The UFC closes out the month of March on Paramount+ with the Octagon returning to Seattle with UFC Fight Night 271 taking place at the Climate Pledge Arena.
The main event sees the return of former UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya, fighting for the first time in over a year, taking on Joe Pyfer in the five-round headliner. Adesanya is looking to get back into title form and end a three-fight losing skid, while Pyfer is looking to score the biggest win of his career and extend his three-fight win streak.
In the co-main event, former UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion Alexa Grasso takes on Maycee Barber in a rematch of a February 2021 bout won by Grasso. Also on the main card is a battle of veterans as Michael Chiesa takes on Niko Price in a double retirement bout; a middleweight fight between rising propsects Mansur Abdul-Malik and Yousri Belgaroui; and a lightweight fight pitting Terrance McKinney against Kyle Nelson.
PRELIMS | 5 PM ET/2 PM PT
> Women’s Strawweights- #13 Alexia Thainara (13-1, 2-0 UFC) vs. Bruna Brasil (11-6-1, 3-4 UFC)
They trade and Thainara lands a right hand. They trade leg kicks. Thainara lands a combo then a pair of leg kicks. Thainara gets a takedown and lands a combo as Brasil stands. Brasil lands a leg kick. They trade and Thainara scores another takedown. Thainara lands and they get to their feet. Thainara lands a right hand as Brasil looks for a takedown opening. Brasil lands a left hook. Brasil lands a leg kick as Thainara lands a series of punches. Brasil with a body kick and a leg kick though Thainara counters into a takedown. Thainara is pressuring the neck and lands an elbow from the top. Thainara lands from the top. 10-9 Thainara.
Thainara lands a leg kick and a combination. Thainara lands a solid right hand after a series of shots. Thainara pushes Brasil against the fence and lands a knee. Brasil lands a knee and they break, and Brasil lands a knee as Thainara lands a series of punches. Thainara grabs the body lock and pushes it against the fence as they trade knees. Thainara keeps it pushed against the fence as both are landing knees. Thainara lands a combination as they separate, and then lands a pair of combinations. Brasil lands a spin kick to the body but eats a right hand from Thainara. Brasil lands a knee and Thainara scores a takedown off of it. Thainara pressuring from the top. Thainara with an elbow. Thainara lands from the top as Brasil kicks her off, but Thainara ends up back on top and lands to end the round. 10-9 Thainara, 20-18 Thainara.
They trade kicks. Brasil lands a head kick, but Thainara grabs it and dumps Brasil to the mat. Thainara gets inside the guard of Brasil and lands. Thainara lands a few elbows from the top. Thainara lands some right hands from the top. Thainara has the back as they stand and lands before they get into clinch position. They break apart and Thainara lands a right hand and a calf kick. Thainara with a combination and a calf kick and lands another solid right hand. Thainara lands another right hand. Thainara with a quick flurry and Brasil looks gassed. Thainara gets a takedown. Thainara lands from the top before standing, and Brasil stands. Brasil lands a spin kick right to the face that stunned Thainara and Thainara grabs the back of Brasil. Thainara lands some knees against the fence. Thainara lands as they break at the end. 10-9 Thainara, 30-27 Thainara.
Fight Result- Alexia Thainara def. Bruna Brasil by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
> Bantamweights- Ricky Simon (22-7, 10-6 UFC) vs. Adrian Yanez (17-6, 6-3 UFC)
Yanez works the jab as Simon is looking for a takedown opening. Simon lands a leg kick. Yanez working the jab. They trade left hooks. They both work the jab. Simon lands a leg kick and looks for a takedown but Yanez escapes. Yanez lands some punches. Simon just misses a spinning back fist. Simon with a stiff jab. They trade in close range as Yanez lands a quick combo. They trade jabs as Yanez lands a right hand. Yanez with a jab followed by a right hand. Simon lands a body kick. Both land in close range. Simon with an uppercut. Yanez lands a right hand. Close round. 10-9 Yanez.
