) and 49-46, a sentiment echoed by many analysts who scored the bout 3-2 in his favour.

For Nurmagomedov, the loss was a first in his professional career, snapping an 18-fight unbeaten streak. The turning point? Dvalishvili’s otherworldly cardio. Over 25 grueling minutes, the champion launched 30 takedown attempts and landed 133 strikes to Nurmagomedov’s 81, overwhelming the younger fighter as the rounds progressed.

“Umar looked so exhausted, and Merab looked like he’d just woken up,” observed Joe Rogan. “That endurance is unreal. It’s such a weapon.”

This victory marked Dvalishvili’s 11th win in the bantamweight division, moving him into fifth place on the all-time list.

“You know, I train all the time. I am the machine,” Dvalishvili said in the aftermath. “Umar’s a tough fighter, but he called me old. Yes, I’m old. But I work every day. I was the underdog. The whole world was against me. But I don’t give a sh-t.”

Meanwhile, Nurmagomedov remained adamant he deserved the nod, claiming he’d won the first three rounds despite injuring his left hand in the opening frame.

“I knew he was a tough guy,” Nurmagomedov said. “But I don’t think I lost this fight.”

Jiri Prochazka def Jamahal Hill TKO r3

Occasionally, a fight lives up to all the hype – and the highly anticipated light heavyweight clash between top-three contenders Jiří Procházka and Jamahal Hill was exactly that.

Both former champions exchanged heavy blows over two-plus rounds, with each fighter landing and absorbing significant damage. But it was Procházka, known for his chaotic yet effective style, who seized the decisive moment. Midway through the third round, he capitalised on a missed shot from Hill, delivering a sharp two-punch combination that sent his opponent to the canvas. Procházka followed up with relentless strikes, forcing referee Mike Beltran to step in and call a TKO at 3:01 of round three.

This victory marked Procházka’s fifth win in seven UFC outings, with his only defeats coming at the hands of Alex Pereira, who knocked him out twice in 2023 and 2024. “I expected everything,” Procházka said after the fight. “I had to evolve. I placed much greater emphasis on my training.”

The bout was closely contested in the first two rounds, with both fighters having their moments. However, Procházka began to dominate in the third, even before Hill’s wide missed left hand gave him the opening to strike. A short left followed by a powerful right sent Hill to the ground. Although Hill scrambled to avoid further punishment, Procházka kept the pressure on, eventually forcing the finish with a barrage of strikes.

“That’s who I am,” Procházka explained. “Everyone has their wildness. Sometimes I need to take a few punches to be the true Jiří Procházka.”

Jailton Almeida def Sergei Spivak TKO r1

Just when Jailton Almeida seemed to bask in the glory of victory, he made a misstep.

The sixth-ranked heavyweight had just secured a first-round finish against No. 7 Serghei Spivac when he took the mic from Joe Rogan to address the crowd. Brimming with excitement, he declared, “Let’s go, Las Vegas!”

There was just one small problem – he was in California, not Nevada. Unsurprisingly, the Intuit Dome erupted in boos. Realising his blunder, the Brazilian quickly corrected himself, adding, “I love you, Los Angeles,” in an attempt to win the crowd back.

Joe Rogan came to Almeida’s defence, urging fans to cut him some slack given he’d just been through an intense fight. And it was an impressive performance. Almeida dominated Spivac with a series of takedowns and reversals, culminating in a furious barrage of strikes that sent his opponent stumbling towards the fence. A final takedown followed, and Almeida flattened Spivac out, landing a relentless stream of punches until referee Jason Herzog stepped in at 4:53 of the opening round.

The win marked Almeida’s eighth victory in nine fights since his success on Dana White’s Contender Series. Now, he’s setting his sights even higher, calling out the second-ranked Ciryl Gane. “We came here to put on a show,” Almeida said. “Ciryl Gane, stop running away. Brazil vs. France. Let’s go.”

Reiner de Ridder sub Kevin Holland r1

Kevin Holland claimed he’d be shocked if Reinier de Ridder managed to submit him. As it turned out, “shocked” might have been putting it mildly.

Holland, known as one of the most active and unpredictable fighters in the UFC, faced the former ONE champion who had transitioned to the octagon just two months prior. But instead of using his unique kung fu-inspired style to test de Ridder’s mettle, Holland found himself overwhelmed. Within 15 seconds, the fight hit the mat. By the three-minute mark, de Ridder had taken Holland’s back, and at 3:31 of the first round, Holland was forced to tap to a rear-naked choke.

“That was about as perfect as (de Ridder) could have dreamed,” remarked Joe Rogan.

The 34-year-old Dutchman delivered a flawless performance in his UFC debut and wasted no time shifting focus to his next goal. De Ridder called for a fight against a top-ranked middleweight contender, laying out his ambitions with confidence.

“This was the plan all along,” he said. “Work every part of the game, but always aim to choke someone out. I’ll take on anybody. Anybody. I can be ready quickly. I’m thrilled with this win. Give me a top-five guy now. Let’s go.”

Overall a fun card. A lot of talking points and entertaining fights across the card. Let’s hope UFC 312 delivers like this too