UFC Fight Night 280 live results: Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres
The UFC closes out a big month of June as the Octagon heads back overseas for UFC Fight Night 280, taking place at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The main event is a five-round bout in the lightweight division as Azerbaijan native Rafael Fiziev takes on Manuel Torres in what looks to be a potentially exciting striking battle. Fiziev is looking to rebound from a loss to Mauricio Ruffy in his last fight in February, while Torres enters his first UFC main event looking to extend his two-fight win streak.
In the co-main event, middleweight action takes place as Shara Magomedov looks for his second straight win when he takes on the always entertaining Michel Pereira.
Also on the main card is a lightweight fight between Nazim Sadykhov and Matheus Camilo; a battle of ranked flyweights as Asu Almabayev takes on Charles Johnson; a middleweight fight between Ikram Aliskerov and Brunno Ferreira; and a middleweight opener sees Abus Magomedov clash with Michal Oleksiejczuk.
PRELIMS | 9 AM ET | 6 AM PT
> Welterweights- Tahir Abdullayev (21-3, 0-0 UFC) vs. Jefferson Nascimento (13-0, 0-0 UFC)
Nothing has happened in the first minute, then Nascimento lands a leg kick. Abdullayev lands a leg kick. Both miss when they throw a right hand. Neither is really doing much as Abdullayev is pressing forward. Abdullayev lands a body kick. Nascimento lands a jab. Nascimento is just circling and running away. Nascimento lands to the body. Abdullayev lands a right hand and then to the body as they briefly clinch. Abdullayev lands a left hook and a right hand. Abdullayev lands a knee and Nascimento looks for a takedown. Nascimento lands a groin strike during a clinch. They get back going but the round ends. 10-9 Abdullayev.
Nascimento lands a leg kick. Nascimento lands a right hand. Abdullayev with a body kick. Abdullayev lands a right hand. They trade punches. Nascimento lands a left hook then a right hand to the body. Nascimento lands a counter combination. Nascimento lands a leg kick. Nascimento landing more, but neither are landing with high volume. Abdullayev shoots for a takedown, but Nascimento defends. Abdullayev lands a late flurry with a big right hand. 10-9 Nascimento, 19-19.
Abdullayev rushes forward and lands a right hand. Abdullayev gets Nascimento to the mat and lands some right hands. Abdullayev with more punches as Nascimento forces it to the feet. Abdullayev with a knee to the body and Nascimento lands a leg kick. They clinch and both land to the body before they separate. Abdullayev with a few knees to the body and he then scores a takedown. Abdullayev with some shots from the top. Nascimento tries to pop up, but Abdullayev keeps him down on the mat. Abdullayev is attacking an arm for a kimura, but lets go and returns to landing from the top. Abdullayev with an elbow from the top. Abdullayev is talking from the top and lands a right hand. Abdullayev stands and lands some big punches from the top and it is stopped. Wow, that seemed like a bad stoppage.
Fight Result- Tahir Abdullayev def. Jefferson Nascimento by TKO (punches) at 4:28 of Round 3
> Bantamweights- Bekzat Almakhan (17-3, 1-2 UFC) vs. Jean Matsumoto (17-2, 3-2 UFC)
> Welterweights- Daniil Donchenko (13-2, 2-0 UFC) vs. Theodor Berggren (8-3, 0-0 UFC)
> Featherweights- Kaan Ofli (13-4-1, 2-2 UFC) vs. Javier Reyes (23-5, 1-0 UFC)
> Middleweights- Nursulton Ruziboev (36-9-2, 4-1 UFC) vs. Andrey Pulyaev (10-4, 1-2 UFC)
> Light Heavyweights- Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev (9-0, 2-0 UFC) vs. Julius Walker (7-2, 1-2 UFC)
> Welterweights- Farman Hasanov (5-0, 0-0 UFC) vs. Eric Nolan (8-4, 0-1 UFC)
MAIN CARD | 12 PM ET | 9 AM PT
> Middleweights- Abus Magomedov (28-7-1, 4-3 UFC) vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk (22-9 1 NC, 10-7 1 NC UFC)
> Middleweights- #14 Ikram Aliskerov (17-2, 4-1 UFC) vs. Brunno Ferreira (15-3, 6-3 UFC)
> Flyweights- #7 Asu Almabayev (23-3, 6-1 UFC) vs. #15 Charles Johnson (19-8, 8-6 UFC)
> Lightweights- Nazim Sadykhov (11-2-1, 4-1-1 UFC) vs. Matheus Camilo (10-3, 1-1 UFC)
> Middleweights- Shara Magomedov (16-1, 5-1 UFC) vs. Michel Pereira (32-14 2 NC, 10-5 UFC)
> Lightweights- Rafael Fiziev (13-5, 7-5 UFC) vs. #13 Manuel Torres (17-3, 5-1 UFC)
MMA writer & live coverage specialist, contributor to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter