Magomed Ankalaev is inching closer to another shot at the Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight title. He may have also inadvertently boosted the rhinoplasty market.
The 31-year-old Russian managed to fend off Johnny Walker with punches in the second round of their UFC Fight Night 234 headliner. This took place on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, likely putting an end to their brief but eventful head-to-head series. Referee Marc Goddard had to step in to save Walker from further damage 2:42 into Round 2.
Their initial encounter, just under three months ago, ended in a controversial no contest. The first round of their rematch didn’t see much progress from either side. Ankalaev was content to maintain a safe distance while his volatile opponent unleashed flashy, inefficient attacks.
In the second round, Ankalaev, a member of the Gorets Fight Team, dropped Walker to a seated position against the fence with a brutal right hook. A following right uppercut altered the shape of the Brazilian’s nose, forcing Goddard to intervene.
Meanwhile, former Cage Fury Fighting Championships titleholder Jim Miller subdued Gabriel Benitez, a semifinalist from “The Ultimate Fighter Latin America.” Miller won with a face crank in the third round of their lightweight co-main event. Benitez, making his first appearance since Aug. 13, 2022, surrendered 3:25 into Round 3.
Miller, who has a record of 37-17, conducted much of his business on his feet. He used multi-punch volleys and heavy leg kicks. Benitez initially responded but had no answer when the 40-year-old New Jersey native switched gears. Miller turned to takedowns in the second and third rounds. He scrambled to the back in Round 3, secured his position, and snaked his arms in place. His squeeze, honed by 54 professional fights and countless gym hours, did the rest.
In another match, volume punching and stellar takedown defense propelled MMA Lab export Mario Bautista to a unanimous decision over Ricky Simon. This was during a riveting three-round bantamweight showcase. All three cageside judges scored it for Bautista: 30-27, 30-27, and 29-28.
Simon had his moments. He bloodied Bautista’s nose with punishing jabs throughout the 15-minute battle and executed a high-amplitude takedown in the third round. Bautista responded with crisp counters, multi-punch combinations, and an absolute refusal to stay down when grounded. He boxed beautifully down the stretch, landing accurate shots to the head and keeping Simon in a constant backpedal.
Bautista will carry a six-fight winning streak into his next assignment. He is expected to break into the Top 15 at 135 pounds for the first time.
In another fight, Brazilian TKO rep Bruno Ferreira rebounded from his 77-second knockout loss to Nursulton Ruziboev in July. He did so in a resounding manner, burying Phil Hawes with punches in the first round of their middleweight attraction. Hawes checked out 4:55 into Round 1, suffering his third straight defeat.
Ferreira set the table for the stoppage with a perfectly timed flying knee, a thudding right hook, and a partially blocked spinning backfist. He sent a dazed Hawes crashing to the canvas with a straight left to the temple. He then pounded him unconscious with follow-up punches and hammerfists, prompting referee Chris Tognoni to step in.
Former Legacy Fighting Alliance champion Waldo Cortes-Acosta outstruck Andrei Arlovski to a unanimous decision in their three-round heavyweight appetizer. All three cageside judges scored it the same: 29-28 for Cortes-Acosta. His performance will likely be remembered more for its theatrics than any overriding skill.
Arlovski, who is about to turn 45, couldn’t match Cortes-Acosta’s speed and power. Cortes-Acosta relied on quick-twitch punching bursts and occasional body kicks. He spent much of his time visibly and verbally taunting the Belarusian, who was unamused and even attempted to sweep the Dominican’s mouthpiece out of the cage at one point. Despite this, Cortes-Acosta landed virtually all the significant strikes and coasted to victory.
Arlovski, winless since April 2022, has now lost three fights in a row.