Main Card Results | UFC 299: O'Malley vs Vera 2

Song came out sharp in the first, catching Yan with clean hooks and forcing him to bite on every takedown feint. But the former champion started finding his rhythm in the second, slicing open the Chinese hopeful with an elbow late in the frame. The duo went shot-for-shot in the third, both refusing to back down, with Yan seemingly having a little more gas left in the tank down the stretch.

All three judges scored the fight in favor of Yan, awarding the Russian the unanimous decision victory. The win snapped his three-fight slide and served as a reminder that the man once considered the best bantamweight in the world is still a force to be reckoned with in the 135-pound weight class

After a pair of competitive frames, the Australian stung Burns early in the third round, prompting Burns to grapple. When Della Maddalena wriggled free, he timed a knee as the Brazilian changed levels in search of another takedown, driving Burns backwards to the canvas, where he unloaded a torrent of elbows to secure the finish.

That’s now seven wins in seven UFC starts for the Dana White’s Contender Series graduate, who continues to ascend the welterweight ranks. And how’s this for a capper: the Aussie called out unbeaten contender Shavkat Rakhmonov following the victory

Throughout the contest, Page frustrated Holland, operating at a distance that allowed him to dart in, land, and avoid much of the return fire coming his way. When Holland managed to clinch or drag Page to the canvas, the elusive newcomer was able to work back to his feet without taking too much damage.

This is a good win for the promotional newcomer, and it should result in another quality assignment next time out. It’s going to be interesting to see how well he can deploy this approach as he continues to work his way forward in the talent-rich welterweight ranks

Saint Denis was in Poirier’s face the entire fight, walking him down without care for his defenses in the first, using his wrestling and his physicality to get the better of things. In the second, Poirier started letting go of his hands a little more, and after working back to his feet along the fence, he landing with force, dropping Saint Denis and sealing the deal with a thudding blow on the canvas.

This was a massive finish for “The Diamond,” who took a risk taking a fight against an ascending threat while coming off a loss, and he made the absolute most of it. That’s now 22 UFC wins for the Louisiana native, who remains one of the most all-action, entertaining fighters on the roster.

The vibrant, fluorescent champion got out to an early lead on Vera, working behind his striking fundamentals and landing some clean shots on the challenger, including a step-in knee that would have ended the night against most other opponents. Vera has flurries where he found success, but each time he did, the champion responded with more precision and greater volume to make it clear he was in complete control.

O’Malley hurt Vera again in the early stages of the fifth and continued pouring it on through to the final horn. This was a masterful effort from the champion in his first title defense; a mix of efficiency, poise, and precision that should cement his standing as the top of the division, even with those that still refuse to recognize his skills.