MMA: UFC Fight Night Tybura vs Spivac 2 took place on August 10, 2024, at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Serghei Spivac won the fight with a slick first-round submission victory over Tybura.
A total of 10 fights took place, including both the main and preliminary cards. The main card featured six fights, while the preliminary card included four fights.
Marcin Tybura vs Serghei Spivac – The Main Event of the Night
The UFC Vegas 95 was headlined by a heavyweight rematch between Marcin Tybura (from Poland) and Serghei Spivac (from Moldova). They had previously fought in February 2020, where Tybura won the encounter by a unanimous decision. That was the first time these fighters faced each other on the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night 169. Four years later, they got a chance to headline one of the biggest UFC events of 2024.
The fight saw Spivac successfully execute a takedown and briefly control the position, but Tybura managed to reverse it. Tybura was leading as soon as the fight started. However, he made a tactical tactical mistake, and Spivac moved in to take advantage. Spivac locked him in a deep armbar, and Tybura was forced to tap immediately. Spivac secured a submission victory at 1:44 of the first round.
With this win, Spivac now has the second-highest number of finishes in the UFC heavyweight division, with six since 2019. He also became the first heavyweight fighter to win a match via armbar submission in the UFC since Fabricio Werdum defeated Alexander Gustafsson in July 2020.
29-year-old Spivac is now expected to move from No. 9 to at least No. 8 in the official UFC heavyweight rankings. Currently, Tybura is at No. 8.
While there is no official announcement for the purse, both fighters are expected to receive a hefty sum for headlining the card. NYFights estimates Tybura will take home $300,000, while Spivac will receive $200,000, his biggest payday since joining the UFC. Spivac also won the performance of the night bonus.
What Happened at the UFC Fight Night 169?
The battle between Tybura and Spivac was the only heavyweight fight on the card at the UFC Fight Night 169. Tybura had nine fights to his name in the UFC before facing Spivac, while it was Spivac’s third UFC fight.
In the first round, despite Spivak’s efforts to defend, Tybura maintained control, landing effective ground-and-pound strikes, including hammer fists and elbows. The round concluded with Tybura in a dominant position, and all three judges scored the round 10-9 in favor of Tybura.
The pace slowed down in the second round. Tybura’s first takedown was defended against the cage by Spivak. Tybura managed to take Spivak’s back after a trip in the second takedown and landed heel strikes and punches. With seconds remaining, he locked Spivak in a rear-naked choke, but time ran out before he could secure it. All three judges scored the round 10-9 in favor of Tybura once again.
Throughout the match, Tybura applied heavy pressure, utilizing ground-and-pound techniques, including short elbows and punches, to control Spivak on the mat. Despite Spivak’s efforts to defend and counter, Tybura’s relentless approach earned him a unanimous decision victory, with judges scoring the fight 30-27, 30-27, and 29-28 in his favor.
How Did the Rematch Shape Up?
Since the first match against Spivac, Tybura had won seven out of his nine bouts. He won the Performance of the Night award thrice in these seven wins. He faced Tai Tuivasa from Australia in his last outing and defeated him in a rear-naked choke in the first round.
Spivac had also suffered just two losses after facing Tybura in 2020. His recent loss came at the hands of Ciryl Gane in September last year at the UFC Fight Night 226. He lost the match via technical knockout in the second round.
Despite being a seasoned fighter at 38 years old and holding a No. 8 ranking, Tybura was the underdog against the younger Spivac, who aimed to bounce back from a loss to Ciryl Gane.
UFC Vegas 95 Fight Card Results
Toshiomi Kazama vs Charalampos Grigoriou
Kazama overcame significant adversity to defeat Grigoriou via submission with a triangle choke at 1:55 of Round 2. Kazama initially dominated the first round with a wrestling and grappling-heavy approach, but Grigoriou turned the fight around in the second, knocking Kazama down and delivering heavy ground-and-pound. Despite being on the brink of defeat, Kazama secured the submission that not only marked a pivotal victory for him as an underdog but also helped him retain his place on the UFC roster following two prior losses.
Yana Santos vs Chelsea Chandler
The fight showcased Santos’ striking superiority, particularly with effective low kicks and a significant right hand that knocked Chandler down in the second round. Despite Chandler’s aggressive approach and clinch work in the third round, Santos maintained control and ultimately won the match by unanimous decision, with judges scoring it 30-27 and 29-28 in her favor.
Chris Gutierrez vs Quang Le
The fight featured back-and-forth exchanges, with Gutiérrez securing the first round and Le responding with a strong second round where he achieved top control. In the third round, both fighters remained cautious, but Gutiérrez’s striking and defense against takedowns ultimately led him to a unanimous decision victory, with all judges scoring the bout 29-28 in his favor.
Danny Barlow vs Nikolay Veretennikov
Barlow initially showcased his patience and counter-striking, securing the first round with effective body kicks and a sneaky throw. However, Veretennikov gained momentum in the second round, landing effective body shots and maintaining an aggressive stance in the third. Despite Veretennikov’s strong performance and significant strikes, the fight concluded with a split decision victory for Barlow, with judges scoring it 29-28, 27-30, and 29-28.
Damon Jackson vs Chepe Mariscal
Mariscal prevailed over Jackson by unanimous decision, showcasing a dominant performance throughout the fight. Despite Jackson’s efforts, including successful takedowns and ground-and-pound, Mariscal’s relentless pressure and effective grappling allowed him to control the exchanges. The fight featured intense moments, with both fighters sustaining injuries, but Mariscal’s ability to execute significant strikes and maintain position earned him the judges’ favor, scoring 30-25, 30-25, and 30-26.
Preliminary Card
Karol Rosa, Jhonata Diniz, Youssef Zalal, and Stephanie Luciano emerged as the winners in the preliminary round.
Rosa delivered a commanding performance against Pannie Kianzad, winning by unanimous decision with scores of 30-27 after effectively utilizing calf kicks and striking techniques throughout the fight.
Dinz maintained his undefeated streak after defeating Karl Williams by unanimous decision, despite a challenging third round, with scorecards reading 30-27, 29-28, and 29-28.
Zalal quickly submitted Jarno Errens with a rear-naked choke in the first round, enhancing his record to 5-3-1 overall.
Luciano dominated Talita Alencar in their strawweight rematch, earning a unanimous decision victory and marking her first win in the UFC.
Performance Bonuses
On a “normal” night, the UFC awards two “Performance of the Night” bonuses and one “Fight of the Night.” The “Performance” winners each pick up $50,000 and the two fighters in “Fight of the Night” receive the same amount. When there is no “Fight of the Night,” the promotion tends to award four “Performance of the Night” bonuses. At UFC Vegas 95, the “Fight of the Night” title was not awarded, and only three “Performance of the Night” awards were given.
The recipients of these bonuses were Serghei Spivac, who secured a first-round submission victory over Marcin Tybura; Youssef Zalal, who won by rear-naked choke against Jarno Errens; and Toshiomi Kazama, who won against Charalampos Grigoriou with a triangle choke in the second round.
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