TLDR
- Edgar Chairez defeated Felipe Bunes by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) at UFC Fight Night 268 in Mexico City
- Bunes dominated the first round with back control and ground strikes, but Chairez rallied in rounds two and three
- Chairez landed effective jabs and finished strong with a spinning back kick and flying knee in the final seconds
- The win improved Chairez to 3-2 in the UFC and marked his first career decision victory
- Bunes dropped to 1-3 in the UFC after failing to maintain his early control through the later rounds
Sources: evrimagaci.org | cagesidepress.com
Edgar Chairez won a split decision over Felipe Bunes on Saturday night at UFC Fight Night 268 in Mexico City. Two judges scored the flyweight bout 29-28 for Chairez, while one judge gave it 29-28 to Bunes.
Chairez entered the fight with a 12-6 MMA record and a 2-2 UFC record, plus one no contest. The Mexican fighter last competed in March 2025, earning a Performance of the Night bonus with a first-round submission win over CJ Vergara.
Bunes brought a 14-8 MMA record and 1-2 UFC mark into the bout. The 36-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt was coming off a unanimous decision loss to Rafael Estevam in August 2025.
Oddsmakers favored Chairez at -325 on DraftKings, while Bunes entered as the underdog at +240 to +260. Both fighters had finished all their previous wins, setting expectations for an early stoppage.
Bunes Controls Early Action
Bunes dominated the opening round by jumping on Chairez’s back and securing a body triangle while standing. He maintained this position for most of the round, landing punches and elbows to Chairez’s shoulders and arms.
Chairez managed to escape the submission threats in the final seconds of round one. The judges likely scored the first round for Bunes based on his positional control.
The second round saw Chairez find his rhythm with improved striking. He landed effective jabs to the body and head while displaying better head movement.
Bunes landed an accidental groin kick late in the second round, causing a brief stoppage. Chairez took less than a minute to recover before resuming the fight.
Chairez closed the second round strong, landing a spinning backfist followed by multiple strikes. The momentum appeared to shift in favor of the Mexican fighter.
Chairez Surges in Final Round
The third round began with Bunes showing urgency and gesturing for Chairez to engage. Bunes landed a single-leg takedown in the first minute but couldn’t keep Chairez grounded.
Chairez kicked away from the takedown and returned to his feet, landing a spinning elbow. He continued pressing forward with effective jab work to both the body and head.
Bunes remained aggressive throughout the round, continuing to signal for more action. Despite showing more visible damage, Chairez maintained his striking advantage.
In the final seconds, Chairez landed a spinning back kick followed by a flying knee. The late flurry capped off his strongest round of the fight.
Chairez averaged 3.44 strikes per minute with 44% accuracy during his UFC career. Bunes averaged 2.93 strikes per minute with 50% accuracy and typically attempted 2.3 submissions per 15 minutes.
The victory marked Chairez’s second straight win and improved his UFC record to 3-2. All 12 of his previous victories had come by finish, making this his first UFC decision win.
Bunes fell to 1-3 in the UFC following the loss. He had won his UFC debut against Jose Johnson by first-round submission in January 2024.
The split decision was announced with scores of 29-28, 28-29, and 29-28. Chairez’s increased output in rounds two and three proved decisive after Bunes’ dominant first round.
