Main Card Results | UFC 311: Makhachev vs Moicano – UFC
Following an entertaining collection of preliminary card fights, the UFC 311 pay-per-view main card took things up another notch or two, opening with a trio of finishes before shifting to the championship portion of the evening.Reinier de Ridder made relatively quick work of Kevin Holland, collecting a first-round submission win and his second UFC victory in three months before Jailton Almeida pounded out a finish against Serghei Spivac just before the opening round expired in their heavyweight fixture. The battle of former light heavyweight champions between Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill was an all-action affair, reaching the third round before the Czech standout put his American counterpart on the deck and secured the finish.In the co-main event, bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili successfully defended his title, using his conditioning and pace and drowned Umar Nurmagomedov, handing the challenger the first loss of his career.And to wrap up the evening, lightweight titleholder Islam Makhachev registered his record-setting fourth successful title defense while moving one win away from tying Anderson Silva’s record for the most consecutive victories in the UFC by submitting Renato Moicano in the first round.Just an outstanding night of action in Los Angeles capped by a pair of tremendous championship outings.Here’s a look at what transpired.Prelim Results | Official Scorecards Reinier de Ridder marched into the Octagon, took Kevin Holland down and forced him to tap, collecting his second straight UFC victory and a statement win to kick off the UFC 311 main card.The Dutch standout wasted little time dragging Holland to the canvas, eventually working around to the back and attacking a rear-naked choke. With the body triangle locked in and the arm securely under the neck, Holland had no choice but to tap.That was the kind of effort most people anticipated from de Ridder when he debuted in the UFC last year, and now it’s clear that he’s another emerging threat in the 185-pound weight class.Prelim Results | Official ScorecardsIn a back-and-forth round full of grappling, Jailton Almeida managed to beat the horn and secure the finish over Serghei Spivac.Spivac opened the first heavyweight contest of the year by taking Almeida down, which kicked off a series of shifts in position between the grapplers, where each had moments of control. But was on the feet where Almeida gained control, hurting Spivac with a big uppercut before depositing him on the canvas, flattening him out, and pounding out the finish.After opening his 2024 campaign with a loss, “Malhadinho” has now earned back-to-back stoppage wins to further cement his standing as a Top 10 talent in the heavyweight division. Now 8-1 inside the Octagon, the Dana White’s Contender Series grad has his sights set on earning a championship opportunity this year.Former champs Jiří Procházka and Jamahal Hill went toe-to-toe in the middle of the main card, trading big shots in an action-packed battle between powerhouses looking to get back into the title conversation.Procházka won the opening round, hurting Hill by varying his shots and landing his off-tempo blows when “Sweet Dreams” missed with shots of his own. The Michigan native responded in the second, getting the better of the exchanges and hurting Procházka to the body. Midway through the third, Procházka dropped Hill and went chasing a finish, continuing to pound away on his fallen foe until referee Mike Beltran had no choice but to step in.This was a wildly entertaining firefight between two divisional standouts, and a tremendous way to pivot to the championship bouts at the end of the card. Procházka has only lost to one man inside the Octagon, moving to 5-0 with five finishes when facing anyone other than light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira.Prelim Results | Official ScorecardsThe bantamweight championship fight between Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov was everything we expected and more, with the champion and challenger working at a break-neck pace with Dvalishvili taking over in the championship rounds to retain his title.Nurmagomedov was sharp to start, using his diverse striking arsenal and outstanding grappling to pick at the champion, largely keep things standing, and get out to an early lead. But as the rounds passed, Dvalishvili’s ridiculous pace started to wear on the challenger, with the Georgian titleholder having more success in the third round and then taking it up another notch in the championship rounds.By the end of the fourth, Nurmagomedov was spent and Dvalishvili was still pressing forward, carrying it over into the fifth, where he kept Nurmagomedov moving backwards, trying to remain above water.When the nines and tens were added up, it was Dvalishvili that came out ahead, successfully defending his title while handing Nurmagomedov the first loss of his professional career. This was an incredible example of what an impact pace and conditioning can have in a high-level fight, and an outstanding win for “The Machine.”Prelim Results | Official ScorecardsIslam Makhachev is the most decorated UFC lightweight champion of all time, earning his fourth consecutive successful title defense with a first-round submission win over game, late-replacement challenger Renato Moicano.The Brazilian got the champion’s attention in the early going, snapping out sharp shots that landed with a little more force than we’re used to seeing Makhachev hit with. Sensing the danger, the lightweight king put Moicano on the deck, with Makhachev cinching in the D’arce choke the instant the challenger went to his knees and looked to work to his feet.This was a high risk, low reward assignment for Makhachev, who took the fight yesterday, and he went out and collected a finish. He is the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet right now, and next time he steps into the Octagon, he’ll have the chance to equal Anderson Silva’s record for the most consecutive victories in UFC history.What a performance from the champion.Prelim Results | Official ScorecardsDon’t miss a moment of UFC 311: Makhachev vs Moicano, live from Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California on January 18, 2025. Prelims start at 8pm ET/5pm PT, while the main card kicks off live on PPV at 10pm ET/7pm PT.The Fights & Performances That Warranted An Extra $50,000 In 2025