Simon lands a right hand. Simon with a front kick. Simon lands a right hand. They both land inside the pocket. Yanez with a double jab as Simon lands a leg kick. They both land a right hand. Simon lands a jab and scores a takedown. Simon lands from the top. Yanez is able to scramble up and Simon has the back against the fence. Yanez grabs the fence. Simon lands a knee. Simon gets another takedown and lands a knee before Yanez gets up. Simon trying hard to get Yanez back down against the fence. Simon lands an elbow as they break apart. Yanez lands a solid right hand. Yanez lands a double jab followed by a combo. Simon with a head kick that Yanez blocks, and Yanez lands a right hand. Yanez with a combo. They trade jabs. 10-9 Simon, 19-19.
Yanez lands a combination. Yanez with a leg kick followed by a stiff right hand. Yanez with another right hand. Yanez with another combination. They trade inside the pocket. They trade jabs and Simon lands a solid left hook that stuns Yanez for a moment. Yanez lands and Simon is cut open. Yanez working the jab. Yanez lands a right hand. Simon lands a jab. Yanez lands a right hand and Simon is hurt. Yanez with a jab as Simon is circling away. Yanez lands as Simon was coming forward. Yanez lands another combo. Yanez lands a jab as they trade in close range. Yanez lands a right hand. Yanez with another combo. Yanez drops Simon with a right hand late and is landing lots of shots late but Simon is able to make it to the end. 10-9 Yanez, 29-28 Yanez.
Fight Result- Ricky Simon vs. Adrian Yanez ruled a majority draw (29-28, 28-28, 28-28)
> Light Heavyweights- Navajo Stirling (8-0, 3-0 UFC) vs. Bruno Lopes (14-2, 1-1 UFC)
They both land a leg kick. They trade leg kicks. Stirling with a high kick. Stirling lands a body kick. They both land big shots during an exchange. Stirling lands a left hand. Stirling with a head kick and Lopes catches the leg and tries for a takedown as Stirling gets the leg free, but Lopes gets the back. They separate after Lopes lands an elbow. Lopes looks for a takedown but Stirling defends and lands a knee. Stirling with a left hook to the body and then lands a big combination. Lopes grabs a Stirling body kick but Stirling squirms away. Stirling lands a right hand. They trade and Lopes looks for a takedown as he gets the back, but Stirling gets away. Stirling lands a combo and a head kick. 10-9 Stirling.
Stirling pressuring and landing as he lands to the body. Lopes lands a counter right hand. Stirling with a jab and a right hand. Lopes lands a right hand. They trade and Stirling hurts Lopes with two right hands. Stirling then drops Lopes with a left hand and starts landing from the top. Stirling lands and grabs the neck as they stand. Stirling lands a big right hand and Lopes is stumbling around as he is hurt and Stirling is landing lots of punches and elbows. Stirling with lots of left hands from the back. Lopes is badly busted open as Stirling is landing from the mount. Stirling with more big shots and it is finally stopped. Big finish from Stirling!
Fight Result- Navajo Stirling def. Bruno Lopes by TKO (punches) at 4:05 of Round 2
> Women’s Flyweights- #12 Casey O’Neill (10-2, 5-2 UFC) vs. #14 Gabriella Fernandes (11-3, 3-2 UFC)
O’Neill lands a leg kick. She lands another. Fernandes with a left hand and a high kick. O’Neill lands a combo. O’Neill with another leg kick. O’Neill lands another leg kick and follows with a right hand. O’Neill with a right hand. O’Neill works the jab and lands to the body and a body kick. Fernandes with a quick combo and a leg kick. O’Neill rushes in and lands. O’Neill hurts Fernandes with a right hand and starts teeing off with big shots against the fence and Fernandes goes down and it is all over! What a finish from O’Neill!
