LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 01: (L-R) Nasrat Haqparast of Germany punches Esteban Ribovics of Argentina in a light-weight struggle through the UFC Battle Night time occasion at UFC APEX on March 01, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Picture by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Purple-hot light-weight Esteban Ribovics returned to motion at UFC Vegas 103, trying to construct off his ‘Fight of the Night’ displaying at Noche UFC in a struggle with Nasrat Haqparast.
Haqparast, for his half, was on fairly the run with 4 straight victories contained in the UFC octagon. He was a slight underdog with many odds-makers, however didn’t present it within the struggle.
Ribovics took benefit of the open stance matchup, throwing a pair heavy kicks within the opening minute. Haqparast tripled his jab and landed a clear left straight that drew a smile from the Argentinian. Haqparast, who was principally boxing, landed one other good left that bust Ribovics’ lip. The Argentinian stored throwing a pair pictures pondering it could pressure Haqparast to maintain his guard up, however the Moroccan punished these sequences with left palms excessive. Ribovics confirmed his sturdiness as Nasrat’s left hand couldn’t appear to overlook. Good first spherical from the underdog.
Not not like the opening spherical, the second spherical’s first minute from noticed excessive ranges of exercise from each fighters. As Ribovics was anticipating a left hand, Haqparast snuck a proper hook round his guard. Nasrat was doing a superb job catching loads of Ribovics’ pictures to the pinnacle. As Ribovics stored head looking, Dominick Cruz on the commentary crew stored mentioning that he might use to go to the physique. The Argentinian might have hoped that his Holloway-esque exercise degree would pressure Haqparast to decelerate, however the Moroccan stored up with Ribovics’ output and was successful many of the exchanges. An in depth, aggressive spherical that I believed Haqparast edged out in actual time.
Each fighters got here out firing on all cylinders, maybe not trusting the judging. Haqparast began to intercept Ribovics’ fixed forward-moving stress with elbows. A brief left hook from ‘El Gringo’ tagged Haqparast, which was then adopted up with a knee that the Moroccan someway ate, although he was carrying the injury. As Ribovics was beginning to discover momentum, Nasrat shot a takedown that allowed him to get well and burn some valuable break day the clock. As soon as he obtained up, Ribovics went proper again on the offense, however Nasrat was standing his floor and throwing with him. Ribovics was now in a position to stuff the laboured takedown makes an attempt from Haqparast. He ended the spherical with a head kick that wobbled the Moroccan as time went out. A transparent spherical for the fighter out of Argentina.
With two fights remaining on the cardboard, this was now the clear favorite for ‘Fight of the Night’. The 2 fighters embraced as soon as the choice was learn, clearly having left part of themselves in that cage. Now on a 5-fight successful streak, Haqparast can most likely count on his first shot on the rankings since going through Dan Hooker in September of 2021. Realizing this, he known as out Renato Moicano.
Official Consequence: Nasrat Haqparast def. Esteban Ribovics by break up resolution (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
