Merab Dvalishvili (c) vs. Petr Yan
RESULT: Petr Yan def. Merab Dvalishvili via unanimous decision (49–46, 49–46, 48–47)
Round 1
Yan immediately claimed the centre of the Octagon, forcing the champion onto the back foot. Dvalishvili greeted him with a thunderous right hand before chopping at the legs. Another right hand clipped Yan, visibly staggering him in the opening moments. Yan recovered behind his jab, but Dvalishvili continued to mix his targets, digging to the body and firing off combinations.
Yan began to settle in, doubling up his jab and landing a sharp right as they briefly clinched. Dvalishvili answered with his first committed takedown attempt, dragging Yan to a knee before the former champion managed to stand and peel the grip apart.
A stiff jab from Dvalishvili greeted Yan as he moved back into range, followed by another grinding clinch and a punishing knee to the body to close out a frenetic first round.
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan — Round 2
Dvalishvili opened the second with that same overhand right, stinging Yan before chaining it into another takedown attempt. Yan escaped cleanly and fired back with tidy boxing, sneaking a pair of left hands through the guard.
The two traded freely, Yan’s jab becoming a consistent, damaging weapon. He surprised Dvalishvili by dropping for a takedown of his own, landing briefly on top before a scramble saw Dvalishvili take the back. Yan executed a slick granby roll to escape, drawing applause from the crowd.
They returned to the centre, Yan’s jab marking up the champion’s face as he defended a series of single-leg attempts against the fence. In the clinch, both men landed hard shots, closing a highly competitive round with duelling jabs and relentless pace.
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan — Round 3
Yan once again pushed Dvalishvili backwards to start the round, landing a heavy body kick that forced the champion to reset. Dvalishvili answered with a massive right hand that launched Yan off his feet and onto his head in a stunning slam. For a moment, Yan appeared dazed, but he quickly recovered.
Dvalishvili poured on pressure with a wild flurry, only to eat a solid left hook in return. He shot in again, lifting Yan clean off the ground and carrying him across the cage before dumping him. Yan popped right back up, only to be tripped again moments later.
Yan’s jab continued to split the guard, punishing the champion every time he entered. A vicious body kick visibly hurt Dvalishvili late, forcing him to retreat. Yan attempted a takedown just as the round closed. A wild and gruelling frame.
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan — Round 4
Yan started with a low kick before the pair exchanged jabs. Dvalishvili shot in again, working the body before diving on a takedown. Yan countered beautifully, hitting a switch and momentarily threatening Dvalishvili’s legs.
The champion latched onto a guillotine, forcing Yan to circle desperately before slipping free. Yan then secured a waist lock, pressing Dvalishvili to the fence before breaking and returning to the jab that had been his most reliable weapon all night.
A nasty oblique kick forced Dvalishvili backwards. Yan picked his shots superbly—uppercut, body shot, left hook—each one landing clean. A spinning backfist attempt from Yan even made an appearance. Dvalishvili jabbed off the back foot but struggled to slow the momentum. Yan was firmly in control entering the final round.
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan — Round 5
Dvalishvili attempted to rally, landing a looping right, but Yan’s low kicks and tidy combinations continued to break him down. Yan’s jab was laser-accurate, snapping the champion’s head back repeatedly. A clean head kick landed for Yan, somehow absorbed by Dvalishvili, who still pressed forward in search of a takedown.
Yan stuffed the attempt with perfect timing, retaking the centre and punishing the body relentlessly. Dvalishvili’s midsection had been a target all night, and Yan’s kicks and knees continued to fold him backwards.
Yan briefly gave up his neck but fought free with ease, taking top position and landing short, damaging shots. Another crushing body kick hurt Dvalishvili badly in the final minute, before Yan capped off his masterclass by landing a final takedown at the horn.
A statement performance from the former champion, showcasing elite striking, flawless takedown defence, and a suffocating pace from the opening bell to the final second.
Alexandre Pantoja (c) vs. Joshua Van
RESULT: Joshua Van def. Alexandre Pantoja via TKO (arm injury) at 0:26 of R1
Pantoja opened the contest with a thudding outside leg kick, immediately pressing forward with trademark aggression. He blitzed into range, landing a clean knee followed by a sharp head kick as Van attempted to circle away.
But in a shocking and abrupt turn, Pantoja’s arm appeared to break during the exchange, leaving him unable to continue. The referee waved it off instantly, and just like that, the flyweight title changed hands in the most unexpected fashion imaginable.
