Argentina’s Kevin Vallejos officially established himself as a featherweight contender to watch, swarming Josh Emmett for a first-round TKO (strikes, 3:33) in the main event of UFC Vegas 114 from the Meta APEX Saturday night.

Vallejos (18-1 MMA) remained unbeaten in the UFC at 4-0, sending a message to his native fans of what’s to come. The 24-year-old called his shot, persuading the UFC to return to Buenos Aires for an event soon.

“Argentina, keep dreaming,” Vallejos said through an interpreter. “Because you’re going to have a world champion.”

Emmett (19-7 MMA), 41, has lost his last three fights and is now at 27 months since his last win in December of 2023.

The co-main event saw Canadian strawweight Gillian Robertson earn a unanimous decision against Amanda Lemos of Brazil to move one step closer to a title shot, taking all three judges’ scorecards 29-28, 29-28, 29-28. Robertson (17-8 MMA) has won five fights in a row, sending Lemos (15-6-1 MMA) back to the drawing board as she’s dropped three of her last four fights.

The card began to wind down with a precursor to the co-main and main event, as featherweights Andre Fili and Mexico’s Jose Miguel Delgado left it all out in the Octagon during a way-too-early Fight of the Year candidate as Delgado earned a split decision, taking the scorecards 29-28, 28-29, 29-28.

Delgado (11-2 MMA) went for the finish on several occasions in Round 2, while also surviving a Fili (25-13 MMA) rally in the third round after a slow-paced opening frame.

At featherweight, Marwan Rahiki (8-0 MMA) of Morocco won his UFC debut against a former Cage Warriors champion in England’s Harry Hardwick (13-5-1 MMA) after Hardwick’s corner was forced to stop the fight at the start of Round 3, where it was discovered Hardwick had a broken jaw caused by a flurry of punches, highlighted by a massive left hook.

Rahiki was awarded the TKO win, leaving Hardwick winless in the promotion through two fights. The bout was called after Hardwick verbalized noticeable pain in his jaw before his corner and UFC medical staff knew the fight was over.

In the light heavyweight division, Moldova’s Ion Cutelaba made short work of Frenchman Oumar Sy with a first-round mounted guillotine choke at 4:24. Cutelaba was able to stop a Sy takedown before securing the finish after reversing position. Cutelaba (20-11-1 MMA) has now won three of his last four fights, securing his second UFC submission win and fourth of his MMA career. Sy (12-2 MMA) had won three of his last four coming in to begin his UFC tenure.

Ranked flyweights Bruno Silva of Brazil and Charles Johnson began the six-fight main card in exciting fashion. Johnson edged Silva by split decision with crisp boxing and an overall balanced skillset, taking the cards 29-28, 28-29, 30-27.

Johnson (19-8 MMA) had lost two of his last three fights entering Saturday night’s clash. Meanwhile, Silva (15-8-2 MMA) has lost three of his last four fights after stringing together a four-fight UFC winning streak from March 2021 through July 2024.

-Field Level Media

Luka Doncic hit a baseline jumper with 0.5 seconds left, and the host Los Angeles Lakers rallied to beat the Denver Nuggets 127-125 in overtime on Saturday night.

Doncic finished with 30 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds for his 11th triple-double of the season. With its fifth straight win, Los Angeles clinched the season series against Denver.

Austin Reaves had 32 points, including a bucket in the final seconds of the fourth to send it to overtime. Marcus Smart added 21 points and LeBron James scored 17 for the Lakers.

Smart’s fifth 3-pointer of the night gave Los Angeles a 125-123 lead with 30 seconds left in overtime. Nikola Jokic tied it with 15.1 seconds left but Doncic’s 17-foot fadeaway won it for the hosts.

Jokic had 24 points, 16 rebounds and 14 assists for his 27th triple-double of the season and fifth in his last six games. Aaron Gordon finished with 27 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. contributed 20, Cam Johnson scored 18 and Bruce Brown and Christian Braun had 12 apiece for the Nuggets.

Both teams struggled to hit shots in the overtime before Deandre Ayton’s floater gave the Lakers a 122-120 lead. Gordon hit Denver’s first field goal, a 3-pointer with 46 seconds left, to make it 123-122, setting up the final moments.

Hardaway’s 3-pointer to open the fourth gave the Nuggets a 90-87 lead, their first since the opening minutes of the game, and then went ahead 106-98 with 5:13 left.

It was a seven-point Denver lead when Doncic hit a 3-pointer and drained three free throws with 1:57 left to tie it at 109. Gordon hit a corner 3-pointer, Reaves made a driving layup and Smart had a steal and layup to give the Lakers a 113-112 lead with 47 seconds left.

Hardaway hit a corner 3-pointer to put the Nuggets back in front, and Gordon split a pair of free throws to make it 116-113. It was 118-115 when Reaves was fouled with 5.6 seconds left. He made the first, intentionally missed the second, got the rebound and scored to send it to overtime.

–Field Level Media

Luka Doncic hit a baseline jumper with 0.5 seconds left, and the host Los Angeles Lakers rallied to beat the Denver Nuggets 127-125 in overtime on Saturday night.

Doncic finished with 30 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds for his 11th triple-double of the season. With its fifth straight win, Los Angeles clinched the season series against Denver.

Austin Reaves had 32 points, including a bucket in the final seconds of the fourth to send it to overtime. Marcus Smart added 21 points and LeBron James scored 17 for the Lakers.

Smart’s fifth 3-pointer of the night gave Los Angeles a 125-123 lead with 30 seconds left in overtime. Nikola Jokic tied it with 15.1 seconds left but Doncic’s 17-foot fadeaway won it for the hosts.

Jokic had 24 points, 16 rebounds and 14 assists for his 27th triple-double of the season and fifth in his last six games. Aaron Gordon finished with 27 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. contributed 20, Cam Johnson scored 18 and Bruce Brown and Christian Braun had 12 apiece for the Nuggets.

Both teams struggled to hit shots in the overtime before Deandre Ayton’s floater gave the Lakers a 122-120 lead. Gordon hit Denver’s first field goal, a 3-pointer with 46 seconds left, to make it 123-122, setting up the final moments.

Hardaway’s 3-pointer to open the fourth gave the Nuggets a 90-87 lead, their first since the opening minutes of the game, and then went ahead 106-98 with 5:13 left.

It was a seven-point Denver lead when Doncic hit a 3-pointer and drained three free throws with 1:57 left to tie it at 109. Gordon hit a corner 3-pointer, Reaves made a driving layup and Smart had a steal and layup to give the Lakers a 113-112 lead with 47 seconds left.

Hardaway hit a corner 3-pointer to put the Nuggets back in front, and Gordon split a pair of free throws to make it 116-113. It was 118-115 when Reaves was fouled with 5.6 seconds left. He made the first, intentionally missed the second, got the rebound and scored to send it to overtime.

–Field Level Media