UFC Fight Night: Chiesa vs. Magny Full Fight Results

Michael Chiesa put on a wrestling clinic in a welterweight grappling match with Neil Magny in the main event of the UFC Fight Island 8 card Wednesday in Abu Dhabi. The 49-46, 49-46, 49-46 unanimous decision vaults Chiesa into the conversation with top welterweights, which may soon inclode Warlley Alves, who defeated Mounir Lazzez by first-round TKO.

Fourteen fights took place Wednesday, with six ending by finish in a lengthy midweek morning and early afternoon fight card for most North American viewers. It sets the stage for UFC 257, featuring Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier.

Results

Women’s Flyweight

Manon Fiorot (-203) def. Victoria Leonardo (+168) by TKO (R2, 4:08)

Props: by knockout (+231); under 2.5 (+152)

Matt’s pick: Fiorot; Craig’s pick: Fiorot

Wow! Manon Fiorot put on an absolute showcase in her UFC debut. Using a sidekick to keep distance, she completely dominated Victoria Leonardo. She almost finished the fight in the first round with a combination including a powerful right hook. She ended up settling for the second-round knockout after landing a front right head kick before finishing with a flurry of blows.

Bantamweight

Umar Nurmagomedov (-532) def. Sergey Morozov (+388) by submission (R2, 3:39)

Props: by submission (+291); under 2.5 (+168)

Matt’s pick: Nurmagomedov; Craig’s pick: Nurmagomedov

Using the wrestling the Nurmagomedov family has become known for, Umar Nurmagomedov controlled his UFC debut from the opening bell. He landed a hard kick with his lead leg in the first round that stunned Sergey Morozov. He then finished things off with a rear-naked choke in the second, putting Morozov to sleep in his arms. After the fight, we got to see Khabib in an Octagon again, this time as a translator.

Lightweight

Mike Davis (-159) def. Mason Jones (+132) by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Props: by decision (+198); over 2.5 (-147)

Matt’s pick: Davis; Craig’s pick: Jones

This was a fight that needed to take place at night with some brews, not in the morning with coffee. Both fighters exchanged heavy blows and boxing combinations throughout the entire 15 minutes. Mike Davis landed the more impactful shots with a diverse array of attacks while Jones landed with more volume in a more conventional manner. Davis had some early takedowns, but Jones ended up on top with a takedown of his own in round 2. In the end, the judges awarded a razor sharp decision to “Beast Boy”.

Bantamweight

Francisco Figueiredo (-149) def. Jerome Rivera (+124) by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Props: by decision (+216); over 2.5

Matt’s pick: Figueiredo; Craig’s pick: Figueiredo (-176)

Through the first two rounds, Francisco Figueiredo showed he was the much more physically imposing fighter. He controlled Rivera up against the cage and on the mats with Rivera not being able to match the power the younger brother of the flyweight champ possessed. But Jerome Rivera came out fiery in the third, knowing he needed a finish. He cracked Figueiredo on a few punches and had some success on the ground. He couldn’t find a stoppage, though, and Figueiredo held on for the unanimous decision.

Middleweight

Dalcha Lungiambula (-152) def. Markus Perez (+127) by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Props: by decision; over 2.5

Matt’s pick: Lungiambula; Craig’s pick: Lungiambula

Dalcha Lungiambula was the far more physical fighter from the get-go, including a slam takedown in the first round. But Markus Perez threatened with submissions throughout, almost catching Lungiambula on a couple occasions in a guillotine choke. In the second round, Lungiambula was able to evade the submission attempts to issue some ground and pound, opening a cut in Perez’s hairline. In the end, it was an unimpressive unanimous decision victory for “Champion”.

Flyweight

Su Mudaerji (-486) def. Zarrukh Adashev (+362) by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Props: by decision (+311); over 2.5 (+170)

Matt’s pick: Mudaerji; Craig’s pick: Mudaerji

Using a patient approach, Su Mudaerji controlled the pace and distance of the fight. The much longer fight got the better of most exchanges with Zarrukh Adashsev, who did score a knockdown in the second round. Mudaerji had the biggest moment of the fight with a check right hook that knocked down Adashev in the second round. Through a translator in his in-cage post-fight interview, Mudaerji said he wasn’t impressed with the performance.

Bantamweight

Ricky Simon (-491) def. Gaetano Pirrello (+367) by submission (R2, 4:00)

Props: by submission (+269); under 2.5 (+101)

Matt’s pick: Simon; Craig’s pick: Simon

As expected, Ricky Simon dominated by using his trademarked wrestling techniques. He consistently used double-leg takedowns to get Gaetano Pirrello to the ground. He transitioned to an arm triangle late in the second round and drew the tap from Pirrello.

