UFC delivers another thrilling night of fights at UFC APEX, headlined by a light heavyweight contenders’ bout between No. 6 ranked Nikita Krylov and No. 8 Ryan Spann. Also, No. 11 ranked middleweight contender Andre Muniz battles Brendan Allen in a clash of Dana White’s Contender Series signees.
UFC FIGHT NIGHT: KRYLOV vs. SPANN will take place Saturday, February 25 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will be available on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, with the main card starting at 7pm ET / 4pm PT and the prelims at 4pm ET / 1pm PT.
Main event scheduled for five rounds, all other bouts scheduled for three rounds. | Official Scorecards
UFC Fight Night: Krylov vs Spann Results
- Joe Solecki defeats Carl Deaton by submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:55 of Round 2
- Nurullo Aliev defeats Rafael Alves by majority decision (29-27, 29-27, 28-28)
UFC Fight Night: Krylov vs Spann Prelim Fight Results
Joe Solecki defeats Carl Deaton by submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:55 of Round 2
Dominant effort from Joe Solecki in the second bout of the evening, as the Dana White’s Contender Series graduate spent the vast majority of the contest on Carl Deaton’s back before putting him to sleep in the final seconds of the middle round.
Solecki forced Deaton to wear him like a backpack for nearly 10 full minutes, the first while the two were standing and the second on the canvas in the center of the Octagon. While Deaton defended diligently, Solecki continued hunting for chokes, eventually wrapping his forearm under the neck and squeezing out the finish before the end of the second.
This was a terrific effort from Solecki, who has now earned back-to-back victories and wins in five of six UFC appearances. The 29-year-old advances to 13-3 with the win, and remains a difficult out in the middle of the lightweight division. | Official Scorecards
Nurullo Aliev defeats Rafael Alves by majority decision (29-27, 29-27, 28-28)
Nurullo Aliev made sure that the point he lost in the opening round didn’t cost him in his promotional debut, grinding out a unanimous decision win over Brazilian veteran Rafael Alves in the opening bout of the evening.
The newcomer from Tajikistan was docked a point in the first when Alves complained that Aliev bit him, showing referee Mark Smith clear enough evidence that the veteran official took a point. He came out in the second, remained calm while stuck in a guillotine choke, and rode out the round in top position, hitting Alves with good shots throughout the frame. In the third, the youngster again had to navigate a guillotine choke attempt and deal with Alves in mount, but he got himself to top position and closed out the round landing shots and controlling the Brazilian on the canvas.
In the third, the youngster again had to navigate a guillotine choke attempt and deal with Alves in mount, but he got himself to top position and closed out the round landing shots and controlling the Brazilian on the canvas.
The 23-year-old is still a little green, but he shows tremendous promise, and moves to 9-0 with the victory on Saturday. While always game, Alves has now lost consecutive outings and falls to 1-3 in the UFC with the loss. | Official Scorecards
Ode’ Osbourne vs Charles Johnson
- Ode’ Osbourne (11-5 1NC, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Milwaukee, Wisc.) squares off with Charles Johnson (13-3, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) in a 130-pound catchweight bout
Jordan Leavitt vs Victor Martinez
Jasmine Jasudavicius vs Gabriella Fernandes
- Dana White’s Contender Series signee Jasmine Jasudavicius (7-2, fighting out of Niagara, Ontario, Canada) faces debuting Gabriella Fernandes (7-1, fighting out of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil) in a flyweight bout
Erick Gonzalez vs Trevor Peek
- Erick Gonzalez (14-7, fighting out of Torrance, California) clashes with unbeaten Trevor Peek (7-0 1NC, fighting out of Chattanooga, Tenn.) in a lightweight bout
UFC Fight Night: Krylov vs Spann Main Card Fight Results
Mike Malott vs Yohan Lainesse
- Dana White’s Contender Series signees collide when Mike Malott (8-1-1, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif. by way of Waterdown, Ontario, Canada) faces Yohan Lainesse (9-1, fighting out of St-Bruno, Quebec, Canada) at welterweight
Tatiana Suarez vs Montana De La Rosa
- Undefeated Tatiana Suarez (9-0, fighting out of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) makes her long awaited return against Montana De La Rosa (12-7-1, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) in a flyweight bout
Augusto Sakai vs Don’Tale Mayes
- Augusto Sakai (15-5-1, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) locks horns with Don’Tale Mayes (10-4, fighting out of Louisville, Ken.) in a clash of hard-hitting heavyweights
Co-Main Event: Andre Muniz vs Brendan Allen
- Andre Muniz (23-4, fighting out of Montes Claros, MG, Brazil) plans to continue his hot streak with another statement performance. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, he has earned memorable victories over Uriah Hall, Eryk Anders and Jacare Souza. Muniz now has his sights set on defending his spot in the rankings by securing his 10th consecutive win.
- Brendan Allen (20-5, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) looks to break into the middleweight Top 15 with a show-stealing finish. A talented grappler currently riding a three-fight win streak, he has turned heads with notable submission victories against Krzysztof Jotko, Sam Alvey and Kevin Holland. Allen now plans to halt Muniz’s momentum and establish himself as a middleweight title threat.
Main Event: Nikita Krylov vs Ryan Spann
- Nikita Krylov (29-9, fighting out of Donetsk, Ukraine) intends to start his 2023 season off with another memorable finish. Among the most exciting fighters at light heavyweight, he holds wins over former title challengers Volkan Oezdemir, Alexander Gustafsson and Ovince Saint Preux. Krylov now aims to stop Spann and set himself up for a shot at the division’s Top 5.
- Ryan Spann (21-7, fighting out of Beaumont, Texas) looks to continue his ascent to the top of the 205-pound ladder with a statement victory. A submission specialist with KO power, he has secured impressive finishes against Dominick Reyes, Ion Cutelaba and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Spann now hopes to make the most of his second main event opportunity by taking out Krylov in impressive fashion.
Don’t miss a moment of UFC Fight Night: Krylov vs Spann, live from the UFC APEX on Februrary 25, 2023. Prelims start at 4:30pm ET/1:30pm PT, while the main card kicks off at 7pm ET/4pm PT.
