UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs. Usman  18 Jul 2026 · Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, US

Ezra Elliot defeats Damien Anderson by unanimous decision

Win Ezra Elliot 8-0-0
Loss Damien Anderson 5-1-0
Watch the fight
Unanimous decision

Round 3 · 5:00

Elliot vs Anderson — Featherweight · UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs. Usman

Predictions summary

What happened

The result, the defining moments, and what the verdict means.

Elliot's grappling and physicality shut down Anderson's offence from the opening bell.

He began opening up offensively in the second after establishing control.

More takedowns and control time in round three removed any route back for Anderson.

Pre-fight analysis — how we saw it going in

Case for Elliot

Elliot arrives unbeaten at 7-0 with a finish in every professional win: five submissions and two knockouts. All seven recorded victories ended in the first round, giving him a clear early-finishing record on which to build his case.

Case for Anderson

Anderson is also unbeaten, 5-0, with four submission wins and one knockout. His five recorded wins all finished before the scorecards, including a kneebar and an inverted heel hook.

What We Were Watching For

  • Two unbeaten featherweights: which fighter establishes the first sustained exchange?
  • Submission records on both sides: Elliot has five recorded submission wins and Anderson four.
  • Neither professional record contains a decision, so an early finish remains a meaningful historical trend.
  • Anderson's documented finishes include a kneebar, an inverted heel hook and rear-naked chokes; Elliot's record includes five submission wins.
Records & career stats
Elliot vs Anderson
Elliot Anderson
  1. OutputSig. strikes landed / min 0.4 0.47
  2. Striking def.Striking defense 65% 45%
  3. DurabilitySig. strikes absorbed / min 0.47 0.4
  4. Takedown def.Takedown defense 100% 33%
  5. FinishingFinish rate 100% 100%
7-0-0
Record
5-0-0
5-0 last 5
Recent formRecent formWin–loss record over the fighter’s last five bouts, newest first, as carried in their UFC/FightMetric career stats.
5-0 last 5
United States
Nationality
United States
26
Age
29
1.78 m
Height — Elliot leads
1.70 m
183 cm
Reach
—
—
StanceStanceWhich side a fighter leads from — a striking term, not a religious one. Orthodox: right-handed, left foot and hand forward (the common default). Southpaw: the mirror image, right side forward (usually a left-hander). Switch: changes between the two during a fight.
—
100%
Finish rateFinish %Finish rateThe share of a fighter’s wins that ended inside the distance — by KO/TKO or submission — rather than going to the judges’ scorecards. Higher means more finishes.
100%
2
Wins by KO/TKOKO wins — Elliot leads
1
5
Wins by submissionSub wins — Elliot leads
4
0.4
Sig. strikes landed / minStr / minSignificant strikes landed per minuteAverage number of significant strikes a fighter lands for every minute of fight time — a read on striking output and pace. From UFC/FightMetric career stats.
0.47
0.47
Sig. strikes absorbed / minAbs / minSignificant strikes absorbed per minuteAverage number of significant strikes a fighter takes for every minute of fight time. Lower is better — it means they get hit less often. From UFC/FightMetric career stats.
0.4
65%
Striking defenseStrike def. — Elliot leadsStriking defenseThe percentage of opponents’ significant strikes that do not land — strikes slipped, blocked or evaded. Higher is better. Not the same as striking accuracy, which counts your own strikes that land. From UFC/FightMetric.
45%
100%
Takedown defenseTD def. — Elliot leadsTakedown defenseThe percentage of opponents’ takedown attempts that are stuffed. Higher means harder to put on the mat. From UFC/FightMetric.
33%
15:00
Avg. fight timeAvg. timeAverage fight timeThe mean length of the fighter’s bouts (minutes:seconds) — a rough read on whether they tend to finish early or go the distance. From UFC/FightMetric.
15:00
Red Hawk Academy
Team
Simple Man Martial Arts, Ambush Muay Thai

Career stats per UFC.com; recent form is each fighter's last five bouts. Record is as of fight night; career stats, recent form and win totals are the latest on file and may include this fight. Bars compare each stat on a fixed scale; the “Edge” marker flags the leading corner where the gap is meaningful. The snapshot plots five career rates — output, striking defense, durability (strikes absorbed, inverted), takedown defense and finish rate — each normalised on its own scale.

Comments

Comments are currently closed while we finish moderation and privacy controls.

Who Called It?

How the analysts' picks held up once the cage door closed.

Bedtime MMA
Hear it — 1:17

Current pick evidence

Picked: Ezra Elliot · Dec

Fight result: Ezra Elliot · Decision

Picks Elliot's size and striking edge, expecting him to avoid Anderson's ground game and win mainly on the feet over three rounds.

“with Ezra Elliott to win this one though”

Analyst track record Track record countsWinner counts resolved calls. Method and Round count only after a correct winner call. Underdog counts picks for a strict underdog in frozen pre-fight odds.Methodology

  • Winner Accuracy 70.8% 121 50
  • Method Accuracy 62.9% 56 33
  • Round Accuracy 38.5% 10 16
  • Underdog Accuracy 48.5% 16 17
View full track record (171 calls)
MMA JOEY
Hear it — 6:26

Current pick evidence

Picked: Ezra Elliot · Sub · Round 2

Fight result: Ezra Elliot · Decision

Picks Elliot by second-round rear-naked choke, citing two more pro fights and, in his view, slightly more experienced opposition.

“I'll say second round rear naked choke for Ezra Elliot.”

