Mixed martial arts fans were treated to another spectacular event Friday night in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
UFC on FX 7 was a complete success, as the night was loaded with thrilling battles. Vitor Belfort and Michael Bisping provided an exciting main event, and the lead-up fights didn’t disappoint, either.
A total of 10 fighters were awarded victories on the night. However, a few separated themselves from the pack. The following three fighters gave the most impressive performances on Saturday.
Vitor Belfort
The former champion delivered a classic showing on Saturday, knocking Bisping out in the second round.
Belfort landed a left kick to the head that sent Bisping sprawling to the floor. Belfort then pounced on Bisping and blasted him with a series of hammerfists and punches before the referee stepped in to stop the fight.
It was the perfect end to the night, as the crowd got to see a fellow Brazilian shine in the main event.
It was also the 15th knockout of Belfort‘s career, and it improved his record to 22-10. He has now won eight of his last 10 fights, and his only losses during that span are to all-time greats Anderson Silva and Jon Jones.
CB Dollaway
Dollaway showed amazing determination in his battle with Daniel Sarafian, as he survived a nightmarish first round and won by split decision.
After getting knocked down by Sarafian in the first, Dollaway responded beautifully. He caught Sarafian with a brutal uppercut in the second round, and would have put him away if the bell didn’t save the Sao Paulo native.
Over the course of the fight, Dollaway landed 62 significant strikes to Sarafian‘s 38. He also took down Sarafian twice, while fending off all six of the Brazilian’s takedown attempts.
With the win, Dollaway is now 13-4 for his career. He has won his last two bouts, and after earning Fight of the Night honors, he will be riding a wave of momentum into his next fight.
Khabib Nurmagomedov
The Russian continued his rise through the UFC ranks, improving to 3-0 in the octagon with his first-round TKO of Thiago Tavares.
Nurmagomedov needed less than two minutes to finish off Tavares. He knocked the Brazilian down with a vicious left hook, then broke through Tavares‘ half-guard with a series of elbows. The referee stopped the fight, and Nurmagomedov added another impressive win to his resume.
The 24-year-old is now 19-0 as a professional, and he looks to be a serious threat in the lightweight division. He definitely earned some more high-profile fights with his performance on Saturday.
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