On November 24th, 2019, UFC Fight Night took place in Moscow, Russia, featuring a heavyweight clash between Sergey Pavlovich and Curtis Blaydes. This event marked the second time the UFC had visited Russia, following the success of UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Oleinik in September 2018.
SAT,APRIL 22, 07:00 PM ET
The main event of the night saw Sergey Pavlovich, a former M-1 Global heavyweight champion, take on the highly ranked and heavily favored Curtis Blaydes. Blaydes came into the fight with an impressive record of 12 wins, two losses, and one no-contest, with his only defeats coming at the hands of top-tier heavyweights Francis Ngannou and Derrick Lewis. Pavlovich, on the other hand, had a record of 13 wins and one loss, with his only defeat coming in his UFC debut against Alistair Overeem.
The first round started off with both fighters feeling each other out, with Pavlovich throwing a few leg kicks and Blaydes utilizing his wrestling to secure a takedown. Pavlovich, however, managed to get back to his feet and landed a few strikes of his own before Blaydes took him down once again. The round ended with Blaydes in top position, controlling Pavlovich on the ground.
The second round saw Pavlovich start off strong, landing a few heavy shots on Blaydes, who responded with another takedown. Pavlovich managed to get back to his feet and landed a few more strikes before Blaydes took him down once again. This time, Blaydes managed to secure a crucifix position, landing ground and pound strikes to Pavlovich’s head and body. Despite being in a bad position, Pavlovich managed to survive the round.
In the third round, Blaydes continued to dominate on the ground, securing multiple takedowns and controlling Pavlovich on the mat. Pavlovich showed some signs of life towards the end of the round, landing a few strikes on Blaydes, but it was too little too late as Blaydes took the unanimous decision victory.
The co-main event of the night featured a light heavyweight clash between Magomed Ankalaev and Dalcha Lungiambula. Ankalaev, a highly touted prospect from Russia, came into the fight with a record of 11 wins and one loss, with his only defeat coming in a controversial loss to Paul Craig. Lungiambula, on the other hand, had a record of 10 wins and one loss, with his only defeat coming in his UFC debut against Markus Perez.
The first round saw Ankalaev utilize his striking, landing multiple leg kicks and heavy punches on Lungiambula. Lungiambula, however, managed to secure a takedown towards the end of the round, but Ankalaev was able to get back to his feet before any significant damage was done.
The second round saw Ankalaev start off strong once again, landing a few heavy shots on Lungiambula. Lungiambula, however, managed to secure another takedown and controlled Ankalaev on the ground for the remainder of the round.
In the third round, Ankalaev managed to keep the fight standing, landing heavy shots on Lungiambula and securing a knockdown. Despite Lungiambula’s best efforts to get back into the fight, Ankalaev continued to dominate on the feet, ultimately securing a unanimous decision victory.
Other notable fights on the card included a lightweight clash between Alexander Yakovlev and Roosevelt Roberts, a women’s flyweight bout between Antonina Shevchenko and Lucie Pudilova, and a welterweight clash between Abubakar Nurmagomed ov and David Zawada.
In the lightweight bout, Yakovlev showcased his experience and veteran skills, using his grappling to control Roberts on the ground and secure a unanimous decision victory.
The women’s flyweight bout between Shevchenko and Pudilova was a closely contested affair, with both fighters showing off their striking and grappling skills. Shevchenko, however, was able to secure more takedowns and control Pudilova on the ground, ultimately earning a unanimous decision victory.
The welterweight bout between Nurmagomedov and Zawada saw Nurmagomedov utilize his grappling skills to control Zawada on the ground for the majority of the fight. Zawada had his moments on the feet, landing a few heavy shots on Nurmagomedov, but it was not enough as Nurmagomedov earned a unanimous decision victory.
Overall, UFC Fight Night: Pavlovich vs. Blaydes was a solid event, showcasing some of the top talent in the heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions. Blaydes’ dominant performance against Pavlovich further solidified his status as one of the top heavyweights in the UFC, while Ankalaev’s victory over Lungiambula marked another impressive performance from the rising star. With the UFC continuing to expand its reach into Russia and other international markets, events like this will only continue to grow in importance and impact for both the fighters and the fans.