Analyst track record Track record countsWinner counts resolved calls. Method and Round count only after a correct winner call. Underdog counts picks for a strict underdog in frozen pre-fight odds.Methodology

  • Winner Accuracy 66.4% 71 36
  • Method Accuracy 46.2% 24 28
  • Round Accuracy 24.1% 7 22
  • Underdog Accuracy 38.9% 7 11
View full track record (107 calls)
The MMA Guru
Hear it — 1:58

Current pick evidence

Picked: Ezra Elliot · KO/TKO

Fight result: Ezra Elliot · Decision

Picks Elliot as the larger, more physical fighter, expecting his grappling to keep him safe from Anderson's submission threats and his aggression to create a TKO.

“I'm going to go with Ezra Elliott here over Damien Anderson.”

Analyst track record Track record countsWinner counts resolved calls. Method and Round count only after a correct winner call. Underdog counts picks for a strict underdog in frozen pre-fight odds.Methodology

  • Winner Accuracy 65.9% 203 105
  • Method Accuracy 52.8% 57 51
  • Round Accuracy 32.4% 12 25
  • Underdog Accuracy 47.2% 17 19
View full track record (308 calls)
Mike Finch
Hear it — 3:15

Current pick evidence

Picked: Damien Anderson · Sub

Fight result: Ezra Elliot · Decision

Picks Anderson by submission, arguing that Elliot repeatedly shoots and is likely to run into Anderson's more advanced jiu-jitsu.

“I got to pick Damen Anderson via submission.”

Analyst track record Track record countsWinner counts resolved calls. Method and Round count only after a correct winner call. Underdog counts picks for a strict underdog in frozen pre-fight odds.Methodology

  • Winner Accuracy 57.5% 23 17
  • Method Accuracy 62.5% 10 6
  • Round Accuracy 0.0% 2
  • Underdog Accuracy 40.0% 4 6
View full track record (40 calls)

Analyst picks: Bedtime MMA Hit; MMA JOEY Hit; The MMA Guru Hit; Mike Finch Miss.

Analyst prediction scorecards
Expand row
Bedtime MMA171 resolved calls
Bedtime MMA
Hear it — 1:17

Current pick evidence

Picked: Ezra Elliot · Dec

Fight result: Ezra Elliot · Decision

Picks Elliot's size and striking edge, expecting him to avoid Anderson's ground game and win mainly on the feet over three rounds.

“with Ezra Elliott to win this one though”

Analyst track record Track record countsWinner counts resolved calls. Method and Round count only after a correct winner call. Underdog counts picks for a strict underdog in frozen pre-fight odds.Methodology

  • Winner Accuracy 70.8% 121 50
  • Method Accuracy 62.9% 56 33
  • Round Accuracy 38.5% 10 16
  • Underdog Accuracy 48.5% 16 17
View full track record (171 calls)
Historic market Underdog call, market price 47.5%. Elliot · DecElliot · Dec R3HitHitNot called
MMA JOEY107 resolved calls
MMA JOEY
Hear it — 6:26

Current pick evidence

Picked: Ezra Elliot · Sub · Round 2

Fight result: Ezra Elliot · Decision

Picks Elliot by second-round rear-naked choke, citing two more pro fights and, in his view, slightly more experienced opposition.

“I'll say second round rear naked choke for Ezra Elliot.”

Analyst track record Track record countsWinner counts resolved calls. Method and Round count only after a correct winner call. Underdog counts picks for a strict underdog in frozen pre-fight odds.Methodology

  • Winner Accuracy 66.4% 71 36
  • Method Accuracy 46.2% 24 28
  • Round Accuracy 24.1% 7 22
  • Underdog Accuracy 38.9% 7 11
View full track record (107 calls)
Historic market Underdog call, market price 47.5%. Elliot · Sub · R2Elliot · Dec R3HitMissMiss
The MMA Guru308 resolved calls
The MMA Guru
Hear it — 1:58

Current pick evidence

Picked: Ezra Elliot · KO/TKO

Fight result: Ezra Elliot · Decision

Picks Elliot as the larger, more physical fighter, expecting his grappling to keep him safe from Anderson's submission threats and his aggression to create a TKO.

“I'm going to go with Ezra Elliott here over Damien Anderson.”

Analyst track record Track record countsWinner counts resolved calls. Method and Round count only after a correct winner call. Underdog counts picks for a strict underdog in frozen pre-fight odds.Methodology

  • Winner Accuracy 65.9% 203 105
  • Method Accuracy 52.8% 57 51
  • Round Accuracy 32.4% 12 25
  • Underdog Accuracy 47.2% 17 19
View full track record (308 calls)
Historic market Underdog call, market price 47.5%. Elliot · KO/TKOElliot · Dec R3HitMissNot called
Mike Finch40 resolved calls
Mike Finch
Hear it — 3:15

Current pick evidence

Picked: Damien Anderson · Sub

Fight result: Ezra Elliot · Decision

Picks Anderson by submission, arguing that Elliot repeatedly shoots and is likely to run into Anderson's more advanced jiu-jitsu.

“I got to pick Damen Anderson via submission.”

Analyst track record Track record countsWinner counts resolved calls. Method and Round count only after a correct winner call. Underdog counts picks for a strict underdog in frozen pre-fight odds.Methodology

  • Winner Accuracy 57.5% 23 17
  • Method Accuracy 62.5% 10 6
  • Round Accuracy 0.0% 2
  • Underdog Accuracy 40.0% 4 6
View full track record (40 calls)
Historic market Favourite call, market price 52.5%. Anderson · SubElliot · Dec R3MissNot applicable — the winner call missedNot applicable — the winner call missed

3 of 4 nailed it.

The experts above are a lens, not credentials we conferred — analyst, fighter or betting desk.

No AI predictions are available for this fight yet.

No market odds are available for this fight yet.

Independent fan-made fight recap. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the UFC or any other MMA promotion. Analysis is editorial opinion, not betting advice. Fighter names and records are used for commentary. Image credits · Methodology · Privacy · Terms.