UFC Fight Night 168 Results - Popular fighter possibly retires after main event loss, 88-second knockout and more
The UFC entourage stopped over in Auckland, New Zealand for a fight card that appealed to every fight purist.
Paul Felder and Dan Hooker squared off against each other in an explosive Lightweight main event. The co-main event of the show saw Jimmy Crute and Michal Oleksiejczuk locked inside the Octagon for an important Light Heavyweight clash
Highly-rated Chinese prospect Yan Xiaonan faced former Strawweight title contender Karolina Kowalkiewicz in the third fight of the main card.
Ben Sosoli and Marcos Rogerio de Lima were involved in an exciting heavyweight scrap while the main card kicked off with a Lightweight contest between Brad Riddell and Magomed Mustafaev.
The card featured a healthy balance of finishes and entertaining decisions and on that note, here are the results and highlights of the show.
UFC Fight Night 168 Results - Prelims
Zubaira Tukhugov def. Kevin Aguilar via TKO (punches) (3:21, Round 1)
Jalin Turner def. Josh Culibao via TKO (punches and elbows) (3:01, Round 2)
Jake Matthews def. Emil Meek via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Song Kenan def. Callan Potter via KO (punches) (2:20, Round 1)
Kai Kara-France def. Tyson Nam via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Angela Hill def. Loma Lookboonmee via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Priscila Cachoeira def. Shana Dobson via KO (punch) (0:40, Round 1)
UFC Fight Night 168 Results - Main Card
#1. Brad Riddell vs. Magomed Mustafaev (Lightweight)
New Zealander Brad Riddell was coming off a UFC debut win against Jamie Mullarkey and he intended to build upon the good start here tonight his first fight of 2020.
Magomed had lost just one of his last fourteen fights, a loss that came against Kevin Lee back in November 2016. The Russian fighter last fought in April last year and he conveniently dispatched off Rafael Fiziev via TKO in the first round.
Both Riddell and Magomed began the fight in tentative fashion as they tried to get the range in place in the early stages of the fight.
Riddell tasted success in the first round as he knocked Magomed down with a big right. Mustafaev steadied himself and gradually fought his way back in the first round as he tried to assert his grappling dominance.
The second round was evenly matched as Riddell got in his kicks and strikes but fell victim to a takedown in the latter half of the round.
The third and final round began with Riddell as the aggressor and he hurt Mustafaev with a big right after avoiding a few incoming strikes. Mustafa looked to take the fight to the ground in the dying moments of the fight but Riddell defended well and looked threatening as he attempted a Kimura as well. The strong finish for Riddell gave him an advantage in the eyes of the judges.
It was a close fight but 'Quake' managed to edge Mustafeav on the scorecards with a split decision win.
Result: Brad Riddell def. Magomed Mustafaev via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)