Fight Result- Casey O’Neill def. Gabriella Fernandes by knockout (punches) at 3:11 of Round 1
> Heavyweights- #8 Marcin Tybura (27-10, 14-9 UFC) vs. Tyrell Fortune (17-3, 0-0 UFC)
Not much has happened in the first minute. Fortune lands before scoring a big takedown and starts unloading with punches from the top. Fortune has Tybura pinned against the fence. Tybura is trying to work to his feet and does but Fortune lands a big right hand. Fortune looks for the takedown against the fence. Tybura lands a big knee. They break apart. Tybura with a high kick. They trade right hands. Fortune with a right hand as Tybura lands a teet kick. 10-9 Fortune.
Fortune lands a right hand. Fortune lands another hard right hand. Tybura lands a leg kick and a pair of teet kicks, though one goes low and timeout is called. They get back going and Fortune lands a right hand. Fortune lands a pair of right hands. Fortune lands a right hand. Tybura is pressuring and lands a big left hand. Fortune lands a right hand. Tybura with a right hand. Fortune with a left hand and Tybura lands a body kick. Fortune lands a right hand. Fortune with another right hand. 10-9 Fortune, 20-18 Fortune.
Fortune pushes it against the fence and is controlling Tybura. They separate after no action. They clinch back up and Tybura pushes it to the fence. They break apart and Tybura lands some teet kicks and they clinch against the fence. Fortune lands an elbow. They separate. Tybura lands a right hand. Fortune with a combination. Fortune scores a takedown and has back control as they stand. Fortune drags it back down. Fortune with some big right hands as they get to their feet and Fortune keeps control along the fence. Tybura reverses and lands. Fortune reverses back and Tybura lands a knee. Fortune with a knee and Tybura lands a left hand. Tybura lands a combo as he pushes Fortune against the fence. Tybura with a front kick and lands a combo. They trade at the end. 10-9 Tybura, 29-28 Fortune.
Fight Result- Tyrell Fortune def. Marcin Tybura by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
> Lightweights- Chase Hooper (16-4-1, 8-4 UFC) vs. Lance Gibson Jr. (9-2, 0-1 UFC)
They trade leg kicks. Hooper with a quick combo. Both land a leg kick. Hooper with a high kick. Hooper shoots for a takedown as he has a single leg and Gibson is defending by landing punches and elbows. Hooper lets go. Gibson with a leg kick. Hooper lands a body kick as Gibson lands to the body. Hooper lands a head kick. Gibson with a left hook. They clinch and Gibson badly hurts Hooper with an elbow and then lands a head kick. Gibson is landing some knees and Hooper is down and the fight is stopped! Weird finish but Hooper isn’t protesting and he was hurt badly.
Fight Result- Lance Gibson Jr. def. Chase Hooper by TKO (strikes) at 2:56 of Round 1
> Lightweights- Ignacio Bahamondes (17-6, 6-3 UFC) vs. Tofiq Musayev (22-6, 0-1 UFC)
Bahamondes lands some kicks early. Musayev lands a right hand and Bahamondes lands a solid counter combination. Musayev with a leg kick. Musayev catches a kick and both swing and land. Bahamondes lands a leg kick. Bahamondes with a high kick and then lands another. Bahamondes with a pair of inside leg kicks. They trade kicks. Musayev lands a right hand as they tie up and Musayev pushes it to the fence. They trade elbows as they break. Musayev lands a leg kick. Bahamondes with a body kick. They trade leg kicks. Musayev with a leg kick. Musayev lands a heavy combination. Bahamondes with a combination. They trade body kicks and Musayev gets a late takedown and lands some punches from the top. 10-9 Bahamondes.
Bahamondes drops Musayev with a right hand and starts teeing off from the top. He gets up and Bahamondes tried twice to take him down but Musayev grabbed the fence both times. They separate and both land body kicks. Musayev gets Bahamondes down and Bahamondes looks for a guillotine choke. Musayev escapes and is on top. Musayev lands a big elbow and Bahamondes is cut open badly. Bahamondes looks for an armbar but Musayev escapes. Bahamondes is badly bleeding as Musayev lands from the top. Musayev with an illegal headbutt that the referee misses. Musayev with a big elbow and right hand from the top. Musayev with some big shots from the top and he has Bahamondes hurt. Musayev with more big shots from the top and Bahamondes is a ten on The Muta Scale. Musayev with more big shots. Bahamondes survives. 10-9 Musayev, 19-19.
