Isaac Dulgarian and Yadier del Valle met in a featherweight clash at UFC Vegas 110 on Saturday, each looking to assert themselves in one of the promotion’s most competitive divisions.
Dulgarian (7-1) entered the matchup 2-1 in his UFC career, with his lone setback coming against Christian Rodriguez last March. He hadn’t competed since September, when he submitted Brendon Marotte at the UFC APEX.
Del Valle (9-0) made an immediate impact in his UFC debut, submitting Connor Matthews in May after earning his contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. A strong performance against Dulgarian had the potential to propel him toward a matchup with a ranked opponent.
Round 1 – Del Valle claimed the center of the cage early as Dulgarian circled on the outside, firing kicks and looking to stay clear of the incoming power. Dulgarian shot in for a takedown off a kick, but the Cuban fighter stuffed the attempt and immediately threatened a submission in transition.
Dulgarian defended initially, but del Valle quickly secured back control and locked in a body triangle. Dulgarian tried to turn and go belly down, yet del Valle stayed attached, landing strikes from the back to soften him up.
Flattened out, Dulgarian absorbed heavy shots as the referee watched closely. Del Valle then slipped his arm under the chin, sinking in a rear-naked choke and forcing a first-round tap.
A statement performance from Yadier del Valle.
Official Result: Yadier del Valle def. Isaac Dulgarian via R1 SUB (RNC), 3:41
