The welterweight clash arrived on the night’s preliminary card and saw Donchenko looking to claim his third victory under the UFC banner (including his TUF 33 finale win).

The fight started with both guys trading leg kicks. Donchenko stayed consistent with them and was putting the pressure on Berggren. He mixed it up well, landing a right hook to the body and attacking all three levels. The pressure and body work from Donchenko seemed to be wearing on Berggren early. Berggren tried to clinch, but he was getting beat up there as well. Donchenko landed a few more hard leg kicks before ripping a nice combination to the body. He nearly took Berggren’s leg out from under him with another brutal leg kick just before the bell. It was a complete striking showcase from Donchenko in the opening round.

Round two started with another combination from Donchenko that ended with a leg kick. Berggren tried to pressure forward but was quickly backed up again. Donchenko was showing good head movement while continuing to attack the legs and body. After investing so heavily to the lower levels, Berggren never saw the head kick coming. It landed flush, dropping him. Donchenko swarmed, dropped him again with a barrage of punches, and forced the referee to step in.

Daniil Donchenko def. Theodor Berggren by TKO (headkick and punches), Round 2, 1:35

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With the edge in experience, Azerbaijan’s own Tahir “Tank” Abdullayev was entering his 25th pro fight, was Brazil’s Nascimento was 13-0 to start his career.

The fight started with Abdullayev taking center cage and calling on Nascimento. Nascimento was bouncing around, not looking to rush anything. Abdullayev moved forward slowly but struggled to cut off Nascimento. On the other side, Nascimento wasn’t throwing much of anything, seeming hesitant to engage. Abdullayev was visibly frustrated as he couldn’t track the Brazilian. Whenever he got close, Nascimento would stick and move. Near the end of the round, Abdullayev forced some action, but nothing came from it. A lackluster round from both guys.

When Round 2 started, Abdullayev wanted action, and Nascimento gave it to him with a leg kick. He also timed Abdullayev with a big right hand as he was coming in. Abdullayev just kept walking forward, looking to land that right hand. He had trouble with the footwork and range and was biting on every feint from Nascimento. Both guys were throwing one strike at a time. Abdullayev was bringing the pressure, but Nascimento was the one landing. Every time Abdullayev blitzed in, he’d eat something. Abdullayev wanted action from both Nascimento and the referee, but Nascimento was the only one landing anything. Abdullayev did get in some good shots at the bell, and maybe even one after.

Round 3 was still anyone’s fight, as it’s likely the judges were on their phones anyway. Abdullayev came running out to start the round and quickly caught a leg for a takedown. Nascimento worked to a knee and got back to his feet. He started to chew up the body with kicks and hooks. Whenever Nascimento began to open up, Abdullayev timed a well-executed takedown. Abdullayev landed some clubbing blows, and as Nascimento tried to get up, he was thrown right back down. Nascimento landed some good elbows but was too content letting Abdullayev sit in his guard. The fight ended with Abdullayev landing some heavy hammerfists, and as a few started getting through, the referee stepped in way too early.

Tahir Abdullayev def. Jefferson Nascimento via TKO (ground and pound), round 3, 4:28

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Baghdasaryan was 3-2 inside the octagon ahead of the pair’s featherweight fight at the Meta Apex; Magomedov was making his debut after a September win on the Contender Series.

As debuts go, they don’t come much bigger than this, with Magomedov debuting in style in Las Vegas.

Round one started with a body kick by Baghdasaryan. He landed a nice body shot shortly after, but it was all down hill from there. Melsik got a little too aggressive and ended up getting taken down and having his back taken. Magomedov got both hooks in and rolled to his back. As Baghdasaryan tried to turn towards him, Magomedov locked in a modified (Scottish) twister, and Baghdasaryan was forced to tap. A rare submission win, with The Korean Zombie, Bryce Mitchell, and Da’Mon Blackshear the only fighters having hit them in the UFC in the past. And to date, no one has debuted in the UFC by pulling off a twister submission, which will be a nice feather in Murtazali Magomedov’s cap.

Official Result: Murtazali Magomedov def. Melsik Baghdasaryan by submission (twister), Round 1, 1:17

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Both welterweights were jumping straight to the UFC, though Shahbazyan had a prior loss on Dana White’s Contender Series.

As it turned out, the fight was over almost before it started.

Round one kicked off, and it ended incredibly quickly. Levan Chokheli landed a heavy outside leg kick in the opening seconds. Shahbazyan was soon turtled up against the cage, and Chokheli unloaded. It was a left hook to the body that took down Shahbazyan, as he was visibly in pain, holding his knee. The ref came in, and that was all she wrote. Georgia’s Chokheli had the win in less than thirty seconds. Just twenty-three, to be exact.

