Umar Nurmagomedov controls, the end of Tony Ferguson, and Crawford Secures Fourth-Division legacy.

Hey fight culture fams, last weekend happened a lot of things for the combat sports world, so I’ll gove you a nice recap so you don’t have to look around a lot what happened in each event, check out the recap below:

Umar Nurmagomedov Claims Unanimous Decision Over Cory Sandhagen at UFC Fight Night

On August 3, at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Umar Nurmagomedov solidified his case for a bantamweight title shot with a unanimous decision victory over Cory Sandhagen during the main event of UFC Fight Night. The bout, aired live on ABC, showcased Nurmagomedov's strategic prowess and resilience in a competitive clash.

Nurmagomedov (18-0) had to rely heavily on his striking to secure the win against Sandhagen (21-5). From the onset, Nurmagomedov demonstrated his grappling skills, landing his first takedown early and quickly taking Sandhagen's back. Despite this initial control, Sandhagen managed to escape and utilize his striking to level the playing field.

The first round saw both fighters exchanging leg kicks and punches, maintaining a high pace. Sandhagen successfully defended Nurmagomedov's subsequent takedown attempts, and the bout remained a closely contested battle on the feet. Throughout the fight, Nurmagomedov controlled the pace, leveraging his striking to counter Sandhagen's attacks.

As the fight progressed, Sandhagen's corner urged him to push harder, knowing the scorecards might not be in their favor. In the final half of the fifth round, Nurmagomedov managed another crucial takedown, maintaining control and securing his victory. The judges scored the bout 50-45, 49-46, and 49-46 in favor of Nurmagomedov.

Post-fight, Nurmagomedov acknowledged Sandhagen's toughness. "He was more tough than I expected," Nurmagomedov remarked. "This guy is really tough. I think I deserved the win and feel like I beat him in every round. I tried to take him down but he had good defense. I have to believe in myself. For the second round, I began to feel I could beat him on striking, too. And I did it."

With this victory over the No. 2 ranked bantamweight, Nurmagomedov set his sights on a title shot, calling out the winner of the upcoming bout between Merab Dvalishvili and champion Sean O'Malley. "It doesn't matter for me who is going to be next," Nurmagomedov declared. "Just give me the title shot. Merab or O'Malley. I'm coming for you."

Thank You Tony Ferguson.

Also on the card, UFC welterweight Michael Chiesa marked his return to the Octagon with a first-round submission victory over Tony Ferguson. Chiesa, who hadn't secured a win since 2019, ended a three-fight losing streak in dominant fashion at UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi.

Chiesa (17-7) faced off against Ferguson (25-11), the former interim lightweight champion, in what turned out to be Ferguson’s eighth consecutive defeat, setting a new UFC record for the longest losing streak. Despite his recent struggles, Ferguson remained noncommittal about retirement, expressing his love for the UFC and his desire to continue fighting.

In the bout, Ferguson circled Chiesa for the first three minutes, engaging in a tentative sparring match. Chiesa soon found his rhythm, landing lead right hooks from his southpaw stance and securing a surprisingly easy takedown. He quickly took Ferguson's back and applied a rear-naked choke, forcing Ferguson to tap at 3:44 of the first round.

Reflecting on his performance, Ferguson admitted, "I know I could have did better. I know that a little bit more wrestling going into today [might have helped]. I've got to give it to Michael. He was just on point with that hook and it's hard to fight it."

Chiesa, acknowledging the larger narrative of the night, handed the microphone over to Ferguson during his post-fight interview, emphasizing the respect and recognition for his opponent's storied career.

It was a challenging bout, but Terence "Bud" Crawford emerged victorious.

On Saturday night, Crawford faced a determined Israil Madrimov and went the full distance for the first time in nearly eight years. The high-level boxing match concluded with Crawford securing a unanimous decision, earning him the WBA super welterweight world title and marking his fourth division world championship. The fight, held at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California, was broadcast live on DAZN.

The judges scored the fight 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113 in favor of Crawford, while DAZN News had it at 117-111 for him. Crawford, who remains undefeated with a record of 41-0, 31 KOs, praised Madrimov’s strength and durability in a post-fight interview with DAZN's Chris Mannix.

"[Madrimov] is real strong, he's durable, he took a lot of good shots, and he got me to round 12," Crawford acknowledged. He continued, "For us to come and fight a guy of his caliber in the first fight [at 154 pounds] says a lot about me and my team."

From the start, Crawford faced a feinting and constantly moving Madrimov (10-1, 7 KOs), who maintained an energetic bounce throughout the fight. Crawford responded with a disciplined southpaw stance, adapting to Madrimov's movement and landing counterpunches after working the body early on.

While Madrimov found success with his own counterpunches, the later rounds saw Crawford taking control. He landed clean uppercuts and combinations, demonstrating his strategic prowess and aggression.

Though the bout lacked a knockout finish, Crawford's performance showcased his mastery of boxing's sweet science. With this victory, he added the WBA super welterweight title to his collection, which includes undisputed crowns at welterweight and super lightweight, as well as a lightweight world championship.

Looking ahead, Crawford expressed interest in moving up to face Canelo Alvarez, stating, "If the money's right, we got a fight."

That’s all the important things that you need to know last weekend, don’t miss out on all updates around hawkeye and the fight world, by checking out our weekly journal on our website every Monday and Friday, see you soon in the ring champ!