The UFC continued a strong run with UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Ankalaev Saturday night live on ESPN+.
Light heavyweights Thiago Santos and Magomed Ankalaev went to war for five rounds and 25 minutes. In the end, the judges ruled in favor of Ankalaev by unanimous decision.
The 29-year-old from Russia improved to 17-1 and won his eighth consecutive fight.
Song Yadong continued his run at bantamweight, knocking Marlon Moraes out in the co-main event. Yadong caught Moraes and finished him in just over two minutes.
In the featherweight division, Sodiq Yusuff claimed a decision vs. Alex Caceres. Yusuff was able to withstand the veteran, sweeping the scorecards.
Khalil Rountree Jr. and Drew Dober earned finishes over Karl Roberson and Terrance McKinney.
Rountree dropped Roberson in the second and Dober stopped McKinney in the first. magomed
Alex Pereira opened the main card with a decision at middleweight over Bruno Silva.
Azamat Murzakanov, Guido Cannetti, Cody Brundage, Miranda Maverick and Damon Jackson kick-started the night with five consecutive finishes.
Murzakanov and Cannetti won via knockout, with Murzakanov landing a flying knee in the third round.
Brundage had a first round submission and Maverick locked up a rear-naked choke in the third.
Javid Basharat, JJ Aldrich and Matthew Semelsberger finished off the prelims with decision wins.
UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Ankalaev Results
Magomed Ankalaev def. Thiago Santos via unanimous decision
Song Yadong def. Marlon Moraes via KO (strike) at 2:06 of Round 1
Sodiq Yusuff def. Alex Caceres via unanimous decision
Khalil Rountree Jr. def. Karl Roberson via TKO (strikes) at :25 of Round 2
Drew Dober def. Terrance McKinney via TKO (strikes) at 3:17 of Round 1
Alex Pereira def. Bruno Silva via unanimous decision
Matthew Semelsberger def. A.J. Fletcher via unanimous decision
JJ Aldrich def. Gillian Robertson via unanimous decision
Javid Basharat def. Trevin Jones via unanimous decision
Damon Jackson def. Kamuela Kirk via submission (arm-triangle choke) at 4:42 of Round 2
Miranda Maverick def. Sabina Mazo via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2;15 of Round 2
Cody Brundage def. Dalcha Lungiambula via submission (guillotine choke) at 3:41 of Round 1
Guido Cannetti def. Kris Moutinho via TKO (strikes) at 2:07 of Round 1
Azamat Murzakanov def. Tafon Nchukwi via KO (flying knee) at :44 of Round 3
