UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev Results

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+)

Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady vs. Loik Radzhabov

THAT RIGHT HAND WAS CLEAN 💥 #UFCVegas87 pic.twitter.com/6J4Dq1A3tG
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 2, 2024
 

Round 1:

Heavy low kicks start the round for both men. Radzhabov lets his hands go against the fence, but Al-Selwady reverses the position and gets the double underhooks. Radzhabov lands a huge left hand that drops Al-Selwady, followed by some heavy ground and pound. It looks like a finish is near; however, Al-Selwady survives. Referee Chris Tognoni offers a stern warning to both men for grabbing the fence. Al-Selwady lands a big shot in the closing round to even the score. Round 1 is close; however, I believe Radzhabov got the edge.

10-9 Radzhabov in the first.

Round 2:

Al-Selwady lands a huge overhand as Radzhabov is airborne a minute into the round. Al-Selwady looks much better in this second round and scores a big takedown with a minute to go in the round. Al-Selwady holds Radzhabov in half guard and wins the round.

10-9 Al-Selwady in the second.

Round 3:

Radzhabov attempts to take revenge with a quick takedown attempt; however fails. Radzhabov lands a colossal shot less than a minute into the round and rains down some brutal ground and pound that puts Al-Selwady out.

Radzhabov scores the knockout in the third.

Ľudovít Klein vs. AJ Cunningham

The HUGE kick dropped him 😤 #UFCVegas87 pic.twitter.com/pY0mcnbZLy
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 2, 2024
 

Result: Ľudovít Klein def. AJ Cunningham by KO/TKO at 4:36 of round 1.
Division: Lightweight (155 lbs)
Referee: Keith Peterson

Round 1:

Klein's striking looks incredible right off the bat. His speed is one of the best in the division. Cunningham looks like he's keen to stand and trade with Klein. Klein's shot selection is like no other. Klein lands an emphatic head kick followed by some punches and a front kick to the body, which drops Cunningham to his knees and scores Klein the TKO victory.

Ľudovít Klein scores the knockout in the first.

Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Cláudio Ribeiro

GROUND. AND. POUND. 😤

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Christian Leroy Duncan saw the opportunity and emphatically closed the show! #UFCVegas87 pic.twitter.com/W479jHEhOr
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) March 2, 2024
 

Result: Christian Leroy Duncan def. Cláudio Ribeiro by KO/TKO at 1:57 of round 2.
Division: Middleweight (185 lbs)
Referee: Mark Smith

Round 1:

Duncan opens the round with flowy striking techniques, and Ribeiro walks him down with his guard up. The two men both let their hands go in the middle of the round, with screams from the Ribeiro corner saying "e agora," which translates to "and now." The round closes with a clear edge to Duncan.

10-9 Duncan in the first.

Round 2:

Duncan scores a takedown one minute into round 2 and quickly takes the mount. Duncan rains down the ground and pound, resulting in a TKO victory.

Duncan scores the knockout in the second.

Aiemann Zahabi vs. Javid Basharat

Result: Aiemann Zahabi def. Javid Basharat by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28.)
Division: Bantamweight (135 lbs)
Referee: Chris Tognoni

Round 1:

Zahabi throws a right hand that glances off Basharat one minute in. Basharat's angles are a sight to behold; however, Zahabi is fighting an intelligent fight with damaging low kicks. Round 1 features more feeling out, but Basharat takes it.

10-9 Basharat in the first.

Round 2:

Basharat is landing slick shots and getting out just in time for Zahabi's counters. Zahabi does well when he makes it into a brawl. Commentator Jon Anik mentions the significant strike numbers are tightening up. Zahabi lands a massive right hand in the closing seconds and drops Basharat to a knee, which secures him the round.

10-9 Zahabi in the second.

Round 3:

Basharat doesn't look damaged after the shot he took in the previous round and is back to fighting smart at a distance. Zahabi lands a head kick with 90 seconds to go, and Zahabi does not give Basharat a second to breathe. Zahabi steals round 3 and potentially the fight.

10-9 Zahabi in the third.

Vinicius Oliveira vs. Bernardo Sopaj

FLYING KNEE OH MY GOODNESS! 🤯

WHAT A STUNNING FINISH FROM 🇧🇷 @LokdogVinicius! #UFCVegas87 pic.twitter.com/LeitE9GIK5
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) March 2, 2024
 

Result: Vinicius Oliveira def. Bernardo Sopaj by knockout at 4:41 of round 3.
Division: Bantamweight (135 lbs)
Referee: Keith Peterson

Round 1:

Sopaj looks quick in the opening round. Sopaj lands some powerful shots that don't seem to hurt Oliveira. Oliveira rushes in and gets taken down. They return to their feet and trade shots; however, Oliveira's leg kicks look the most damaging. Sopaj scores another takedown and holds Oliveira on the ground for the remainder of the round.

