UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze was headlined by a featherweight banger between Edson Barboza and Giga Chikadze. Both strikers came off highlight-reel finishes in their last outings and looked to better their win streaks.
After a split-decision loss to Dan Ige in his featherweight debut, Edson Barboza bounced back with a unanimous decision win over Makwan Amirkhani. The Brazilian was riding a two-fight win streak after a wild third-round finish over Shane Burgos in May.
Giga Chikadze was on a six-fight win streak going into his first UFC main event. The Georgian destroyed veteran Cub Swanson with a vicious ‘giga kick’ in his last outing.
The co-main event at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze featured a middleweight battle between Bryan Battle and Gilbert Urbina. Despite being the last pick on TUF’s team Volkanovkski, Battle went on a four-fight winning streak that included three submissions and a knockout. His opponent Urbina replaced Battle’s original dance partner, Tresean Gore, who injured his knee.
UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze witnessed two other battles at middleweight. While TUF contenders Andre Petroski and Michael Gillmore got their chance to be a part of UFC history, Makhmud Muradov and Gerald Meerschaert opened the main-card action.
UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze also witnessed a welterweight battle between Kevin Lee and Daniel Rodriquez. The lone bantamweight battle on the main card saw a clash between TUF contenders Ricky Turcios and Brady Hiestand.
UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs Chikadze results
Main card results
Giga Chikadze def. Edson Barboza via TKO (01:44 of Round 3)
Bryan Battle def. Gilbert Urbina via sub (02:15 of Round 2)
Ricky Turcios def. Brady Hiestand via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
Daniel Rodriguez def. Kevin Lee via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Andre Petroski def. Michael Gillmore via TKO (3:12 of Round 3)
Gerald Meerschaert def. Makhmud Muradov via sub (1:49 of Round 2)
Prelim results
Abdul Razak Alhassan def. Alessio Di Chirico via KO (0:17 of Round 1)
Wellington Turman def. Sam Alvey via split decision (27-28, 28-27 x2)
Dustin Jacoby def. Darren Stewart via TKO (3:04 of Round 1)
JJ Aldrich def. Vanessa Demopoulos via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Pat Sabatini def. Jamall Emmers via sub (1:53 of Round 1)
Mana Martinez def. Guido Cannetti via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs Chikadze highlights
Main card highlights
Edson Barboza took on Giga Chikadze in the main-event at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs Chikadze. Although the Georgian probably won the first round, Barboza evidently came back stronger in the second. Chikadze hurt Barboza early in round three and went on to pick up a TKO victory at 01:44 of the round.
The co-main event at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze featured the middleweight finale of TUF 29. Gilbert Urbina was the early aggressor, but Bryan Battle weathered the storm and came back strong in the second half of the opening round. Battle completely swung the tide in the second frame and submitted an exhausted Urbina to earn his sixth win in a row.
Ricky Turcios faced teammate Brady Hiestand in the bantamweight finale of TUF 29. The finalists delivered an instant classic, battling it out on all aspects of the fight. Despite being dropped by Turcios in the third round, Hiestand managed to survive by taking the fight to the ground. The high-paced battle unbelievably went the distance and Ricky Turcios was adjudged The Ultimate Fighter via split decision.
Former lightweight contender Kevin Lee made his return to the octagon against surging welterweight contender Daniel Rodriguez. While Rodriguez looked spectacular on the feet, Lee repeatedly resorted to his wrestling to dominate on the ground. D-Rod eventually picked a closely contested unanimous decision in the short notice fight, improving his record to 6-1.
Michael Gillmore took on his TUF teammate Andre Petroski in another middleweight bout at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze. The TUF season favorite outpointed Gillmore over the course of two rounds before finishing him via ground-and-pound in the third.
Makhmud Muradov was the biggest favorite of the night going into his main card showdown against Gerald Meerschaert. Meerschaert pulled off a stunning upset, submitting Muradov via a rear-naked choke in the second round.
Prelims highlights
The featured prelim bout at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze was a middleweight contest between Alessio Di Chirico and Abdul Razak Alhassan. Alhassan delivered a knockout for the ages, finishing his opponent with a brutal head kick within seventeen seconds of the opening round.
UFC veteran Sam Alvey met upcoming middleweight prospect Wellington Turman at the UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze prelim. Turman picked up a split decision victory despite being fined two points due to eye pokes.
Dustin Jacoby and Darren Stewart clashed in the only light heavyweight bout of the night. Jacoby is back in the winning column after scoring a first-round TKO victory over Stewart.
The prelim also saw a women’s flyweight battle between JJ Aldrich and Vanessa Demopoulos. In a dominant showing, Aldrich picked up a unanimous decision victory with all three judges scoring the contest 30-27.
The second fight at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze witnessed a featherweight banger between Jamall Emmers and Pat Sabatini. Emmers dropped Sabatini early on and went in for the kill. However, Sabatini managed to attack his opponent’s leg and desperately torque it until Emmers submitted in agony.
UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze bang with a bantamweight battle between Mana Martinez and Guido Cannetti. Debutant Martinez went toe-to-toe against Cannetti to pick up a closely contested split decision.
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