Jackson McVey and Zachary Reese squared off in a clash of towering middleweights on Saturday night at UFC Vegas 111, each looking to make a statement and solidify their place in one of the UFC’s most unpredictable divisions.
McVey (6-1) entered the bout looking to rebound from a loss in his UFC debut against Bruno Ferreira at UFC 318 in July. His first Octagon appearance had been delayed twice due to opponent withdrawals, and he was determined to secure his first promotional victory under the lights of the UFC APEX.
Reese (9-2), a DWCS alum and six-fight UFC veteran, was coming off a no contest against Sedriques Dumas in September after an accidental low blow ended the fight less than a minute into the first round. Wasting no time, Reese made a quick turnaround to face McVey at UFC Vegas 111.
Round 1 – Reese landed a big left hand flush on the chin, while McVey responded with push kicks before eating a nasty calf kick in return. Feeling the urgency, McVey closed the distance, clinched Reese against the fence, and unleashed a barrage of sharp elbows.
Reese didn’t back down, firing back with knees, uppercuts, and short punches in tight. The two went to war in the pocket, ‘phone booth fighting’ barely described it. McVey landed a brutal knee to the body that dropped Reese, who quickly scrambled back to his feet, only for McVey to swarm him again with heavy shots in pursuit of the finish.
Reese weathered the storm, broke free, and landed a clean left hand followed by another damaging calf kick. McVey pressed forward again, forcing the clinch, but accidentally landed a low blow that halted the action. The referee called in the doctor to check on a nasty cut over Reese’s eye, but she cleared him to continue.
Once the fight resumed, Reese went right back to targeting the calf, while McVey clinched again, both men trading punishing blows in close quarters. Reese began to take control late, backing McVey up with a steady jab and looping overhand left before scoring a takedown into half guard. The round ended with Reese threatening a reverse triangle as the horn sounded.
Round 2 – McVey immediately closed the distance, landing a knee to the body before being taken down by Reese, who quickly established control from top position. McVey offered little resistance on the takedown, and when he tried to scramble free, Reese capitalized, taking his back, locking up the neck, and forcing the tap.
A dominant finish for Zach Reese, who sealed the victory in the second round.
Official Result: Zachary Reese def. Jackson McVey via R2 SUB (RNC), 1:38
