Ilia Topuria

Topuria met the most prolific finisher in UFC history in the centre and never let him settle. He stuffed an Oliveira takedown and a follow-up leglock against the fence, then ended it with a flush right–left to the chin — becoming a champion in a second weight class in his very first lightweight fight.

Key moments

• Opened a cut over Oliveira's eye with his very first combinations.
• Stuffed a takedown attempt and a follow-up leglock on the fence.
• A right–left flush to the chin dropped Oliveira; two grounded follow-ups ended it at 2:27.
• Became the 10th two-division champion in UFC history.

Two competitive rounds gave way to history in the third. Topuria backed Holloway to the fence with a right cross and put him down with the left hook — the first knockout of Holloway's career — to retain the featherweight title in Abu Dhabi.

Key moments

• The first two rounds were tight and competitive.
• A clean right cross drove Holloway back to the cage in round three.
• A left hook by the fence dropped him — the first time Holloway had ever been knocked out.
• The two traded taunts all night, Topuria borrowing Holloway's own "point to the ground" invitation.

Volkanovski took a kick-heavy first round on all three cards, but Topuria's power decided it. Late in the second he trapped the long-reigning champion on the fence and landed an overhand right that ended the fight cold — making Topuria the first UFC champion from Spain.

Key moments

• Volkanovski swept the opening round on all three judges' scorecards.
• An overhand right against the fence in round two dropped him unconscious.
• Topuria became the first UFC champion from Spain.

Topuria's coming-out party as a five-round headliner. After a close opening round he took over completely, dropping and battering the famously durable Emmett — who refused to fold — across a wide unanimous decision, then called for a title shot.

Key moments

• Dropped Emmett and turned round two one-sided.
• Round four was the most lopsided — repeated knockdowns and sustained damage.
• One judge scored it 50–42, a card that included a rare 10–7 round.
• Emmett's durability carried him to the final bell; Topuria called for the title afterward.

Topuria called his shot and delivered, out-grappling an unbeaten jiu-jitsu specialist on his own turf. He controlled the exchanges and locked up an arm-triangle in the second round for the tap — the first loss of Mitchell's career.

Key moments

• Out-grappled the well-regarded BJJ specialist in the scrambles.
• Locked up an arm-triangle choke in round two for the finish.
• Handed Bryce Mitchell the first loss of his career — exactly as he'd predicted.