UFC 267 results and video: Khamzat Chimaev steamrolls Li Jingliang, chokes him out cold

The UFC 267 main card has started, and Khamzat Chimaev has just made his return in style by choking out the #11 ranked welterweight, Li Jingliang, with an RNC in the first-round. Chimaev went for the takedown right away, took the back, and worked for the RNC until “The Leech” was unconscious. The broadcast announced that Khamzat has only given up one strike in four fights, and that’s insane! With Chimaev moving into the rankings, who will be next for this rising star?

To start the main card, the UFC’s #7 ranked light heavyweight, Magomed Ankalaev, serviced the #8 ranked, Volkan Oezdemir, for all-three-rounds. Oezdemir started strong with his initial burst of offense, but Ankalaev dropped him with a crisp left hand in the opening act and remained in control for the remainder of the fight. This makes seven straight for Magomedov, who we have really only seen lose for one literal second.

Main card:

Khamzat Chimaev def. Li Jingliang by technical submission (RNC) at 3:16 of round 1: Welterweight

Chimaev ducked under and exploded with a takedown, holding Li in the air as he talked to Dana White, who was cage-side. He worked his way to the back and proceeded to drop a ton of punches. Li exposed his neck and Chimaev locked up an RNC. Somehow, Li escaped, but Chimaev went right back to it and put The Leech to sleep.

Magomed Ankalaev def. Volkan Oezdemir by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28): Light Heavyweight

Oezdemir pressed forward right away, stinging Ankalaev with some uppercuts. He even threw a flying knee to dress a takedown attempt. Ankalaev clinched up to slow things down, and then landed a sneaky left on the break. He then briefly dropped Oezdemir with a left cross to get ahead in the round. The fight slowed down there, with both men having tasted the power of the other.

Oezdemir was attacking the leg early and often in the second act, but then a punch from Ankalaev cut open Volkan around his left eye. Oezdemir returned to his leg kicks, but that allowed Ankalaev to hit a short-lived takedown. Volkan got stuck up against the fence, eating knees to the leg from Magomedov. Ankalaev took the center of the Octagon in the last round, pumping out straight punches and discouraging Oezdemir from closing the distance. There was just nothing Oezdemir could do about it.