The Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates was home to a great afternoon of fights. The card saw four (T)KOs, two submissions and seven decisions, including one split-draw and two split-decisions.
Performances of the Night: Khabib Nurmagomedov, Ottman Azaitar, Muslim Salikhov, Belal Muhammad
Khabib Nurmagomedov outclassed Dustin Poirier from beginning to end. Poirier fought at range instead of pressuring and cutting off the cage and Khabib made him pay for it. Nurmagomedov was able to take Poirier down almost at will, and he kept him there, either punishing him with strikes or seeking submissions, and when they were clinched up, Khabib controlled the distance there, as well, landing hard knees to Poirier’s legs before dumping him to the mat.