An epic battle and epic war was exactly what Turcios got when he collided with Hiestand at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs Chikadze on August 28, 2021.
Hiestand was able to find early success with his grappling, getting Turcios to the floor on multiple occasions. Turcios was able to get back to his feet each time and pepper Hiestand with shots. Turcios also took Hiestand down and was able to cut his foe. It was a solid and competitive first round.
Each fighter was able to secure a takedown in the second frame, with some wild scrambles ensuing. With each fighter trading moments of control, it was anyone’s game heading into the third – a place where Turcios has excelled throughout the tournament.
Turcios found his mark and was able to drop Hiestand early in the third, but Hiestand turned the exchange into a takedown. It was a battle that ended up against the fence, with Turcios landing the more precise shots and throwing all the way until the final horn.
The bout was so good that it was voted as one of the best fights to ever happen inside the UFC APEX, but, in the end, Turcios’ third round gave him the edge.
Turcios took the bout via split decision and was crowned The Return of The Ultimate Fighter bantamweight winner.
Turcios to UFC.com after defeating Hiestand: “Call me The Ultimate Fighter champion forever now. I will take this one to the grave. Etch me in UFC history. For real.”
