Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan — Full Fight
Fight breakdown
0:00Round 1
Tsarukyan shoots early and becomes the first fighter to take Makhachev down in the UFC, using elite wrestling to disrupt the favourite's rhythm in the opening exchanges. Tsarukyan looks for a guillotine from the clinch, forcing Makhachev to defend — but Makhachev works his way free and the round stays competitive through the striking.
5:30Round 2
Makhachev seizes top position midway through the round and controls along the cage. Tsarukyan attempts a kimura from bottom to create space, but Makhachev nullifies it and continues to accumulate control time — a preview of the positional dominance that will define his championship run.
11:00Round 3
Makhachev presses for the finish in the final frame, chaining submission attempts and stifling Tsarukyan's counter-attack. Tsarukyan shows heart and durability but cannot escape the positional vice. The decision goes to Makhachev on all three cards in a Fight of the Night performance — the first chapter of what will become one of the sport's defining rivalries.