Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is live TONIGHT (Sat., April 25, 2026) with UFC Vegas 116, streaming live online via Paramount+. The event goes down in the comfy confines of META APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is our second trip to the APEX this month. The main event tonight sees top-ranked Featherweights looking to break into the 145-pound title picture with Aljamain Sterling vs. Youssef Zalal.
UFC Vegas 116 Preview
Tonight’s APEX card is what we’ve come to expect — a mildly interesting main event and then lots of fights with newcomers and Contender Series grads. The main event highlights the Featherweight division this week with both Sterling and Zalal hoping to score a win that might get them over the top in the division. Both men are on win streaks. Zalal’s is longer, while Sterling’s has better names on it. Both are likely losing out to Movsar Evloev in the title fight sweepstakes, but a win here might help one of them become the next man up.
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The co-main event is Norma Dumont vs. Joselyne Edwards. Only the hardcores probably recognize both these names and have any kind of recollection of how they fight. Both are eager strikers, though, who love to get into brawls. They are both on good win streaks, too. The women’s Bantamweight title is stuck in the mud right now (thanks to Kayla Harrison’s injury); therefore, it’s hard to tell where anyone else stands. That being said, a win for Dumont and Edwards would be very helpful in pushing them a little closer to the title picture.
The rest of the main card features interesting match-ups, albeit with relatively unknowns. Rafa Garcia vs. Alexander Hernandez, Davey Grant vs. Adrian Luna Martinetti and Montel Jackson vs. Raoni Barcelos should all be fun scraps. There’s also Marcus Buchecha vs. Ryan Spann, which could get weird.
Rodolfo Vieira vs. Eric McConico is our featured “Prelims” fight. Both those guys are coming off knockout losses. UFC Vegas 116’s “Prelims” also feature Jackson McVey vs. Sedriques Dumas and Jafel Filho vs. Cody Durden.
UFC Vegas 116 Start Date and Time
It’s the usual start times (more on that here) for UFC’s latest trip to “Sin City.” Checkout those below:
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UFC Vegas 116’s “Prelims” will begin at 5 p.m. ET.
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UFC Vegas 116’s main card is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET.
The live blog here starts rolling below at 5 p.m. ET. Come in and say hi!
UFC VEGAS 116 QUICK RESULTS
Main card
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135 lbs.: Aljamain Sterling vs. Youssef Zalal
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135 lbs.: Norma Dumont vs. Joselyne Edwards
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155 lbs.: Rafa Garcia def. Alexander Hernandez by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
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135 lbs.: Davey Grant def. Adrian Luna Martinetti by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
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135 lbs.: Raoni Barcelos def. Montel Jackson by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
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265 lbs.: Ryan Spann def. Marcus Buchecha by KO (punches), round 2 (2:10) — HIGHLIGHTS
Prelims
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185 lbs.: Eric McConico def. Rodolfo Vieira by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
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185 lbs.: Jackson McVey def. Sedriques Dumas by submission (D’arce choke), round 1 (2:14) — HIGHLIGHTS
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135 lbs.: Michelle Montague def. Mayra Bueno Silva by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
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135 lbs.: Cody Durden def. Jafel Filho by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
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155 lbs.: Francis Marshall def. Lucas Brennan by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
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170 lbs.: Victor Valenzuela def. Max Griffin by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
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115 lbs.: Talita Alencar def. Julia Polastri by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
UFC VEGAS 116 PLAY-BY-PLAY UPDATES
Main Card
Rafa Garcia vs. Alexander Hernandez
Round 1: There wasn’t a lot of action in this round. Garcia held the center, though, and had the slight edge in the striking exchanges. He also landed a big takedown.
10-9 Garcia
Round 2: Garcia hit a great grove in this round. He continued to command the center and also tagged Hernandez over and over again, countering Hernandez’s jab. He bloodied Hernandez up a lot in this round.
20-18 Garcia
Round 3: Garcia managed to press Hernandez into the cage for most of this round, thus securing himself the decision. He did manage to land good shots whenever there was separation, though. This was a very complete performance from him, to end Hernandez’s winning streak.
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30-27 Garcia
Official decision: Rafa Garcia def. Alexander Hernandez by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Davey Grant vs. Adrian Luna Martinetti
Round 1: Grant landed over a dozen good leg kicks and thus out landed Martinetti a lot on the significant strike count. However, Martinetti landed the better punches thanks to his head movement and hand speed advantages. Even so, Grant was moving forward a lot and looking very aggressive. That should give him the round.
10-9 Grant
Round 2: Martinetti upped the intensity in the second round and threw lots of combos Grant’s way. He landed some nice uppercuts and elbows. But Grant responded with some big overhand rights. Grant also continued his leg kick assault, forcing Martinetti to fight in his opposite stance. That was a very close round to score, but I think Martinetti did more damage — especially with those elbows.
