Duncan Breaks Through in a Relentless Opener

Chris Duncan walked into the T-Mobile Arena looking calm, though you could sense a spark in his stride. Terrance McKinney came at him early, firing with urgency, and one heavy burst even pushed Duncan back a step. The Scottish lightweight didn’t panic. He tilted his head, steadied his stance, then cracked McKinney with a sharp elbow that instantly shifted the momentum. The crowd reacted in a wave, loud, quick, almost startled.

As McKinney fell, Duncan surfed forward and tightened control on the mat. Duncan quickly shifted his weight and locked in an anaconda choke, drawing a sudden roar from the crowd. McKinney tried to roll out, but Duncan kept tightening the hold. Within seconds, McKinney tapped, giving Duncan his fourth straight victory and strengthening a run that has quietly pushed him up the lightweight ranks.

His voice softened afterward when he mentioned his mother. He spoke of the day she died, just before his amateur debut in 2014, and the decision to fight anyway. “You cannot teach heart,” he said, eyes locked on the camera. The building went unusually still for a moment.

Van Captures Flyweight Crown

Joshua Van’s climb to the top of the flyweight class reached its summit in the co-main event. He refused to let Alexandre Pantoja dictate anything, pressing forward with a rhythm that never truly slowed. Pantoja found pockets of success, though Van kept switching speeds, occasionally surprising even the Brazilian with late-round bursts.

Van carried steady confidence into the final round, and by the closing, his expression made the outcome feel certain. When officials wrapped the belt around his waist, he exhaled deeply, as if finally releasing years of pressure.

Yan Ends Dvalishvili’s Run

Petr Yan closed the card with a gritty win over Dvalishvili, outworking the Georgian in a bout packed with quick scrambles and sharp exchanges. Each moment felt tense, and when the judges delivered the result, the reaction inside the arena was immediate.

UFC 323 delivered heat from start to finish. Duncan’s surge continues. Van rises. Yan resets the hierarchy. Nights like this reshape divisions in real time.