Costa stuns Schnell in Round 1 as UFC Vegas 118 prelims deliver four finishes

Alessandro Costa wasted no time making his short-notice opportunity count at UFC Fight Night 278 on Saturday, stopping Matt Schnell with first-round hammerfists at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas to headline a prelim card that produced four finishes.

Costa (16-5, 4-3 UFC) stepped in for the injured Imanol Rodriguez and delivered a composed, clinical performance in their 130-pound catchweight bout. He bided his time before dropping Schnell with a clean left hook, sprawled to stuff a desperation takedown and unloaded rapid-fire hammerfists until referee intervention came at 2:32 of Round 1. Schnell falls to 17-11 overall and 7-9 in the UFC.

Edgar Chairez added another finish to his recent run, submitting Bruno Silva with a rear-naked choke at 4:13 of the first round in their flyweight clash. The onetime Combate Global champion troubled Silva with his length throughout, twice dropping him with right hands before climbing to full mount, taking the back and cinching the choke. It was Silva’s first submission loss since September 2011. Chairez, 30, has now won three straight and improves to 14-6 (4-2 UFC).

Chelsea Chandler snapped a two-fight losing streak in emphatic fashion, submitting Priscila Cachoeira with an armbar 3:42 into the first round of their women’s bantamweight bout. Chandler (7-4, 3-3 UFC) dropped the Brazilian with a left hook and a follow-up right hand, moved to the back and locked in the finishing hold. Cachoeira, who had come out swinging, falls to 13-9 in the UFC.

The one decision on the prelim card went to Marcus McGhee, who outworked late-notice replacement John Yannis over three rounds in their bantamweight contest. All three judges scored in McGhee’s favour — two cards reading 30-27 and one 29-28 — as the MMA Lab product mixed orthodox and southpaw stances, deployed a persistent jab and varied his kicks throughout. Yannis steadied himself in the second round but faded badly in the third. McGhee, 36, improves to 11-2 overall and 5-1 in the UFC, having now won seven of his last eight bouts.