10-9 Sopaj in the first.

Round 2:

Sopaj earns another takedown 30 seconds in and takes the back of Oliveira. Sopaj flattens Oliveira out and peppers with ground and pound. Sopaj is ruthless, wrestling and ground and pound, searching for a rear naked choke. Oliveira reverses the position and exacts his revenge with heavy shots. Oliveira nearly finishes the fight in the final seconds with a head kick when and steals the round.

10-9 Oliveira in the second.

Round 3:

Oliveira looks incredible in this final round, and the body language from Sopaj is not good. Sopaj desperately needs a takedown if he wants to win this round. The combinations from Oliveira are phenomenal. Oliveira is teeing off with everything in his arsenal. Oliveira is looking for a highlight, but Sopaj's chin is holding up well. Oliveira lands an incredible flying knee in the final seconds that puts Sopaj out cold on the canvas—a potential knockout of the year contender.

Oliveira scores the knockout in the third.

Eryk Anders vs. Jamie Pickett

Result: Eryk Anders def. Jamie Pickett by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28.)
Division: Middleweight (185 lbs)
Referee: Mark Smith

Round 1:

The Verdict MMA card begins!

A bit of feeling out opens the round, with Anders slightly leading the dance; however, Pickett lands a beautiful counter that slows Anders down. They start swinging, and Pickett again lands the better shot, which drops Anders. Anders flaunts some submission attempts on the ground. Pickett edges out the round based on damage.

10-9 Pickett in the first.

Round 2:

Anders is again walking Pickett down and controlling the Octagon well, ultimately resulting in a takedown; however, Pickett gets back to his feet. This is a gritty fight for both men. Anders holds Pickett down and sends down ground and pound while Pickett sits and waits. The round ends with Anders on top, winning a clear round 2. We are 1-1 going into the third and final.

10-9 Anders in the second.

Round 3:

It all comes down to this round. Anders scores another takedown, and Pickett offers no defensive wrestling. Anders gets Pickett into the guard and begins to ground and pound. The referee warns Pickett to fight back, and surprisingly, he does, returning to his feet. Although, the get-up is short-lived for Pickett as Anders drags him back down again. Anders dominates the round with solid wrestling to win the round and the fight.

10-9 Anders in the third.

MAIN CARD (ESPN+)

Matt Schnell vs. Steve Erceg

ASTRO BOY 🚀 

Steve Erceg flatlines Matt Schnell in the second round 😱#UFCVegas87 

 pic.twitter.com/iT8dIvtg9j
— COMBAT SPORTS TODAY (@CSTodayNews) March 2, 2024
 

Result: Steve Erceg def. Matt Schnell by knockout at 0:26 of round 2.
Division: Flyweight (125 lbs)
Referee: Chris Tognoni

Round 1:

Erceg lands some good punches immediately and flaunts his impressive boxing. Schnell gets in close and lands a nice combination. Both men start to leak blood early. Erceg lands a big shot that stumbles Schnell; however, Schnell returns a counter to Erceg. Erceg lands a big shot in the closing seconds and wins the opening round.

10-9 Erceg in the first.

Round 2:

Erceg lands a clean 1-2-3 that puts Schnell out cold in the first 30 seconds of the round.

Erceg scores the knockout in the second.

Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Bekzat Almakhan

Result: Umar Nurmagomedov def. Bekzat Almakhan by unanimous decision (30-25, 30-26, 30-26.)
Division: Bantamweight (135 lbs)
Referee: Mark Goddard

Round 1:

Nurmagomedov opens with a strong leg kick, but Almakhan lands a massive right hand that scrambles Nurmagomedov. Nurmagomedov winds up on top and takes the back as Almakhan attempts to get up. Nurmagomedov secures the body triangle and has Alimakhan in a dominant position. Nurmagomedov gets into the guard and lands a big elbow in the final minute—the round ends with Nurmagomedov on top. Nurmagomedov rallied to take the round back.

10-9 Nurmagomedov in the first.

Round 2:

Nurmagomedov throws a head kick and feints a takedown. Almakhan bites hard and then gets taken down. Nurmagomedov winds up in the mount with ground and pounding; however, Alimakhan gets to his feet briefly before being taken down again. Almakhan is mounted with 1 minute to go. Nurmagomedov ends the round on top after a dominant round from the Russian.

10-9 Nurmagomedov in the second.

Round 3:

Nurmagomedov scores an early takedown, tying his previous best of 5 takedowns in a fight. Almakhan scoots to the fence to attempt to get up, but Nurmagomedov is wise to it and flattens his opponent out. Nurmagomedov ends the round in mount, raining down elbows in a straightforward 30-27 fight.

