Beyond Sterling vs. Zalal: An Undercard That Overdelivered
While Aljamain Sterling’s main-event win over Youssef Zalal grabbed the headline line on paper, the real drama of UFC Vegas 116 unfolded underneath. The Meta APEX card was stacked with fringe contenders, veterans on the brink, and dangerous floaters looking to crash their divisions’ rankings. By the end of the night, the UFC Vegas 116 results read like a reset button for several weight classes: an undercard knockout at heavyweight that might resurrect Ryan Spann’s run, a Joselyne Edwards upset that scrambled the women’s bantamweight conversation, a ruthless statement from Jackson McVey against Sedriques Dumas, and another quietly pivotal win for Raoni Barcelos at bantamweight. For casual and regional fans, this undercard functioned less like filler and more like a scouting report on who could be breaking into co-main and main-event slots later this year.
Ryan Spann vs. Buchecha: A Heavyweight KO That Changes Two Careers
The most violent swing on the card came in Ryan Spann vs. Buchecha, a matchup many expected to be a grappling showcase for the decorated jiu-jitsu star. Instead, it turned into a classic UFC undercard knockout. After weathering multiple takedown and submission attempts in round one, Spann slowed the pace, then detonated a right hand early in the second that left Marcus Buchecha flat on his side and unresponsive for several seconds before the referee stepped in. The KO pushes Spann to three wins in his last four and a 2–1 mark since moving to heavyweight, reinforcing the idea that his power and composure can translate against larger men. For Buchecha, now 0–2–1 in the UFC with both losses by stoppage, the result raises tough questions about his ceiling in MMA and how quickly he can round out his striking and defensive fundamentals.
Joselyne Edwards Upset: Bantamweight and Featherweight Get a New Wild Card
Pre-fight staff picks and previews largely framed Norma Dumont as a surging contender, riding a six-fight win streak and high-profile victories that had her flirting with title contention. Joselyne Edwards was treated as the dangerous but lesser-known finisher stepping into a co-main event opportunity. Instead, UFC Vegas 116 results told a different story: a composed Joselyne Edwards upset that saw her out-aggres Dumont over three rounds en route to a unanimous decision. Edwards constantly pressed forward, reversed Dumont’s early grappling, and landed the cleaner, heavier strikes as Dumont circled and struggled to meaningfully impose her game. Judges scored it 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27 for Edwards, extending her overall winning streak to five. With women’s bantamweight currently logjammed and title timelines unclear, Edwards suddenly becomes a live option for a top-5 gatekeeper bout, while Dumont’s stumble likely costs her immediate championship proximity at both 135 and 145.
Jackson McVey Steamrolls Dumas: One Career Rebounds as Another Hits Crisis Point
On the prelims, Jackson McVey vs. Sedriques Dumas was supposed to answer a simple question: who belongs on this roster long term? McVey entered 0–2 in the promotion after being submitted by Brunno Ferreira and Zach Reese, while Dumas arrived with his own pressure, winless in his last three and carrying outside-the-cage baggage. McVey answered emphatically. He stunned Dumas with a punch, chased him to the mat with a heavy ground-and-pound barrage, then cinched a tight D’Arce choke for the tap at 2:14 of round one. It was his first UFC victory and a reminder of why the matchmakers kept him around despite early stumbles: he’s aggressive, athletic, and clearly dangerous when he gets rolling. For Dumas, now 3–5 in the UFC and winless in four straight with all five career losses by stoppage, this defeat could be a breaking point for his roster security and may force a hard reset outside the promotion.
Raoni Barcelos’ Split Decision and Big-Name Ambitions at Bantamweight
Buried just beneath the headline fights, Raoni Barcelos vs. Montel Jackson had serious implications for the crowded bantamweight rankings. Barcelos edged out a split decision, 29-28, 28-29, 29-28, extending a late-career surge that already includes wins over Payton Talbott, Cody Garbrandt, Ricky Simon and Cristian Quinonez. At nearly 39, Barcelos has been candid about his urgency: he believes it is “my moment now” and has openly targeted top-ranked names like Deiveson Figueiredo and Marlon Vera as the quickest route up the ladder. He acknowledges Vera may be a tougher sell while riding a skid, which makes Figueiredo — currently a top-7 bantamweight — the ideal opponent. Beating someone of Figueiredo’s stature could vault Barcelos from the lower end of the rankings toward true contender status. For fans, Barcelos is the quintessential dark horse: not loud on the mic, but increasingly hard to ignore with every close, gritty win.