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19-19
Round 3: Martinetti showed a lot of urgency in the third round. He tried to chase Grant and land combos, but he got chewed up with counter punches. Those counters were the hardest shots of the round. Martinetti tried to switch things up late with a takedown, but it wasn’t enough to win him the fight.
29-28 Grant
Official decision: Davey Grant def. Adrian Luna Martinetti by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Montel Jackson vs. Raoni Barcelos
Round 1: Jackson cracked Barcelos early and then swarmed him for what could have been an early finish. Barcelos was able to survive, though. Barcelos, once recovered, then landed a takedown. But Jackson was able to get up without taking any damage. Barcelos would come back and get another takedown and then get a decent bout of top position time. That’s not enough to outweigh the damage Jackson did to his right eye with punches, though.
10-9 Jackson
Round 2: Jackson was able to snipe Barcelos with a few nice shots. But they weren’t enough to deter Barcelos, who kept marching forwards, grabbing a leg and scoring control time and/or takedowns. Jackson was able to explode out from under him a few times, but ended up stuck at the end of the round.
19-19
Round 3: Jackson’s workrate dipped at the beginning of this round. Barcelos kept working, though, moving forwards and looking to get connected and drag Jackson down. He managed to get Jackson down with a foot sweep, but couldn’t keep him down very long. Barcelos then scored a single leg takedown, but again Jackson was able to spring up. He then got a body lock takedown and was able to finish the round on Jackson’s back.
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29-28 Barcelos
Official decision: Raoni Barcelos def. Montel Jackson by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Marcus Buchecha vs. Ryan Spann
Round 1: Spann did a good job of tagging Buchecha during Buchecha’s takedown attempts and sprawling to stay out of danger. At one point he did hang out a little too long with Buchecha on the ground and almost got swept. After that Spann was a lot more cautious and forced Buchecha to work harder to close the distance on him. Buchecha looked a little tired, as a result.
10-9 Spann
Round 2: Spann continued to sprawl and block takedowns, using the threat of his guillotine to back Buchecha off. After that Buchecha tried his luck at standing with Spann. Spann stepped in and landed a huge one-two that send Buchecha across the cage and out.
Official decision: Ryan Spann def. Marcus Buchecha by KO (punches), round 2 (2:10)
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Prelims
Rodolfo Vieira vs. Eric McConico: Vieira scored an early knockdown and then got deep on a few submission attempts, but McConico was able to survive. Vieira spent the rest of the first trying to get McConico down again, but struggled to do so against the fence. In the second McConico did a good job of keeping the fight standing and in the center of the cage. That resulted in him landing a lot of heavy shots to Vieira’s face. The third round was much like the second, earning McConico a pretty comfortable decision.
Official decision: Eric McConico def. Rodolfo Vieira by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Jackson McVey vs. Sedriques Dumas: McVey dropped Dumas early with an uppercut to the ear. He tried to get a TKO with ground shots, but Dumas defended them well enough. That forced McVey to switch it up and go for a D’arce choke for the win.
Official decision: Jackson McVey def. Sedriques Dumas by submission (D’arce choke), round 1 (2:14)
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Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Michelle Montague: Montague looked like a beast in the first round, dumping Bueno Silva down and then beating her up on the ground. In the second she let Bueno Silva stand with her too long and ended up getting hurt and tired. Bueno Silva let her off the hook, though, by choosing to grapple. Montague was able to recover some energy during those moments. In the third she got the early takedown and was able to ride out the fight, on the ground, to get the decision.
Official decision: Michelle Montague def. Mayra Bueno Silva by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Jafel Filho vs. Cody Durden: Durden managed to survive Filho’s best grappling attacks and land some good shots on the feet. Filho looked tired in the third, and pivotal, round and Durden was able to get the upper hand in the wrestling positions. I had Durden winning 29-28 and scoring the big upset.
Official decision: Cody Durden def. Jafel Filho by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
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Francis Marshall vs. Lucas Brennan: Brennan brought wrestling to the dance and Marshall brought better wrestling. Marshall dominated the newcomer and also showed off better striking on the feet.
Official decision: Francis Marshall def. Lucas Brennan by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Max Griffin vs. Victor Valenzuela: Valenzuela’s power punching caused Griffin lots of problems. Griffin gave a good account of himself early, mixing striking with his superior wrestling. But the damage caught up to him down the stretch and Valenzuela took over.
Official decision: Victor Valenzuela def. Max Griffin by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
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Talita Alencar vs. Julia Polastri: There was too much slipping and not enough ripping for Polastri in this one. She gave Alencar lots of time and space to tee off with her jab. Alencar landed a couple of takedowns, too, to steal this on my scorecard.
Official decision: Talita Alencar def. Julia Polastri by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
