It’s not every day the UFC signs someone off a no-contest result or better yet, one of the bloodiest fights of all time.
That would be the case for UFC Welterweight Nicolas Dalby, who returns this weekend at UFC Kansas City, headlined by Ian Machado Garry vs. Carlos Prates.
Dalby’s been in the UFC since 2015 but there was a time in between where the 29-fight veteran wasn’t on the roster.
After taking a then-undefeated Darren Till to a draw in his second UFC bout, Dalby was released from the promotion following back-to-back losses.
‘Danish Dynamite’ knew he’d one day be back as the fighter clawed through Cage Warriors, winning their interim title before putting on the bloodiest fight the promotion’s ever seen.
Nicolas Dalby suffered huge gash before he broke opponent’s nose
It was Dalby’s opponent Cage Warriors Welterweight Champion Ross Houston who drew first blood in their title unification bout at Cage Warriors 106 in 2019.
What started off as a clean white canvas inside the cage gradually turned into red as Houston sliced through Dalby’s forehead with an elbow, opening up a massive cut with blood pouring out three minutes into the fight.
“Biggest cut in Cage Warriors history,” said one of the commentators.
Referee Marc Goddard called in the cageside doctor to check in on Dalby before the action continued.
Less than 90 seconds left to go in the opening round, Dalby took down Houston, soaking his opponent with blood.
Round 2 swung in Dalby’s favor as he broke Houston’s nose early on with his right hand. Dalby would then take Houston down again, this time controlling him for good.
Dalby maintained top control for majority of the round with so much blood pouring of both the fighter’s faces. As Dalby tried to tie up a choke, splotches of of his blood painted the floor.
Dalby was relentless in his attacks, wearing on Houston with his grappling and ground and pound.
Houston survived to see a third round, Dalby’s left eye almost swollen shut.
Referee ruled fight no-contest after enough blood was spilled
Dalby started the third round of a scheduled five guns-blazing on the feet, nearly slipping a couple of times on the bload-soaked canvas. Dalby knocked Houston down with a knee and pounced on him for the finish. However, Houston was as tough as they come, sticking it out.
After throwing ground and pound at Houston, the referee paused the action again with Dalby standing up with the surface of his forehead painted in blood and Houston on his knees, blood seeping into his eyes and into his mouth with the doctor on clean-up duty.
“This is f****** ridiculous,” Goddard said as the doctor wiped Houston’s eyes.
The doctor confirmed Houston’s nose was broken with Goddard’s plan to let the title fight reach the end of the third round so it may be scored instead of letting both men sustain more damage.
Within a minute of the fight being restarted, Goddard had seen enough after both fighters slipped and slid across the bloody canvas.
Neither Dalby or Houston would walk away the winner with the title fight being declared a no-contest due to the slippery canvas and the damage dealt – a broken nose for the undisputed champion and a giant cut on interim champ Dalby, who would be re-signed to the UFC a few months afterwards at 34 years old.
After three years away from the Octagon, the fighter from Denmark won in his return fight against Alex ‘Cowboy’ Oliveira in 2019.
Now 40, Nicolas Dalby has won four out of his last five fights. Dalby’s only loss was a controversial decision to the highly-touted 24-2 Rinat Fakhretdinov.
Dalby is set to meet fellow UFC veteran Randy Brown this Saturday at UFC Kansas City.