Middleweight

Omari Akhmedov (+130) def. Tom Breese (-157) by submission (R2, 1:41)

Props: by submission (+1200); under 1.5 (+213)

Matt’s pick: Akhmedov; Craig’s pick: Breese

In a bizarre grappling bout, Omari Akhmedov earned a submission via arm triangle choke in the second round. After an opening-bell takedown attempt by Akhmedov, where he almost got guillotined by Tom Breese, Akhmedov controlled the ground. Breese reversed late after attacking a leg lock in the first round and nearly wrapped up a rear-naked choke on what seemed like a fatigued Akhmedov. But Akhmedov shot again in the second round and in a bizarre sequence, managed to transition to the arm triangle where he squeezed tight until Breese was forced to tap. Akhmedov was +1200 to win by submission, so hats off to whomever took that prop.

Featherweight

Lerone Murphy (-321) def. Douglas Silva de Andrade (+252) by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Props: by decision (+219); over 2.5 (-114)

Matt’s pick: Murphy; Craig’s pick: Murphy

A very patient Lerone Murphy used a technical kickboxing approach to outpoint Douglas Silva de Andrade. Murphy landed a higher volume and managed to render Silva de Andrade’s lead leg useless with a series of calf kicks. To Silva de Andrade’s credit, he never wilted and caught Murphy with several hard punches. But Murphy ended on top with some ground and pound and the judges awarded him the unanimous decision victory.

Flyweight

Matt Schnell (+109) def. Tyson Nam (-134) by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Props: by decision (+229); over 2.5 (+115)

Matt’s pick: Schnell; Craig’s pick: Schnell

Did Matt Schnell just outbox Tyson Nam? Nam looked for the power shot the entire fight, while Schnell was content with having the quicker hands and landing more significant combinations. Nam had his moments and landed some hard hits, but Schnell — a noted grappler — was just slightly superior on the fight and got the split decision win.

Women’s Flyweight

Viviane Araujo (-319) def. Roxanne Modafferi (+249) by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)

Props: by decision (-139); over 2.5 (-328)

Matt’s pick: Modafferi; Craig’s pick: Araujo

From the opening bell, this felt like a mismatch. Viviane Araujo controlled the standup with a strong jab, that by fight’s end did quite a number on Roxanne Modafferi’s eye. Araujo also dominated the grappling exchanges with her physical strength and nearly had a rear-naked choke at the end of the first round. A complete performance from Araujo.

Light Heavyweight

Ike Villanueva (-126) def. Vinicius Moreira (+102) by knockout (R2, 0:39)

Props: by knockout (+126); under 1.5 (-158)

Matt’s pick: Villanueva; Craig’s pick: Villanueva

That’s one way to avoid an end to your UFC career. Ike Villanueva caught Vinicius Moreira with a vicious right hook that needed no follow up for referee Jason Herzog to call an end to the fight. It was the fourth straight finish defeat for Moreira, all coming before the midway point of the fight. Villanueva ends a two-loss skid with his 14th knockout in 17 professional wins.

Welterweight

Warlley Alves (+201) def. Mounir Lazzez (-249) by TKO (R1, 2:35)

Props: by knockout (+787); under 1.5 (+132)

Matt’s pick: Lazzez; Craig’s pick: Lazzez

Welcome back, Warlley Alves! After some lackluster recent results, Alves came out like a man possessed to knockout Mounir Lazzez with a rib kick and then a bevy of shots that forced referee Herb Dean to put a stop to the beating. Alves immediately came out guns blazing, pinning Lazzez up against the cage and dominating in the clinch. When Lazzez got some separation, Alves landed the shot to the ribs that spelled the end for the Tunisian.

Welterweight

Michael Chiesa (+120) def. Neil Magny (-144) by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)

Props: by decision (+375); over 4.5 (-135)

Matt’s pick: Magny; Craig’s pick: Magny

Michael Chiesa put on a wrestling clinic in a dominant decision victory over Neil Magny. He flowed through transitions and won every scramble and looked much better in his striking game. Magny could never maintain distance and his gameplan seemed to be to engage Chiesa in a grappling war, of which Chiesa won every exchange. Chiesa called out Colby Covington after the fight as the eighth-ranked welterweight hopes to continue to climb the rankings.

Scorecard

Total Fights: 14

Ended by decision: 8

Ended by submission: 3

Ended by knockout: 3

Matt’s picks: 11-3 (2021: 17-7); Craig’s picks: 10-4 (2021: 16-8)

Underdogs: 4-10

Biggest underdog winner: Warlley Alves (+201)

Biggest prop hit: Akhmedov by submission (+1200)

Performance bonuses ($50,000 each): Umar Nurmagomedov, Warlley Alves, Mike Davis, Mason Jones