Magomed Ankalaev Chops Down Johnny Walker in UFC Fight Night 234 Main Event

Magomed Ankalaev shifted ever closer to another shot at the Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight title and perhaps boosted the rhinoplasty market in the process.

The stoic 31-year-old Russian turned away Johnny Walker with punches in the second round of their UFC Fight Night 234 headliner on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, likely closing the book on their brief but eventful head-to-head series. Referee Marc Goddard rescued Walker (21-8, 7-5 UFC) from further damage 2:42 into Round 2.

A little less than three months after their initial encounter resulted in a controversial no contest, neither man made much headway in the first round of their rematch. Ankalaev (18-1-1, 10-1-1 UFC) was content to stay at a safe distance while his volatile counterpart unleashed flashy, inefficient attacks. Midway through Round 2, the Gorets Fight Team product dropped Walker to a seated position against the fence with a brutal right hook. The right uppercut that followed changed the coordinates of the Brazilian’s nose and forced Goddard to intervene.

Ageless Miller Subdues Benitez

Former Cage Fury Fighting Championships titleholder Jim Miller dispatched “The Ultimate Fighter Latin America” semifinalist Gabriel Benitez with a face crank in the third round of their lightweight co-main event. In his first appearance since Aug. 13, 2022, Benitez (23-11, 7-7 UFC) raised the white flag of surrender 3:25 into Round 3.

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Miller (37-17, 26-16 UFC) conducted much of his business on the feet, with multi-punch volleys and heavy leg kicks. Benitez responded initially but had no recourse once the 40-year-old New Jersey native switched gears. Miller turned to takedowns across the second and third round. He scrambled to the back in Round 3, secured his position and snaked his arms in place. Conditioned by 54 professional fights and untold hours in the gym, Miller’s squeeze did the rest.

The 40-year-old Miller has won five of his past six bouts.

Surging Bautista Downs Simon

Volume punching and stellar takedown defense spurred ascending MMA Lab export Mario Bautista to a unanimous decision over Ricky Simon in a riveting three-round bantamweight showcase. All three cageside judges scored it for Bautista (14-2, 8-2 UFC): 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.

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Simon (20-5, 8-4 UFC) had his moments, as he bloodied the John Crouch protégé’s nose with punishing jabs throughout the 15-minute battle and executed a high-amplitude takedown in the third round. Bautista answered with crisp counters, multi-punch combinations and an absolute refusal to stay down when grounded. He boxed beautifully down the stretch, pieced together accurate shots to the head and kept Simon in an almost perpetual backpedal.

Bautista will ride a six-fight winning streak into his next assignment and figures to break into the Top 15 at 135 pounds for the first time.

Ferreira ‘Hulk’ Smashes Hawes

Brazilian TKO rep Bruno Ferreira rebounded from his 77-second knockout loss to Nursulton Ruziboev in July and did so in resounding fashion, as he buried Phil Hawes with punches in the first round of their middleweight attraction. Hawes (12-6, 4-4 UFC) checked out 4:55 into Round 1, suffering his third straight defeat.

Ferreira (11-1, 2-1 UFC) 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, then pounded him unconscious with follow-up punches and hammerfists, leaving referee Chris Tognoni to rope off the crime scene.

It was the ninth first-round finish of Ferreira’s career.

Once-Beaten Cortes-Acosta Outflanks Arlovski

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 (11-1, 4-1 UFC), whose performance figures to be remembered more for its histrionics than any overriding skill.

Arlovski (34-23, 23-17 UFC), who turns 45 in a matter of weeks, could not match his counterpart’s speed and power. Cortes-Acosta relied on quick-twitch punching bursts and occasional body kicks but spent much of his time visibly and verbally taunting the Belarusian. Arlovski was unamused and even attempted to sweep the Dominican’s mouthpiece out of the cage at one point. Still, Cortes-Acosta landed virtually all the strikes of consequence and coasted across the finish line.

Winless since April 2022, Arlovski has lost three fights in a row.

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