Joshua Van becomes the new UFC flyweight champion in a stunning, freak ending that will be talked about for years.
What a horrible ending to an excellent title reign.
Brandon Moreno vs. Tatsuro Taira
RESULT: Tatsuro Taira def. Brandon Moreno via TKO (Round 2)
Round 1
Taira opened the contest with a probing right hand over the top — just missing the target but signalling his intention to engage early. Both fighters settled into a cautious rhythm, each trying to read the other’s entries before committing to anything reckless.
Taira eventually shot in for his first takedown, but Moreno timed the counter perfectly, reversing the attempt and immediately attacking with a triangle choke. The angle of the submission was awkward, but not ineffective — Taira stood tall to alleviate the pressure, only to find himself sinking deeper into danger as Moreno tightened the position from underneath.
Rather than panic, Taira displayed trademark composure, lifting and dropping Moreno in an attempt to create space while peppering short punches into the thigh. The sequence turned into a tactical stalemate — a quiet but tense battle of incremental adjustments. Eventually, Taira escaped, and the two disengaged in the final moments, though neither landed anything significant before the horn.
Unofficial score: 10-9 Moreno.
Round 2
Moreno opened the second round with urgency, snapping Taira’s head back with a sharp jab before following with a step-in shin kick that landed cleanly. A heavy left hook also connected, forcing Taira to reset his stance.
Taira shot for a takedown but was sprawled on instantly — only managing to cling to a leg long enough to force a slow, grinding inside trip. In the scramble that followed, the momentum flipped dramatically. Taira took the back with surgical precision, securing a tight body triangle that immediately put Moreno in survival mode.
From there, Taira unleashed heavy, unanswered punches. Moreno flattened out under the pressure, unable to peel the hooks or turn to safety. The strikes kept coming, and the referee — perhaps a touch prematurely — waved it off as Taira continued landing.
A dramatic turnaround, and not without controversy.
Taira will likely face Van for the belt as Pantoja’s injury could keep him out for a while.
Henry Cejudo vs Payton Talbott
RESULT: Payton Talbott def. Henry Cejudo via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Round 1
Cejudo opened with trademark calculation and intensity, hacking at Talbott’s lead leg with three brutal calf kicks that immediately forced the rising contender to adjust his stance. Talbott answered with a sharp one–two down the pipe and returned the favour with a leg kick of his own, but Cejudo slipped a clean left hand inside the pocket before continuing to chip away at Talbott’s base.
The former Olympic gold medallist briefly snatched a single-leg but abandoned it to resume his steady stream of inside low kicks. In the clinch, Cejudo snuck an uppercut up the middle before winging an overhand right over the top of Talbott’s guard. A clever moment followed when Cejudo caught a kick and used it to trip Talbott, though he wasn’t able to secure top control.
Cejudo began chaining his punches together with more rhythm — until Talbott shocked everyone by hitting a beautiful inside trip, planting Cejudo on his back with authority. Talbott worked patiently from guard, landing short shots while Cejudo controlled the wrists and limited damage.
A powerful explosion from Cejudo got him back to his feet, but his eagerness to return fire cost him — as he rushed in, Talbott timed another takedown perfectly, depositing Cejudo on the canvas again to close the round. A strong finishing statement from the younger fighter.
Round 2
Talbott opened the second round by attacking the knee with a snapping kick, visibly bothering Cejudo. The two exchanged hooks in the pocket before Talbott landed clean and sent Cejudo crashing backwards. A frantic scramble unfolded, leading to a tight clinch where both men battled for inside position.
Cejudo attempted a lateral drop, resulting in another scramble before he ultimately muscled his way into top position. He passed to half guard, but struggled to create meaningful offence beyond positional control. Talbott eventually found space, turning and giving up his back momentarily before standing and breaking free.
The momentum shifted yet again as Talbott dug a hard body shot into Cejudo’s ribs, forcing the veteran onto the back foot. A head kick landed for Talbott, followed by an uppercut, and suddenly Cejudo was drowning under a wave of speed and volume. Talbott fired a knee that snapped Cejudo’s posture — but the former champion bit down and fired back with a furious combination of his own.
Both men traded enormous shots in the centre of the Octagon. Talbott hurt Cejudo to the body, dropping him, but Cejudo rose instantly and continued to swing. An utterly chaotic, wild round that had the arena roaring.
