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Umar Nurmagomedov returned to the win column on Saturday night with a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over third-ranked bantamweight contender Mario Bautista at UFC 321, held at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
The bout was a significant test for Nurmagomedov, who was coming off the first defeat of his professional career earlier this year against champion Merab Dvalishvili.
Meanwhile, Bautista entered the contest on an impressive eight-fight winning streak.
Nurmagomedov started strong, securing an early takedown and working from top position, though Bautista threatened with a deep submission attempt, locking up a toe hold that nearly forced the Dagestani fighter to tap.
Nurmagomedov managed to escape and regain control as the opening round closed.
The momentum briefly shifted at the start of the second round when Bautista landed a powerful knee that sent Nurmagomedov to the canvas. Bautista attempted to capitalize, but Nurmagomedov recovered, weathered the pressure, and leaned on his grappling to neutralize the threat and swing the fight back in his favor.
From there, Nurmagomedov’s wrestling and striking consistency proved decisive, allowing him to outwork Bautista through the final stages of the match to secure the judges’ unanimous nod.
The victory reinforces Nurmagomedov’s position near the top of the bantamweight division.
He currently sits at No. 2 in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, behind only champion Dvalishvili.
Bautista remains ranked sixth.
Prior to his title-fight defeat earlier this year, Nurmagomedov (18-1) had compiled six straight wins in the UFC, including a key victory over Cory Sandhagen that earned him his previous title shot.
Bautista (16-2), meanwhile, had steadily climbed the rankings with wins over names such as Jose Aldo, Patchy Mix, and Ricky Simon.
Looking ahead, Nurmagomedov has made clear his intention to chase another title opportunity.
He is now targeting the winner of the upcoming bantamweight championship rematch between Merab Dvalishvili and Petr Yan, scheduled to headline UFC 323 on December 6.
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