Musayev lands a right hand. Bahamondes with a spinning elbow. Musayev lands a combination. They tie up and Musayev scores a takedown. Musayev lands from the top as he controls. Bahamondes with an elbow from the bottom. Musayev lands from the top. Bahamondes is trying to scramble up but he is bleeding everywhere and slippery and Musayev is keeping it down. Bahamondes is able to sweep and takes the back of Musayev. Bahamondes is working for a choke. Bahamondes is looking for it but Musayev escapes and lands from the top. 10-9 Musayev, 29-28 Musayev.
Fight Result- Tofiq Musayev def. Ignacio Bahamondes by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 30-27)
MAIN CARD | 8 PM ET/5 PM PT
> Lightweights- Terrance McKinney (17-8, 7-5 UFC) vs. Kyle Nelson (17-6-1, 5-5-1 UFC)
McKinney working the jab early and he drops Nelson with a head kick. McKinney with tons of hammerfists from the top and Nelson is covering up. McKinney just pouring on the hammerfists and it is stopped! What a finish from McKinney!
Fight Result- Terrance McKinney def. Kyle Nelson by TKO (punches) at :24 of Round 1
> Middleweights- Mansur Abdul-Malik (9-0-1, 3-0-1 UFC) vs. Yousri Belgaroui (9-3, 1-0 UFC)
They both land a leg kick. Belgaroui lands a leg kick. He lands another one. Abdul-Malik with a front kick. Belgaroui lands a front kick to the body. They trade leg kicks. Both land a body kick. Belgaroui lands a nasty calf kick. He lands a pair of leg kicks. Abdul-Malik lands a right hand. Belgaroui with a pair of calf kicks. He lands another. Belgaroui landing all sorts of kicks. They trade late and Belgaroui lands a high kick. 10-9 Belgaroui.
They trade kicks. Belgaroui lands a pair of calf kicks as Abdul-Malik was pressing forward. Belgaroui lands a pair of right hands. Abdul-Malik grabs ahold and tries to get a slam but Belgaroui stays on his feet. They break apart. Abdul-Malik pressing forward and throws but Belgaroui is circling away. Abdul-Malik rushes in looking to land but misses. Belgaroui with a knee and a right hand. Abdul-Malik gets a brief takedown and takes the back and drags it back down. Abdul-Malik trying to get the hooks in. Belgaroui is able to escape and has the back as they stand and he lands. Belgaroui lands some knees and some right hands as they break apart. Belgaroui lands a right hand. Belgaroui lands a pair of knees. They trade knees. Belgaroui lands an uppercut and a knee. Abdul-Malik looks hurt and gassed. They trade knees as Belgaroui lands an elbow. Belgaroui drops Abdul-Malik at the end but the horn sounds. 10-9 Belgaroui, 20-18 Belgaroui.
Belgaroui lands a calf kick. They trade kicks. Belgaroui with a pair of jabs and a right hand. Belgaroui lands a knee. Belgaroui lands a head kick then a series of punches. Abdul-Malik with a spinning elbow. Abdul-Malik gets a takedown and has the back as they go to the fence. Abdul-Malik with back control on the feet. They break apart. Belgaroui hurts Abdul-Malik badly with a knee and a right hand. Abdul-Malik lands a right hand. Abdul-Malik tries a lunging takedown but Belgaroui defends. Belgaroui lands a right hand and a jab and then lands to the body. Belgarouri drops Abdul-Malik with a knee to the body and it is stopped! Brutal finish from Belgaroui!