Round 3
Talbott gestured for Cejudo to stand and trade immediately as the final round began. Cejudo responded with a powerful inside low kick that knocked Talbott off balance, followed by long straight rights aimed down the middle. Talbott circled and whipped counters around the guard, while Cejudo’s movement began to slow.
A brief wrestling exchange carried them to the fence, where Cejudo landed a solid knee to the body. Talbott attempted another inside trip, but this time Cejudo anticipated it and reversed to end on top. He secured a waist lock and walked Talbott to the fence, though neither man managed to impose full control.
Talbott created space with a hook and a knee up the middle, then ripped Cejudo’s body again, visibly hurting him. Smelling blood, Talbott pressed forward, locking Cejudo against the cage as the two exchanged wildly in the closing seconds.
Talbott landed a final crushing knee before the horn — a fitting end to a frenetic bout.
Official Result:
Payton Talbott def. Henry Cejudo via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
A defining win for Talbott: composed under pressure, technically sharp, and able to meet the legendary Cejudo in both chaos and strategy. For Cejudo, it was a spirited effort, but the speed, size, and relentlessness of Talbott proved too much over three high-paced rounds.
Jan Błachowicz vs Bogdan Guskov – (Majority Draw)
Official Result:
Jan Błachowicz vs Bogdan Guskov ends in a Majority Draw
Scores: 29-28, 28-28, 28-28
Round 1
Guskov opened the contest by attacking Błachowicz’s base, firing a series of inside low kicks with confidence and frequency. The former champion responded in kind, returning fire with his own calf kick as both men began to establish a rhythm. They traded jabs in the centre, neither gaining firm control, though Błachowicz’s body jab landed cleanly and forced Guskov to reset.
Guskov continued to work inside and outside on the legs, but Błachowicz replied with a stern low kick to the knee before Guskov clipped him with a straight left that snapped the head back. A short right hand from Guskov landed in close quarters. Błachowicz answered with a heavy jab that clearly got Guskov’s attention.
More leg kicks were exchanged, and Błachowicz slipped a left straight through the guard after disguising it behind a one-two. As the round wore on, Guskov’s output noticeably slowed, allowing Błachowicz to settle and read the timing. A competitive, tactical opening frame.
Round 2
Błachowicz started the second round sharply, flicking out crisp jabs and chopping at the inside leg again. Guskov returned fire with a jab of his own—then detonated a massive straight right on the chin of Błachowicz. The Polish veteran crashed to the mat, clearly hurt.
Guskov followed him down, posturing inside the guard and raining down elbows and punches. Błachowicz covered up as best he could, eating several clean shots while looking for defensive openings. In a survival effort, Błachowicz latched onto a heel hook, but it served more as a stall than a genuine submission threat.
Guskov calmly slipped out, re-established top position, and even applied a brief can-opener to open the guard. From there he hammered home three sharp elbows, splitting Błachowicz and drawing blood. More elbows followed as Guskov dominated the round with sustained, damaging ground-and-pound. A clear 10-8 candidate.
Round 3
Błachowicz opened the final round with urgency—chopping at the leg and snapping the jab before eating a right hand in return. He marched forward, absorbing shots to close distance, and the two began to trade power punches freely.
Guskov landed a clean one-two and found success repeatedly with his jab, piercing through the guard. A quick straight right landed flush. But Błachowicz refused to back down, lunging in with a hook that visibly rocked Guskov. Sensing a shift, the former champion upped the pressure, walking Guskov down and unloading punches in combination.
Błachowicz mixed in a strong body kick and continued hammering the lead leg, steadily outworking Guskov and forcing him backwards. As the round entered its final seconds, Guskov retreated to the fence and Błachowicz let his hands go, connecting with a pair of clean punches before the horn sounded.
A dramatic finish to a fight that swung wildly in momentum.
A razor-close contest: Guskov’s massive second round likely secured him a 10-8 on two cards, while Błachowicz’s rallies in rounds one and three were enough to earn him a 29-28 from one judge. The result leaves both men without a victory—but with plenty of talking points for the light heavyweight division.
UFC 323 Prelim Results
- Manuel Torres def. Grant Dawson — TKO (punches), Round 1
- Iwo Baraniewski def. Ibo Aslan — KO (punch), Round 1 (1:29)
- Chris Duncan def. Terrance McKinney — Submission (anaconda choke), Round 1
- Mairon Santos def. Muhammad Naimov — TKO (punches), Round 3
- Maycee Barber def. Karine Silva — Unanimous decision
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