UFC Vegas 119 Rookies Graded: Magomedov Twister Earns A+

Five rookies made their UFC debuts at UFC Vegas 119 on Saturday night at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, posting a combined record of 3-2 with two violent finishes.

Murtazali Magomedov delivered the performance of the night, per MMA Mania's Alexander Behunin. The Season 9 Contender Series signee survived early power shots from Melsik Baghdasaryan, secured a takedown, transitioned to back control and locked up a Scottish twister for the tap in under two minutes. The submission earned Magomedov an A+ grade and a $100,000 performance bonus. Behunin noted that while Magomedov's striking defense remains a question mark, the 11-0 grappler "reminded everyone why he was such an intriguing signing."

Chokheli Opens With Brutal Body Shot Finish

Welterweight Levan Chokheli also earned top marks with a first-round stoppage of Leon Shahbazyan. The seven-fight Bellator veteran landed two calf kicks that immediately wobbled Shahbazyan, then finished him with a body shot that doubled him over. At 29 years old, Chokheli joins a growing roster of Georgian talent and drew praise as a high-level addition to the division.

Featherweight Shane Collins swept the scorecards 30-27 over Otari Tanzilovi in the night's opening bout. Collins showed crisp striking and stayed dangerous off his back, attempting three submissions despite absorbing multiple takedowns. The 8-0 prospect earned an A grade for his willingness to engage everywhere.

Shahbazyan, a 6-foot-4 welterweight, received failing marks after the body shot stoppage. Tanzilovi struggled to generate offense despite landing takedowns and was graded a D for a performance described as lay-and-pray with little impact. Both rookies face uncertain futures on the roster after one-sided losses.

Photo: The White House / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

Original reporting:

• mmamania.com — Rookie Report Card: Grading UFC Vegas 119 Debuts | MMA Mania