If UFC BJJ 9 proved anything, it's that nobody was interested in leaving things to the judges.

Eight of the night's nine matches ended in submissions. Rear-naked chokes, armbars, heel hooks, triangles. The finishes came from everywhere.

The card at the UFC APEX was headlined by light heavyweight champion Mason Fowler defending his title against Devhonte Johnson. Former UFC title challenger Gilbert Burns also made his UFC BJJ debut, while names like Nick Rodriguez, Ffion Davies, Bella Mir, Achilles Rocha, and John Chandler rounded out a stacked night of grappling.

By the end of it, there wasn't much left to debate.

Except maybe who should be getting title shots next.

Mason Fowler def. Devhonte Johnson

Submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 2:29

The main event started slowly.

Fowler and Johnson spent much of the opening minutes tied up in the clinch. Referee Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro wasn't thrilled about it. Warnings came first. Then point deductions.

Eventually Fowler decided enough was enough.

One quick arm drag. Back taken. Body triangle secured.

Johnson barely had time to react before Fowler slid the choke under the chin. Fowler looked so comfortable he managed to smile toward his corner while finishing the submission.

The tap came at 2:29.

Title retained.

Gilbert Burns def. Horlando Monteiro

Submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 1:22

Gilbert Burns looked like a man who hadn't forgotten a thing.

Monteiro shot early. Burns immediately wrapped up a front headlock, shut the attempt down, and turned the exchange into a back take.

A few moments later he was already under the neck.

Tap.

Just 88 seconds.

Afterward, Burns had plenty to say. He mentioned names like Demian Maia, Dustin Poirier, and Nate Diaz. He also made it clear he's still chasing championship gold, whether that's in MMA or inside the UFC BJJ Bowl.

Nick Rodriguez def. João Nicolite

Submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 3:12

Rodriguez wasted absolutely no time.

The opening sequence looked less like a feeling-out process and more like a sprint.

He charged across the Bowl, landed a takedown, navigated Nicolite's leg attacks, and settled into top position. Once Rodriguez found the back, the finish felt inevitable.

The choke came shortly afterward.

The message afterward was simple.

He wants the winner of the main event.

And he doesn't sound particularly concerned about who that might be.

Ffion Davies def. Amanda Bruse

Submission (armbar), Round 1, 4:49

Amanda Bruse nearly had the crowd jumping early.

A flying triangle attempt put Davies in immediate danger and briefly looked like it might change the course of the match.

Davies stayed patient.

Once she escaped, the momentum shifted completely.

She found the back, hunted for the choke, adjusted when Bruse defended, and eventually switched to an armbar. Bruse fought it. Davies kept tightening.

With 11 seconds remaining in the round, the tap came.

A strong return after her title loss in her previous UFC BJJ appearance.

Bella Mir def. Nichelle Johnson

Submission (armbar), Round 3, 3:49

Bella Mir spent most of the match making life miserable for Nichelle Johnson.

Takedowns. Top pressure. Position control.

Johnson survived multiple submission attempts and refused to break through two rounds. Face cranks came and went. Gift-wrap positions threatened constantly.

Mir just kept working.

In the third round she finally found the opening she needed.

A kimura attack forced a scramble. The armbar followed.

Tap.

Three straight wins inside the Bowl.

Afterward Mir made her case for a title shot.

Achilles Rocha def. Filipe Pimentel

Submission (heel hook), Round 1, 2:00

Achilles Rocha arrived with bad intentions.

The son of Wagner Rocha immediately pushed the pace, forcing the action from the opening exchange.

Pimentel defended the first heel hook attempt.

The second adjustment ended the match.

Two minutes.

Done.

Rocha then joined the growing list of athletes asking for a shot at the light heavyweight title.

John Chandler def. Raphael Ferreira

Submission (triangle choke), Round 3, 4:58

This one may have stolen the show.

Ferreira nearly finished Chandler early with an anaconda choke that looked deep enough to end most matches.

Chandler survived.

Not comfortably. Not easily.

Just survived.

The momentum swung back and forth for three rounds. Ferreira attacked leg locks. Chandler escaped. Chandler threatened submissions. Ferreira escaped.

By the final round both athletes looked exhausted.

Then came the finish.

With only seconds remaining, Chandler locked up a triangle choke. Ferreira appeared close to escaping as the clock ticked away.

Then he tapped.

Two seconds left.

One of the wildest endings we've seen inside the Bowl.

Mourece Ramirez def. Victor Delibero

Unanimous Decision

The lone match to reach the scorecards was also one of the busiest.

Ramirez spent fifteen minutes attacking from every angle imaginable.

Flying triangles. Wall runs. Pressure passing. Constant movement.

Delibero defended well enough to stay alive but struggled to generate consistent offense of his own.

When the judges were finally needed, the decision felt straightforward.

Ramirez had simply done more.

Ana Lima def. Amanda Mazza

Submission (armbar), Round 1, 2:18

Ana Lima opened the card and set the tone for the night.

Leg attacks came first.

The armbar came second.

Mazza briefly created space and looked ready to escape the danger. Lima adjusted immediately and attacked the arm instead.

The tap followed shortly afterward.

UFC BJJ debut.

Submission victory.

Not a bad way to start the evening.