Fight Result- Yousri Belgaroui def. Mansur Abdul-Malik by TKO (knee) at 3:39 of Round 3
> Featherweights- Julian Erosa (31-12, 9-8 UFC) vs. Lerryan Douglas (13-5, 0-0 UFC)
Douglas lands a leg kick. They trade leg kicks. Erosa with a high kick. Douglas lands a leg kick. Douglas lands a solid left hook by a hard calf kick and Erosa’s leg is already compromised. Erosa lands a combo. Douglas stumbles Erosa with a right hand. Douglas with another heavy leg kick. Douglas lands a combo. Erosa lands a right hand. Erosa lands a combo. Erosa lands against the fence and Douglas lands big punches in return. Douglas stumbles Erosa with a jab and then drops him with another one. Erosa gets up but is hurt. Douglas lands another stiff jab. He lands another that rocks Erosa and then a right hand. Douglas drops Erosa and Erosa gets up, but Douglas lands a big punch and Erosa goes down again and it’s over! What a finish from Douglas!
Fight Result- Lerryan Douglas def. Julian Erosa by knockout (punches) at 3:33 of Round 1
> Welterweights- Michael Chiesa (19-7, 14-7 UFC) vs. Niko Price (16-10 2 NC, 8-10 2 NC UFC)
Price lands a right hand. They tie up and Chiesa has the body lock. Price is able to score the takedown but Chiesa scrambles up and slams Price to the mat and takes the back. Price tries to get out but Chiesa gets the rear-naked choke locked in and Price taps!
Fight Result- Michael Chiesa def. Niko Price by submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:03 of Round 1
> Women’s Flyweights- #3 Alexa Grasso (16-5-1, 8-5-1 UFC) vs. #5 Maycee Barber (15-2, 10-2 UFC)
Grasso lands a leg kick. They trade in close range. Barber lands a quick flurry and Grasso counters with a right hand. Barber with a leg kick. Grasso lands a high kick. Grasso lands a counter combination as Barber was pressing forward. Grasso then drops Barber with a massive left hand and immediately jumps on the back with a rear-naked choke locked on and Barber is out cold! What a brutal finish by Grasso.
Fight Result- Alexa Grasso def. Maycee Barber by knockout (punch) at 2:42 of Round 1
> Middleweights- #4 Israel Adesanya (24-5, 13-5 UFC) vs. #14 Joe Pyfer (15-3, 6-1 UFC)
Adesanya lands a leg kick. Pyfer shoots for a takedown and has the body lock against the fence. Adesanya landing defensive punches as Pyfer is just trying to get it down. Adesanya escapes the position. Adesanya lands a body kick. Pyfer just misses a right hand. Adesanya with an inside leg kick and lands a knee to the body. Adesanya lands another leg kick. Pyfer lands a left hook. Adesanya works the jab as he lands a leg kick. Pyfer shoots for a takedown and pushes it to the fence. They break apart and Adesanya lands a body kick. Adesanya with a stiff leg kick. Pyfer lands a leg kick. Adesanya lands a left hand followed by a body kick and a calf kick. Pyfer gets a takedown. He lands an elbow from the top. 10-9 Adesanya.
Adesanya lands a body kick. He lands another. Adesanya lands a hard calf kick and timeout is called for an eye poke. They get back to action and Adesanya is pressing forward. Pyfer shoots for a takedown and pushes it against the fence but they quickly break apart. Pyfer lands a left hand and a couple of uppercuts and Adesanya lands a right hand. Adesanya hurts Pyfer with a combination. Adesanya lands a left hook to the body. Pyfer looks for a takedown but Adesanya defends. Adesanya lands a combo. Pyfer with a right hand. Pyfer connects. Adesanya lands a combo and a high kick. Pyfer lands some shots against the fence and Adesanya is covering up. Pyfer gets a takedown and gets the mount. Adesanya gives up his back and Pyfer gets the hooks on. Pyfer switches back to the mount. Adesanya rolls and gives up his back again. Pyfer landing lots of shots from the back as Adesanya is covering up and it is stopped! Massive win for Pyfer.
Fight Result- Joe Pyfer def. Israel Adesanya by TKO (punches) at 4:18 of Round 2
