UFC 321 Main Card Overview
UFC 321 took place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE, featuring fights across multiple divisions. The card was headlined by a heavyweight title defence, Tom Aspinall vs Ciryl Gane, while the co-main event saw Mackenzie Dern battle Virna Jandiroba for the vacant women’s strawweight title. The main card also featured decisive performances by other contenders.
Here are the official main-card results, followed by detailed analysis of each bout.
Main Card Results
- Tom Aspinall (c) vs Ciryl Gane – Heavyweight Title → No Contest (Accidental double eye poke, Round 1)
- Mackenzie Dern vs Virna Jandiroba – Women’s Strawweight Title → Dern def. Jandiroba (Unanimous Decision, 48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
- Umar Nurmagomedov vs Mario Bautista – Bantamweight → Nurmagomedov def. Bautista (Unanimous Decision)
- Alexander Volkov vs Jailton Almeida – Heavyweight → Volkov def. Almeida (Unanimous Decision)
- Aleksandar Rakic vs Azamat Murzakanov – Light Heavyweight → Murzakanov def. Rakic (TKO, Round 1)
Tom Aspinall vs Ciryl Gane
Tom Aspinall’s heavyweight title defence against Ciryl Gane ended abruptly in the main event. Gane accidentally poked Aspinall in both eyes late in the first round, which made him unable to continue, hence the fight was called a no-contest.
The outcome makes things in the heavyweight category unclear. Aspinall keeps the belt, but there was no clear winner. A rematch is strongly anticipated to settle the unfinished business.
Mackenzie Dern vs Virna Jandiroba
Mackenzie Dern won the women’s strawweight title that was up for grabs by beating Virna Jandiroba by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46). Dern showed better striking and dominated a lot of the exchanges, stopping Jandiroba’s grappling threats and takedowns.
This is a big step forward in Dern’s career; she is now the official champion in the division. Jandiroba did a good job, but it wasn’t enough to convince the judges.
Umar Nurmagomedov vs Mario Bautista
In the bantamweight bout, Umar Nurmagomedov rebounded with a unanimous decision win over Mario Bautista. Nurmagomedov won all three rounds by using precise strikes, good defence, and savvy cage control.
This win puts him back in the running for the title and puts him among the top contenders in the division.
Alexander Volkov vs Jailton Almeida
Heavyweight contender Alexander Volkov secured a unanimous decision win over Jailton Almeida. Volkov utilised his reach advantage and striking range to keep Almeida’s grappling attempts at bay, controlling key periods of the fight.
The win helps solidify Volkov’s status as a top contender in the heavyweight division once again.
Azamat Murzakanov vs Aleksandar Rakić
In a standout performance, Azamat Murzakanov defeated Aleksandar Rakic via technical knockout in the first round. Despite giving up height and reach, Murzakanov timed a short right that connected cleanly, dropped Rakic, and followed with ground-and-pound until the referee intervened.
This victory advances Murzakanov’s undefeated record and dramatically elevates his standing in the light heavyweight division. For Rakic, the loss marks yet another setback and raises questions about his future path.
There were both controversial and groundbreaking performances at UFC 321. The heavyweight main event didn’t have a clear winner, but Mackenzie Dern’s crowning and Azamat Murzakanov’s unexpected victory made the night. This card sets the stage for exciting matchups in the following part of the promotion, with big effects on several divisions.
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