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UFC Middleweight

Marvin Vettori VS Ismail Naurdiev

Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.

Tale of the Tape

19-11-1 Record 26-8-0
33 Age 30
183 cm Height 183 cm
188 cm Reach 188 cm
southpaw Stance orthodox
58% Finish rate 73%
11% KO rate 50%
47% Sub rate 23%

Result Summary

Ismail Naurdiev def. Marvin Vettori Decision (unanimous) · R3 5:00

Ismail Naurdiev defeated Marvin Vettori by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) in a three-round middleweight bout at UFC 332 on October 3, 2026. Naurdiev controlled the first two rounds with damaging low kicks that visibly hobbled the Italian and secured a late takedown each period, sweeping all six of those scorecards. A leg kick in round one buckled Vettori and briefly dropped him to the canvas before he scrambled back to his feet. Vettori pressed harder in the third, stuffing multiple takedown attempts and landing combinations as Naurdiev's pace faded — two of three judges scored the final round for Vettori — but the deficit from the first two stanzas was too large. The loss extends Vettori's skid to five consecutive decision defeats.

Fight Overview

Marvin Vettori looks to snap a four-fight losing streak and salvage his UFC tenure in a rescheduled middleweight bout against Ismail Naurdiev, originally cancelled when Vettori broke a rib in June. Naurdiev (25-8) brings volume-striking aggression and a track record of forcing decisions, while Vettori's wrestling and relentless pressure remain dangerous tools even after a rough run through the division's elite.

Keys to Victory

Marvin Vettori

  1. Establish his wrestling immediately to dictate where the fight takes place and nullify Naurdiev's striking volume.
  2. Smother Naurdiev's output with heavy cage pressure and clinch work to drain energy and accumulate takedown attempts.
  3. Stay mentally composed and fight with urgency, understanding that a fifth consecutive loss ends his championship aspirations.

Ismail Naurdiev

  1. Use lateral movement and high-output striking to prevent Vettori from pinning him to the fence for takedown attempts.
  2. Maintain distance and punish Vettori's predictable shoot attempts with well-timed defensive knees and uppercuts.
  3. Trust consistent volume output over three rounds to outwork the grinding Italian and earn a clear decision.

Last 5 fights

Marvin Vettori

  1. L Brunno Ferreira Decision · R3 5:00 · 6 DEC 2025
  2. L Brendan Allen Decision · R3 5:00 · 19 JUL 2025
  3. L Roman Dolidze Decision · R5 5:00 · 15 MAR 2025
  4. L Jared Cannonier Decision · R5 5:00 · 17 JUN 2023
  5. W Roman Dolidze Decision · R3 5:00 · 18 MAR 2023

Ismail Naurdiev

  1. W Ryan Loder TKO · R1 3:34 · 21 NOV 2025
  2. L Park Jun-yong Decision · R3 5:00 · 21 JUN 2025
  3. W Bruno Silva Decision · R3 5:00 · 26 OCT 2024
  4. W Tahar Hadbi Submission · R1 1:10 · 8 DEC 2023
  5. L Vadym Kutsyi TKO · R1 3:23 · 17 DEC 2022

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AI-generated This analysis was generated with AI and may contain errors.