Chokheli improves to 15-3, 1NC with the win, and has won five of his last six fights. The lone loss came under the Bellator MMA banner, against longtime UFC and Bellator vet Lorenz Larkin. After going 9-0 to start his career, Levan Chokheli struggled during his first few fights in Bellator, but was 4-3 by the time the PFL had acquired its rival. He’s now off to a good start in the UFC, and at age 29 is firmly in his prime.

Official Result: Levan Chokheli def. Leon Shahbazyan via TKO (leg kick and punches), Round 1, 0:23

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Chaves, 6-0 to start the night heading into UFC Vegas 118, took on Yuneisy Duben at the Meta Apex on Saturday, in flyweight action.

Duben was looking to bounce back from a loss in her own promotional debut; both fighters had joined the UFC via Dana White’s Contender Series.

The fight started with a couple leg kicks from Chaves. Duben caught a body kick but couldn’t find her range. That was evident in the striking early, as she had trouble finding her range. She timed Chaves coming in and got a strong bodylock takedown. Chaves easily got right back up and landed some good stuff off the break. Back at space, it was Chaves landing leg kicks and flurries as she circled away. Duben timed a leg kick with an overhand right. An ugly round one that likely favored Chaves as she did a bit more.

In round two, they crashed in the center early. Duben was the stronger girl, pushing Chaves against the cage. A lack of technique meant she couldn’t hold the position for too long. Chaves was looking to engage more, biting down on her mouthpiece and throwing. It didn’t really matter, though, as she eventually got a takedown. Chaves didn’t find the takedown easy at all but took the back quickly. She had the RNC that looked tight, but the angle was off. Duben was content to sit on her knees and protect her neck, waiting for the bell.

In the final round, it was likely Duben needed some sort of finish. She did land a nice one-two to start the round. Unfortunately for her, Chaves clinched up and was able to work in a takedown. Duben didn’t give up her back that time and got to her feet. Duben was gaining some confidence in her striking until Chaves ducked under for another takedown. Chaves did have the back for a moment before Duben could turn towards her. Chaves got up, but Duben dumped her back down. Duben scored some top time in half guard but did little damage, possibly letting the fight slip away.

Official Result: Jeisla Chaves def. Yuneisy Duben by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

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Both men were making their respective UFC debuts; South Korea’s Lee had gone 8-1 to start his pro career, while Brazil’s Dias had earned a shot in the UFC via Dana White’s Contender Series.

The two middleweights got off to a slow start, feeling each other out on the feet during the opening minute. Dias warmed things up with a series of low kicks that forced Lee Yi-sak to start moving on the outside, but the Brazilian opened up with his hands, the fight quickly turned into an onslaught.

Dias continuing to push forward, dropped Lee with a hook, planting him on the mat and forcing the South Korean to quickly recover back to his feet. Though the hunt continued from Luis Felipe Dias, who soon landed another beautiful right hook that smashed into Lee’s chin, knocking him down for a second and final time as referee Lukasz Bosacki rushed in to put a stop to the the fight.

For Luis Felipe Dias, he scores his first UFC victory; improving his record to 17-6 while extending his winning streak to four. Meanwhile, Lee Yi-sak suffers just the second loss of his professional career, falling to 8-2.

Official Result: Luis Felipe Dias def. Lee Yi-sak by TKO, Round 1, 3:40

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China’s own Zhu was a 25-fight veteran and had previously competed on Road to UFC, as well as for ONE Championship. Vera, hailing from Peru, also had over 20 fights on the regional circuit. He’d been circling a spot on the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter, didn’t land a spot, but jumped straight to the UFC anyway.

The two debutants got things started on the feet, with the opening minutes bringing chaos inside the Octagon. Zhu Kangjie threatened early, working behind his jab and bouncing in and out of the pocket as the crowd rallied behind the hometown fighter.

It didn’t take long for Rodrigo Vera to change the momentum. Around the three-minute mark of the first round, Vera caught Zhu with a heavy left hook that badly hurt him. He followed up with clean ground-and-pound shots, eventually securing the knockout victory in his UFC debut.

With the win, Rodrigo Vera improves to 22-1-1 and extends his winning streak to 14 straight. On the other side, Zhu Kangjie drops his promotional debut, falling to 21-5.

Official Result: Rodrigo Vera def. Zhu Kangjie by TKO, Round 1, 1:50

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Peru’s Diaz was making his promotional debut after winning a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series last October.

Diaz came out active early, chopping away with kicks to start the fight. He had trouble really landing clean, though, and seemed a bit hesitant to fully commit with Wellmaker’s power in mind. Wellmaker was just as patient, not throwing much unless the opening was there, but when he did, it counted—especially a couple of thudding body kicks that stood out more than anything Diaz was landing.

As the round went on, Wellmaker started to apply a bit more pressure, which pushed Diaz into changing levels for a takedown. Diaz was able to drag Wellmaker down a few times and even score some mat returns, but Wellmaker stayed composed, doing a good job preventing Diaz from threatening the back.

