Main event of UFC Fight Night 230 concludes with Barboza triumphing over Yusuff
October 15, 2023 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas played host to UFC Fight Night 230, featuring eleven bouts. The main event was a highly anticipated clash between top-15 featherweight contenders. Brazilian veteran Edson Barboza (#13, 24-11) met Nigeria's Sodiq Yusuff (#11, 12-3).
The five-round bout saw both fighters pushing for an early finish. However, it went the distance, with Barboza earning a unanimous decision victory (49-46 and two 48-46). Post-fight, an elated Barboza shared:
"Sodiq, my hat's off to you. Keep marching forward, you're on the right path. I was on shaky ground in the first round, struggling to find my bearings. But I had the luck to recover and come back stronger. Our game plan targeted body shots. I knew Sodiq would apply pressure in the initial rounds, but my coach motivated me to focus on the body, so he'd slow down as the fight wore on. Thus, this triumph is a testament to teamwork."
Barboza extended his winning streak to two, while Yusuff was unable to continue his winning run, having won the previous two fights. Both combatants received "Fight of the Night" bonuses.
In the co-main event, Brazilian flyweight contenders Viviane "Vivi" Araujo (#11, 12-5) and Jennifer Maia (#9, 21-10-1) faced off. Araujo claimed a unanimous decision victory (3x 29-28).
The rest of the main card results featured:
- Jonathan "Dragon" Martinez (USA, 18-4) finished Adrian Yanez (USA, 16-5) via TKO (low kick) in the 2nd round (Performance of the Night bonus);
- Michel Pereira (Brazil, 29-12) finished Andre Petroski (USA, 13-3) via TKO (strikes) in the 1st round (Performance of the Night bonus);
- Christian Rodriguez (USA, 7-1) handed South Africa's Cameron Saaiman (11-1) his first loss via UD – catchweight (160 lbs).
The preliminary card yielded mixed results. The sole Russian representative at the tournament, Irina "The Russian Ronda" Alekseeva (5-2), faced off against an undefeated promotional debutante from England, Melissa Dixon (6-0), in the women's featherweight limit. Despite entering the ring with the Russian flag (Dana White lifted restrictions on the use of national symbols), Alekseeva could not secure a win. The judges unanimously favored Dixon (30-27 and two 29-28 scores).
Additional bout results include:
- Darren Elkins (USA, 28-11) defeated TJ Brown (USA, 15-11) via rear-naked choke in the 3rd round – bantamweight;
- Taila "The Thai Panther" Santos (Brazil, 6-2) won a unanimous decision against her compatriot, Raven Oliveira (7-2-1) – women's featherweight;
- Terrence McKinney (USA, 13-4) TKO'd Brandon Marotte (USA, 8-3) in the 1st round – lightweight;
- Chris Gutiérrez (USA, 20-5-2) won a unanimous decision against Haley Alatenga (China, 12-9-2) – lightweight;
- Emily Ducote (USA, 12-8) won a unanimous decision against Ashley Yoder (USA, 9-10) – strawweight division.
Sports enthusiasts witnessed a thrilling mixed-martial-arts event at UFC Apex in Las Vegas on October 15, 2023, as UFC Fight Night 230 showcased various impressive performances. In the co-main event, Brazilian flyweight contenders, Viviane "Vivi" Araujo (#11, 12-5) and Jennifer Maia (#9, 21-10-1), showcased their martial arts skills, with Araujo securing a unanimous decision victory in a hard-fought bout.
