UFC Fight Night 238 packed a punch from the opening bout as the preliminary card set the Octagon ablaze with four spectacular knockouts. Meanwhile, the main card settled into a steady course, sandwiched between a decisive showing in the opening fight of the main card and the revival of an overlooked powerhouse with explosive flair in the headliner.
Matt Schnell
Schnell is struggling to find his groove, and the career lull is evident from his recent record. His push to reverse a brief hiatus in 2023 and return to winning ways veered off its intended course. In the compelling first fight of the main card, Steve Erceg capped off his third straight UFC victory with an immaculate finish over Schnell. The opening stanza of the fight was predominantly contested in the striking range, with both fighters dishing out blows and absorbing their respective portions of the opponent’s offense. Erceg, carrying a modest lead, picked the perfect opening in the pocket, landing a flush left hook that sent Schnell crashing to the canvas. The staggering blow rendered follow-up shots redundant as the referee quickly stepped in to prevent additional harm to Schnell.
At 34, “Danger” needs to evaluate his career objectives and deliberate on navigating the remaining portion of his career. He has lost three fights in four Octagon outings, which suggests dwindling prominence. However, considering that he never fails to bring the fight, there's an ample supply of choices he can pick from for his next assignment. In that case, a matchup against David Dvorak presents an exciting opportunity considering both fighters are going through a slump. Dvorak has lost his last three fights and hasn’t competed since losing to Steve Erceg at UFC 289. The mutual ground of setbacks against a similar opponent in the last Octagon assignments, coupled with the fact that Schnell was originally scheduled to fight Dvorak at the June. 10, 2023 pay-per-view, makes this clash an even-handed opportunity with similar face value for both.
Bekzat Almakhan
Umar Nurmagomedov showcased why it’s been a struggle to line him up against ranked adversaries. The Dagestani secured his fifth straight UFC victory (17-0 overall) with a unanimous decision victory over Octagon newcomer Bekzat Almakhan. “The Turan Warrior” posed an early threat with a right hand, but Nurmagomedov wisely turned to his wrestling acumen. Throughout the clash, Almakhan showed shades of his potential, but Nurmagomedov prudently relied on his wrestling, scoring a dominant 30-25, 30-26, 30-26 unanimous decision win over the newcomer.
For Almakhan, this is only the start of what looks like a promising journey. That said, he matches up well against 27-year-old Muin Gafurov, who is coming off two losses in as many UFC fights. Prevailing over a fellow budding talent can be precisely the nudge that he needs to propel his career forward at this moment.
Alex Perez
Perez and undefeated prospect Muhammad Mokaev engaged in a strategic showdown that went the distance. The course of action by Mokaev was evident from the onset: take Perez down and establish dominance. It also later came to light that Mokaev was sick the morning of the fight, which he claims hampered his performance. Having said that, “The Punisher” came through in the clutch, scoring a unanimous decision victory in a tepid encounter with a lack of discernible turning points.
It doesn’t need to be spelled out that Perez will probably lose his spot in the divisional rankings to Mokaev. On the flip side, despite the three consecutive losses, Perez matches up well against a bunch of competitors. A commendable display against a rising contender in Mokaev should fuel his confidence, and a case can be made that he can be paired against Erceg next, who prevailed over Schnell on the same card. For Erceg, this is an opportunity to bolster his spot in the company of the division’s top contenders and elevate him within the title contention framework. As for Perez, a victory over the streaking Australian should restore him to the position he merits.
Shamil Gaziev
“Bigi Boy” is here to stay for anyone who may have forgotten. Jairzinho Rozenstruik relied on his wealth of experience to secure a victory in the main event and hand Gaziev the first loss of his professional career. Gaziev initially tried to leverage his momentum from past victories, advancing aggressively, closing the distance, and successfully securing a takedown. Rozenstruik maintained composure and bided his time for the tables to turn in his favor. When it did, he began to chip away at Gaziev’s defense. As the fight progressed, Rozenstruik gained confidence and imposed his will on Gaziev. Prior to the fifth round, Gaziev expressed concerns to his corner about vision impairment, prompting referee Marc Goddard to wave off the action.
Gaziev has nothing to fret about. This is simply the starting point of his UFC journey, and there are enough opportunities for him to explore among the heavyweight roster. Offer him a bout against a competitor ranked lower than Rozenstruik, perhaps Rodrigo Nascimento, and he would embrace the opportunity. The Brazilian is riding on a three-fight win streak and, may I add, operating incognito within the UFC. Nascimento is yet to receive the spotlight on the grand stage, and a fight against a promising contender might be the pivotal moment that earns him the recognition of a respected contender.
Tyson Pedro
On another note, veteran light heavyweight Pedro laid down his gloves following a hard-fought decision loss to Vitor Petrino. With a record of 6-5 in the promotion, the 32-year-old Australian reflected on his career and noted a shift in his aspirations.