Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is live TONIGHT (Sat., April 25, 2026) with UFC Vegas 116, streaming live online via Paramount+. The event goes down in the comfy confines of META APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is our second trip to the APEX this month. The main event tonight sees top-ranked Featherweights looking to break into the 145-pound title picture with Aljamain Sterling vs. Youssef Zalal.
UFC Vegas 116 Preview
Tonight’s APEX card is what we’ve come to expect — a mildly interesting main event and then lots of fights with newcomers and Contender Series grads. The main event highlights the Featherweight division this week with both Sterling and Zalal hoping to score a win that might get them over the top in the division. Both men are on win streaks. Zalal’s is longer, while Sterling’s has better names on it. Both are likely losing out to Movsar Evloev in the title fight sweepstakes, but a win here might help one of them become the next man up.
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The co-main event is Norma Dumont vs. Joselyne Edwards. Only the hardcores probably recognize both these names and have any kind of recollection of how they fight. Both are eager strikers, though, who love to get into brawls. They are both on good win streaks, too. The women’s Bantamweight title is stuck in the mud right now (thanks to Kayla Harrison’s injury); therefore, it’s hard to tell where anyone else stands. That being said, a win for Dumont and Edwards would be very helpful in pushing them a little closer to the title picture.
The rest of the main card features interesting match-ups, albeit with relatively unknowns. Rafa Garcia vs. Alexander Hernandez, Davey Grant vs. Adrian Luna Martinetti and Montel Jackson vs. Raoni Barcelos should all be fun scraps. There’s also Marcus Buchecha vs. Ryan Spann, which could get weird.
Rodolfo Vieira vs. Eric McConico is our featured “Prelims” fight. Both those guys are coming off knockout losses. UFC Vegas 116’s “Prelims” also feature Jackson McVey vs. Sedriques Dumas and Jafel Filho vs. Cody Durden.
UFC Vegas 116 Start Date and Time
It’s the usual start times (more on that here) for UFC’s latest trip to “Sin City.” Checkout those below:
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UFC Vegas 116’s “Prelims” will begin at 5 p.m. ET.
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UFC Vegas 116’s main card is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET.
The live blog here starts rolling below at 5 p.m. ET. Come in and say hi!
UFC VEGAS 116 QUICK RESULTS
Main card
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135 lbs.: Aljamain Sterling vs. Youssef Zalal
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135 lbs.: Norma Dumont vs. Joselyne Edwards
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155 lbs.: Rafa Garcia vs. Alexander Hernandez
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135 lbs.: Davey Grant vs. Adrian Luna Martinetti
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135 lbs.: Montel Jackson vs. Raoni Barcelos
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265 lbs.: Marcus Buchecha vs. Ryan Spann
Prelims
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185 lbs.: Rodolfo Vieira vs. Eric McConico
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185 lbs.: Jackson McVey vs. Sedriques Dumas
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135 lbs.: Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Michelle Montague
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125 lbs.: Jafel Filho vs. Cody Durden
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155 lbs.: Francis Marshall def. Lucas Brennan by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
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170 lbs.: Victor Valenzuela def. Max Griffin by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
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115 lbs.: Talita Alencar def. Julia Polastri by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
UFC VEGAS 116 PLAY-BY-PLAY UPDATES
Prelims
Francis Marshall vs. Lucas Brennan: Brennan brought wrestling to the dance and Marshall brought better wrestling. Marshall dominated the newcomer and also showed off better striking on the feet.
Official decision: Francis Marshall def. Lucas Brennan by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Max Griffin vs. Victor Valenzuela: Valenzuela’s power punching caused Griffin lots of problems. Griffin gave a good account of himself early, mixing striking with his superior wrestling. But the damage caught up to him down the stretch and Valenzuela took over.
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Official decision: Victor Valenzuela def. Max Griffin by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Talita Alencar vs. Julia Polastri: There was too much slipping and not enough ripping for Polastri in this one. She gave Alencar lots of time and space to tee off with her jab. Alencar landed a couple of takedowns, too, to steal this on my scorecard.
Official decision: Talita Alencar def. Julia Polastri by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