They separated in the closing seconds, and things got chaotic right up to the bell. Diaz actually dropped Wellmaker with a right hand after catching a kick, and as Wellmaker was getting back to his feet, Diaz landed a close illegal knee that came very near impact.

Into round two, Diaz once again caught a kick and fired back with that right hand. He followed it up with a right to the body as Wellmaker continued to fight at a low output. As Wellmaker tried to press forward, Diaz immediately changed levels and secured a quick takedown. He put Wellmaker in a tough position and gradually worked into top control.

Wellmaker eventually fought up to a knee and used the cage to get back to his feet, but Diaz stayed attached, dragged him down again, and took the back. From there, he locked in the rear-naked choke and forced the tap, pulling off a huge upset finish.

Official Result: Juan Diaz def. Malcolm Wellmaker by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 4:08

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Australia’s Johnston had been out since a fight in Eternal MMA back in 2024. Schultz had dropped his own debut to Damian Pinas earlier this year, and was looking to bounce back.

While Schultz initiated a takedown right off the opening bell, it was Johnston coming out on top in a scramble. He got to work in half guard, though Schultz did manage to shrimp back to the fence. Still, Schultz was trapped on his back, and Johnston found space to land some right hands. Another minute ticket away, two left on the clock, and Schultz was no closer to getting back to his feet. About 30 seconds later, he’d finally scramble free, only to essentially accept another takedown, pulling Johnston down on top of him.

An early clinch in round two saw Schultz connect with a solid knee! He went after a guillotine, thought Johnston survived, only to have to endure a second choke attempt. He’d scramble free after that and get on top, only for another scramble to see Schultz make it to side control. A few seconds later, yet another scramble, and it was Johnston in top position. This time, he was able to add some short elbows; when Schultz found space, however, he wrapped up another guillotine. Again, Johnston survived.

With two minutes still on the clock the second frame had been a busy one. Lots of grappling from both me, lots of submission attempts by Schultz. After more action, Schultz’s corner called for a knockout, claiming Johnston’s chin wasn’t there.

Instead, Schultz went after another guillotine early in the third. Johnston had lost his mouthpiece and was in a horrible spot, but gutted it out and pulled free. Schultz then answered a knee with several punches and a kick to the body before Johnston clinched up and got Schultz down. He punctuated that with a big ground strike on the way down. Yet just as it seemed like Johnston was in control, Schultz wrapped up another guillotine choke. And this time, he was able to force the tap!

"It means all my student loans are paid off now, that's what that means. Suck it, uncle Sam!" – Wes Schultz on what winning his first UFC bout means to him. #UFCPerth

— Cageside Press (@Cagesidepress) May 2, 2026

Official Result: Wes Schultz def. Ben Johnston by submission (guillotine choke), Round 3, 1:50

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Grant, now 40, was still a tough out in the bantamweight division, and coming off a loss to the resurgent Charles Jourdain.

Grant came out sharp, immediately establishing his kicking game. He battered Martinetti’s lead leg with calf kicks, attacking both the inside and outside, while Martinetti fired back with kicks of his own, though without nearly the same impact. Grant even caught one and dumped Martinetti to the canvas. A looping right hand also found the mark as Grant mixed his offense well, forcing Martinetti to defend at all three levels.

To Martinetti’s credit, he never let Grant’s pace overwhelm him and continued pressing forward. However, his tendency to dip his head made him vulnerable, and Grant capitalized with several well-timed knees. Martinetti shot for a takedown in the final minute of the round, but Grant defended easily before punctuating the frame with more damaging leg kicks.

Round two opened at a much higher pace. Recognizing the need to increase his output, Martinetti began letting his hands go, but Grant quickly slowed that momentum with more brutal calf kicks. The damage became so severe that Martinetti was forced to switch stances repeatedly. Grant was excellent at chaining his kicks off his boxing and shifting stances seamlessly, making him a difficult target to track down. Martinetti struggled to cut off the cage or put together sustained combinations. Grant cracked him with a huge looping right hand that, while not visibly hurting him, certainly got his attention. Martinetti answered with a pair of uppercuts, and after more leg kicks from Grant, Martinetti landed a spinning backfist just before the horn.

Entering the third, Martinetti likely needed a finish. He opened with an immediate takedown attempt, but Grant easily shrugged it off. Martinetti found some success with a nice combination to the body, though his punches lacked the power to truly trouble Grant. Grant, meanwhile, continued loading up on looping shots, and Martinetti struggled to find counters. A crisp left hook from Grant landed flush during an exchange, followed by a strong body combination and several sharp punches upstairs.

Martinetti finally secured a takedown late in the round, but Grant wasted no time returning to his feet. The fight closed with an entertaining flurry from both men, capping off a strong and well-rounded performance from Grant.

Official Result: Davey Grant def. Adrian Luna Martinetti def unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

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