![UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze [Credits: @ufc on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/08/dcbcf-16302159789936-800.jpg)
![UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze [Credits: @ufc on Instagram]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%205.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze saw seven finishes, out of which three were submissions, and four were knockouts or technical knockouts. Nonetheless, most fights on the card were extremely competitive and put some of the best mixed martial arts talent on display.
One of the night's most noteworthy fights saw Kevin Lee make his move to welterweight. 'Motown Phenom' lost out in a unanimous decision victory to Daniel Rodriguez.
UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze also held the finale for season 29 of The Ultimate Fighter. Ricky Turcios took home the bantamweight Ultimate Fighter trophy, while Bryan Battle submitted Gilbert Urbina to win the middleweight prize.
#5. Dustin Jacoby bags standing TKO at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze
Dustin Jacoby faced Darren Stewart in a light heavyweight matchup on the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze. The fight started with Jacoby attempting to establish range and control early on, throwing a head kick in the very first exchange. As a result, he lost balance and Darren Stewart capitalized by taking Dustin Jacoby down. Although Jacoby got back up immediately and landed a few knees to the body in the clinch, Stewart took him back down against the fence.
The two got back up after an uneventful and brief scramble on the ground and exchanged a few strikes. Dustin Jacoby began ramping up the pressure and caught Darren Stewart with quite a few shots to the head. Jacoby was soon able to push Stewart to the fence, rallying up strike after strike as Stewart struggled to keep his arms up. The referee stepped in after a left hand from Jacoby caused Stewart to stumble to the side. Jacoby won the fight via TKO in 3:04 of the first round at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze.
#4. Bryan Battle weathers early storm to become The Ultimate Fighter in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze
TUF 29 middleweight finalists, Bryan Battle and Gilbert Urbina, locked horns in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze.
The Houston native started strong, overwhelming Battle and cutting his brow open with a barrage of devastating strikes. Battle was able to hold his own and answered back patiently.
However, the onslaught from Urbina did not stop. The finalist, who lost to Tresean Gore in the semi-finals of TUF 29, also scored takedowns to add to his credibility on the scorecards. The first round seemed like an eternity for Bryan Battle. He was in trouble from the onset and failed to find his rhythm.
Nonetheless, the 26-year-old Team Volkanovski representative weathered the early storm. In round two, the two fighters were almost engaged in a clinch when Urbina threw a spinning elbow. While Battle absorbed part of the strike, he used his opponent's movement to his advantage, taking his back and locking in a rear-naked choke.
Urbina tapped, helping Battle sail to a submission victory in 2:15 of the second round of their fight at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze.
#3. Giga Chikadze outclasses Edson Barboza in the main event
The highly anticipated featherweight headliner between Edson Barboza and Giga Chikadze finally made it inside the octagon at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze. As expected, the fight was a display of pure striking masterclass.
Giga Chikadze proved his mettle and validated his claim of being the best striker in MMA by knocking out striking legend Edson Barboza. The Georgian proved to be faster and more efficient than the veteran Barboza.
Barboza also had his moments in round two. However, Giga Chikadze mixed his strikes exceptionally well. The Georgian connected with a flying knee and followed up with devastating punches that rocked Edson Barboza. The Brazilian struggled to regain his composure. Giga Chikadze maintained his focus and got the job done by landing one last clean strike as Edson Barboza attempted to stand up.
Giga Chikadze won the fight in the third round via TKO at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze.
#2. Gerald Meerschaert snaps Makhmud Muradov's win streak at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze
Middleweight fighters Gerald Meerchaert and Makhmud Muradov opened the main card of UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze. The Wisconsin native came in as a considerable underdog against the young striking prodigy. Makhmud Muradov entered the fight riding a fourteen-fight win streak. As one would expect from the young talent, Muradov started strong with swift and hard-hitting strikes. However, traditionally a wrestler, Gerald Meerscheart had his striking game on point. Despite being rocked a couple of times over the first round, the southpaw responded with some hard-hitting shots of his own.
Midway through the second round, Gerald Meerschaert consecutively connected with some devastating lefts. After that, he took Muradov down and scrambled to take his back and slip his arm under Muradov's chin. Meerschaert won the fight via rear-naked choke in round two at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze.
#1. Abdul Razak Alhassan finishes the prelims at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze with butal first-minute KO
Abdul Razak Alhassan faced Alessio Di Chirico in the final fight of the preliminary card at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze.
The contest was of extreme importance as a stepping stone in both the fighters' careers. While Chirico had only recently gotten off a four-fight losing streak, Alhassan came in tonight riding a three-fight losing streak.
As soon as the fight started, Di Chirico rushed to take control of the center. He threw a straight left kick for the opening strike of the bout. As the fighters continued to measure distance, Di Chirico threw another straight kick, but Alhassan was wary and caught it this time. The failed attempt at the kick tipped the balance of octagon control in Alhassan's favor.
Alessio Di Chirico backed up against the fence as Abdul Razak Alhassan began applying pressure. However, the tension did not last long.
Alhassan threw a devastating right kick just as Di Chirico leaned to his left. The Ghanaian's shin crushed Di Chirico's chin, immediately causing him to fall on the ground. Referee Herb Dean called a stop to the contest as Alessio Di Chirico struggled to come to terms with the vicious kick. Alhassan won via KO in just seventeen seconds of the first round at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze.
