Nurullo Aliev turned another opponent into a wrestling clinic to keep his undefeated record intact.
“Tajik Eagle” picked up the biggest win of his career at UFC Abu Dhabi, earning a dominant unanimous decision over veteran Mike Davis after controlling nearly every minute of their three-round clash at Etihad Arena.
Aliev wasted no time imposing his game plan, shooting for an early takedown and forcing Davis to defend from the opening seconds. Although the American repeatedly found his way back to his feet, Aliev consistently closed the distance, pinned him against the fence, and dragged him back to the canvas. Knees to the legs and relentless clinch work prevented Davis from building any offensive rhythm throughout the opening round.
The script remained largely unchanged in the second frame. Aliev secured another early takedown and briefly escaped a triangle choke attempt before settling into top control once again. Davis enjoyed his best moments on the feet late in the round, throwing kicks and pressing forward, but Aliev quickly neutralized the offense by initiating another clinch and returning the fight to the mat.
Needing a finish in the final round, “Beast Boy” instead found himself trapped in another exhausting grappling battle. Every scramble was met with another takedown as Aliev smothered his opponent with relentless pressure until the final horn.
The judges unanimously scored the bout 30-27 across the board, extending Aliev’s undefeated record to 12-0. The victory also improved the Dana White’s Contender Series graduate to 4-0 inside the Octagon.
