UFC311 in Inglewood, California, was an event held in the amazing Intuit Dome. The 18,000-seat area boasts a double-sided electronic video board that covers over 38,000 square feet.
It was the UFC’s third visit to Inglewood, but its first since 2018. The event was rocked by the last-minute change of the main event. Arman Tsarukyan pulled out on fight morning with a back injury. So, in stepped Renato Moicana, who was scheduled to fight Beneil Dariush.
Six of the 13 fights on the card were stoppages, and seven went the distance. Only one of the five fights on the main card went the distance.
TOP PERFORMER: JIRI PROCHAZKA
In an absolute barnstormer of a fight in the light heavyweight division, which effectively was a title eliminator. Jiri Prochazka stopped Jamaal Hill in the third round after dropping him three times on the way to a TKO victory.
It was clear Prochazka’s awkward style and perpetual movement was a problem for Hill, who came into the fight with strappings on both knees, although he said he was the fittest he had ever been. But he just couldn’t get out of the way of Jiri’s powerful straight shots.
Prochazka dropped Hill in the first round with an accurate right. Then again in the third with a lovely left, right combo, before finishing the fight with a barrage of punches on the feet, and then on the ground for an impressive victory.
TOP PERFORMER 2: MARAB DVALISHVILI
The Inglewood crowd witnessed a fight for the ages for the bantamweight title between two of the most talented fighters on the roster, champion Marab Dvalishvili and the unbeaten challenger Umar Nurmagomedov.
The build-up was intense with a fierce war of words that showed the two really did not like each other and dear not lose to. The fight started that way, with neither wanting to give an inch.
Umar got the better of the early exchanges and was possibly two rounds up. However, Marab showed his championship quality and formidable gas tank as he pushed the pace. You could clearly see Umar wilting under the pressure as Marab fought his way to a deserved points victory to retain his title in a tough battle.
TOP PERFORMER 3 JAILTON ALMEIDA
The Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist made it back-to-back first-round wins with his destruction over Serghie Spivac to send the crowd into raptures. Known for his ground game, he still has hands and demonstrated that with his 11th stoppage in 22 wins.
He added to his growing resume with wins over names such as Parker Porter, Rozenstruik and Derrick Lewis. In what was a come-from-behind victory over Spivac, after being taken down.
He showed his strength, and skill to withstand the ground and pound, get back to his feet, and then unleash a barrage of punches to put Spivac in retreat. He then took him down, pounded on him, flattened him out and finished the fight with hammer fists.
Honourable Mentions
Islam Makchachev had to deal with a last-minute opponent change, which could have been a real banana skin. But like a true champion, he dealt with the problem and made light work of Renato Moicano in the first round. After an early scare, he took the Brazilian striker down and expertly submitted him to retain his welterweight title.
Reinier de Ridder demonstrated his excellent jiu-jitsu with a first-round stoppage of Kevin Holland in his second fight in the UFC. After a tricky debut, where Gerald Meerschaert pushed him to the third round before he got submitted. De Ridder wasted no time to lock Holand in a rare naked choke to stop the fight in under four minutes.
