HISTORIC NIGHT IN ABU DHABI AS MACKENZIE DERN BECOMES THE FIRST WOMAN TO WIN A UFC TITLE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Tom Aspinall vs Ciryl Gane heavyweight title bout ends in a no-contest following an accidental eye poke, wrapping up a dramatic night at Etihad Arena
Abu Dhabi, UAE: Mackenzie Dern became the first woman to win a UFC title in the Middle East after defeating Virna Jandiroba to claim the vacant UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship at UFC 321: Aspinall vs Gane. The Brazilian overcame early pressure to dominate the later rounds and secure a unanimous-decision victory in front of a roaring Etihad Arena crowd.
Commenting on her win in Abu Dhabi, Dern said: “There’s honestly no better place I could have imagined winning my first belt. I’m so proud to be the first woman to win a title here, it feels incredible. Abu Dhabi will always be a special part of my life, it will always be part of my story.”
“The energy and support from the fans here at the Etihad Arena were amazing. It kept me going through the third, fourth, and fifth rounds. I just kept trying to take her down, land my shots, and do everything I could to win the fight. I’m so happy and grateful to have achieved this here.”
Meanwhile, the heavyweight title bout between champion Tom Aspinall and top contender Ciryl Gane ended in a no-contest after accidental eye pokes in the first round. The fight was stopped at 4:35 when Aspinall was unable to continue due to vision loss in his right eye, marking his first title defence.
“I think I started very well,” said Gane after the fight. “Everybody knows the strategy, he (Aspinall) always starts really hard to surprise his opponent. I think I did very well. I defended the takedown, I touched him, and I saw some blood on his nose. It was a really great first round. That’s why I was a little bit disappointed, a little bit sad about this issue. But this is the sport.”
Elsewhere on the main card, Umar Nurmagomedov displayed his trademark dominance to earn a unanimous-decision win over Mario Bautista, extending his rise toward bantamweight title contention. In the heavyweight division, Alexander Volkov edged past Jailton Almeida in a gruelling three-round battle to claim a split-decision win. Russia’s Azamat Murzakanov then delivered one of the year’s standout moments, knocking out Aleksandar Rakić with a single right hand at 3:11 of the opening round.
Earlier in the evening, the capacity crowd in the UAE capital erupted as Egypt’s Hamdy Abdelwahab thrilled fans with a dominant heavyweight win over Chris Barnett via unanimous decision.
Quillan Salkilld earned a Performance of the Night bonus with a spectacular head-kick knockout of Nasrat Haqparast. The second bonus went to Valter Walker, who made history by recording his fourth straight heel-hook submission, this time against Louie Sutherland. Fight of the Night honours went to Ľudovít Klein and Mateusz Rebecki after a gruelling three-round battle that left both men battered, with Rebecki bloodied and Klein unable to stand due to an ankle injury, before Klein ultimately took the win.
Featuring action-packed bouts and elite global talent, UFC 321 showed once again why Abu Dhabi is regarded as one of the world’s premier fight capitals, delivering unforgettable moments inside the Octagon.