UFC Vegas 54 results and recap: Blachowicz wins after Rakic nasty injury as Spann submits Cutelaba

Las Vegas, May 15: Jan Blachowicz remained No. 1 light heavyweight contender on Saturday (May 14) night after a nasty injury to Aleksandar Rakic earned him a win in the headliner of UFC Vegas 54: Blachowicz vs. Rakic at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

In the main event, former champion and #1 contender Blachowicz and surging #3 Rakic engaged in a winner-takes-all challenge that was fun while it lasted.

Blachowicz showed his heavy striking, tenacity and grappling that earned him the belt, and Rakic put on a good display of striking and fight IQ. Blachowicz earned the win by TKO when damage to Rakic's leg caused it to buckle.

Following the win, Blachowicz said, "I wish you a good recovery, you'll be champion one day. It was a tough fight, this is what I expected. He had an injury, it is what it is. I can't wait to step inside the Octagon again with this feeling, this joy, and I hope UFC gives me the next title shot."

In the co-main event, light heavyweight ranker #13 Ryan Spann evaded the worst of Ion Cutelaba's dangerous striking to get the trip and lock on a guillotine submission quickly in the first round.

After the submission win, Spann said, "I had to get out of my way to do what I had to do. I'm going to give my country that belt. Me and my brother work hard for this all my life. I'm telling you, I'm coming."

Also on the main card, it was expected to be an exciting bantamweight matchup between Davey Grant and Louis Smolka, and they did not disappoint.

Grant's kicks and flurries of combinations racked up in the first round, while Smolka's knees and elbows added up in the second. Grant took the TKO in the third with smart tactics that allowed him to finish Smolka with punches on the ground.

Women's #1 flyweight contender welcomed Amanda Ribas to the division with a rousing three-rounder that was played on the feet and on the ground. At the end, both engaged in a thrilling brawl, and Chookagian walked away with the close split decision win.

Earlier, rising lightweight Manuel Torres earned the performance bonus after an impressive TKO finish over Frank Camacho in the very first round, while Allan Nascimento earned a unanimous decision win over Jake Hadley in a flyweight bout.

In the prelims, Viviane Araujo, Virna Jandiroba and Tatsuro Taira earned decision wins, while Michael Johnson and Andre Petroski claimed stoppage wins in their respective bouts.

UFC Vegas 54 Results

Main Card

1. Light Heavyweight Bout: Jan Blachowicz defeated Aleksandar Rakic via TKO (injury) at 1:11 of round three

2. Light Heavyweight Bout: Ryan Spann defeated Ion Cutelaba via submission (guillotine choke) at 2:22 of the first round

3. Bantamweight Bout: Davey Grant defeated Louis Smolka via KO at :49 of round three

4. Women's Flyweight Bout: Katlyn Chookagian defeated Amanda Ribas via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)

5. Lightweight Bout: Manuel Torres defeated Frank Camacho via TKO (strikes) at 3:27 of round one

6. Flyweight Bout: Allan Nascimento defeated Jake Hadley via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Preliminary Card

1. Women's Flyweight Bout: Viviane Araujo defeated Andrea Lee via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-27)

2. Lightweight Bout: Michael Johnson defeated Alan Patrick via KO at 3:22 of round two

3. Women's Strawweight Bout: Virna Jandiroba defeated Angela Hill via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

4. Flyweight Bout: Tatsuro Taira defeated Carlos Candelario via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

5. Middleweight Bout: Andre Petroski defeated Nick Maximov via submission (anaconda choke) at 1:16 of the first round