Light Heavyweight Bout: Gadzhimurad Antigulov def. Joachim Christensen via 1st-round submission (rear-naked choke)
Two UFC bouts, two first-round submissions.
Gadzhimurad Antigulov needed just 2:21 to dispatch fellow grappler Joachim Christensen with a rear-naked choke and improve to a perfect 2-0 inside the Octagon. The Russian prospect extended his already gaudy win streak to 14 with his 17th first-round finish.
Antigulov was all business, rushing Christensen in pursuit of a takedown within the fight's opening seconds. After stifling his foe's efforts to gain the dominant position off a rather sloppy takedown, the Russian swiftly moved to back control, flattened him out, and coiled his mighty arms around a helpless Christensen's neck for the stoppage.
Christensen's UFC record falls to 1-2, with both of his promotional losses coming by way of submission.
Strawweight Bout: Cortney Casey def. Jessica Aguilar via unanimous decision
Cortney Casey made Jessica Aguilar's return to the Octagon a bitter one.
"Cast Iron" exploited her fellow strawweight's physical shortcomings on both the feet and the mat to take a unanimous decision and spoil her return from a 19-month layoff. Casey's length, striking, and range control proved instrumental in rebounding from a November loss to Claudia Gadelha and improving her UFC record to an even 3-3.
Casey milked her sizable reach advantage and found a home for her combinations in short order, with Aguilar working to neutralize her striking by taking the fight to the ground. The 30-year-old Casey proved just as active from her back as she was standing, feeding Aguilar upkicks every time "JAG" looked to descend into top control.
After stifling Aguilar's efforts to establish her ground game for two rounds, Casey put a button on a dominant performance by lighting her opponent up with punches in bunches that had her leaking crimson by fight's end.
The 35-year-old Aguilar is now winless in a pair of trips to the Octagon.
Featherweight Bout: Enrique Barzola def. Gabriel Benitez via unanimous decision
Nonstop pressure was the name of the game for Barzola.
"El Fuerte" didn't let a slow start deter him from backing Benitez down for three rounds and repeatedly slamming him to the canvas. After fifteen minutes of back-and-forth action, Barzola came out on top with a trio of 29-28 scores.
The outcome was in doubt to the very end, especially after Benitez scored a knockdown at the third-round buzzer:
But it was Barzola who was rewarded for his wrestling and constant forward movement. The "Ultimate Fighter: Latin America 2" winner improved to 3-1 in the UFC with the victory.
Benitez likely took the first round with his striking. He scored with kicks to Barzola's body and straight lefts to Barzola's chin. Barzola responded by walking right through the blows to press Benitez against the cage.
The Peruvian's takedowns became more and more effective and he almost finished the fight with a rear-naked choke in Round 3. Benitez survived and landed the late blow to close the fight, only to fall short in the eyes of the judges.
"Moggly" falls to 3-2 inside the Octagon and 19-6 overall.