10-9 Nurmagomedov in the third.

Alex Perez vs. Muhammad Mokaev

Result: Muhammad Mokaev def. Alex Perez by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-29.)
Division: Flyweight (125 lbs)
Referee: Keith Peterson

Round 1:

Mokaev's hands look impressive right away. Perez slips, and Mokaev doesn't chase him down to the ground. Perez fights off the grappling and lands a nice shot when Mokaev gets close. Perez fights off more wrestling attempts from Mokaev. Mokaev finally gets his first takedown at the final minute and ends the round on top.

10-9 Mokaev in the first.

Round 2:

Mokaev earns another takedown within 20 seconds. Perez returns to his feet quickly, but Mokaev is relentless with the takedown attempts. Perez is showing success on the feet; however, as soon as he does, Mokaev desperately shoots a takedown. Perez lands some excellent elbows during one of Mokaev's takedown attempts, ultimately making him retreat the offense. Perez ends the round on top and takes it based on damage.

10-9 Perez in the second.

Round 3:

1-1 going into the final round. Mokaev is looking desperate, and Perez is holding him off well. Mokaev scores an awesome suplex; however, Perez gets straight back up. The wrestling isn't working for Mokaev. Mokaev is getting very predictable. This round was all Perez for me, but I wouldn't be surprised if it went the other way.

10-9 Perez in the third.

Vitor Petrino vs. Tyson Pedro

Result: Vitor Petrino def. Tyson Pedro by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28.)
Division: Light Heavyweight (205 lbs)
Referee: Mark Smith

Round 1:

It's a game of feints to start the fight. Pedro's calf kicks are already paying dividends. Strong respect from both men during this feeling-out process. A beautiful jab lands for Petrino, the biggest shot of the fight. Round 1 is close; however, the jab from Petrino secured it for him.

10-9 Petrino in the first.

Round 2:

They grapple early in the round against the fence but return to striking after a stalemate. The jab from Petrino is excellent, but he needs to follow up on it. A big head kick from Petrino misses. The referee encourages both men to work during an uneventful round. Not a lot of work from the pair; however, I think Petrino did enough to take the round.

10-9 Petrino in the second.

Round 3:

Petrino opens with a big kick, clearly upping the tempo late in this fight. Mark Smith urges the men to work again, and Petrino offers a big takedown. Petrino holds Pedro down for the remainder of the round and wins a dominant round.

10-9 Petrino in the third.

Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Shamil Gaziev

THATS IT. ALL OVER. 

Bigi Boy crushed a hype train tonight #UFCVegas87 pic.twitter.com/1kOoaSdTMN
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) March 2, 2024
 

Result: Jairzinho Rozenstruik def. Shamil Gaziev by technical knockout at 5:00 of round 4.
Division: Heavyweight (265 lbs)
Referee: Mark Goddard

Round 1:

The main event is underway! A touch of gloves starts the fight. Gaziev backs Rozenstruik back to the fence over and over again. Gaziev looks enormous here. Rozenstruik's jab is putting in work early. Gaziev lands a big shot against the fence, and Rozenstruik eats it like nothing. They meet for a clinch against the cage with Gaziev in control. Gaziev earns a big single-leg takedown in the final minute of the round. Gaziev ends the round on top and scores a 10-9 round.

10-9 Gaziev in the first.

Round 2:

Round 2 starts slow, with Gaziev attempting to close the distance, but Rozenstruik is wise to it. Gaziev sends a big knee to the body that doesn't affect Rozenstruik. Gaziev is showing signs of fatigue already, and Rozenstruik is fighting the intelligent fight. They engage in a clinch against the fence again, and after a stalemate, Mark Goddard urges them to work. The round ends with Gaziev in control in the clinch in a close round.

10-9 Gaziev in the second.

Round 3:

More signs of fatigue are showing for Gaziev; however, he's still throwing with power. Rozenstruik sends some more jabs that are touching up Gaziev. Rozenstruik starts the throw as the round goes on. Round 3 is all Rozenstruik with a strong jab and pressure.

10-9 Rozenstruik in the third.

Round 4:

Gaziev's corner implored him to get a takedown and finish the fight between rounds. Gaziev gets in close, but Rozenstruik fights off the attempt and clinchs against the cage. More jabs from Rozenstruik are putting him further ahead every time. Rozenstruik begins to open up mid-way through round 4, but Gaziev has no answer. Rozenstruik knocks Gaziev's mouthpiece out but plays the good sport and doesn't chase him down. Rozenstruik ends the round strong yet again.

Before round 5 can even start, referee Mark Goddard stops the bout due to an eye injury from Gaziev.

Rozenstruik scores the technical knockout in round 4.