Ko Seok-hyeon outpoints Philip Rowe as Garcia–Onama headlines UFC Vegas 110: what we learned about five names on one card

UFC Vegas 110 put a spotlight on a cross-section of climbers and comeback stories. While the featherweights Steve Garcia and David Onama top the marquee in tonight’s main event, an early statement came from Ko Seok-hyeon, who defeated Philip Rowe by unanimous decision on the prelims. Middleweight Sedriques Dumas also returned to the spotlight on short notice, adding intrigue to a card already thick with narratives.

Ko Seok-hyeon announces himself with discipline, not chaos

Ko Seok-hyeon beat Philip Rowe over three measured rounds, the kind of performance that sells matchmakers on reliability. The South Korean welterweight didn’t chase a wild finish; he won the geometry of the cage. Key beats:

• Range control: Ko’s jab and calf kicks kept Rowe from settling into long combinations, forcing single shots and resets.

• Pocket choices: When Rowe tried to collapse distance, Ko ducked under the first return and exited on angles, denying the kind of heavy exchanges Rowe prefers.

• Round stealing moments: Late entries—short flurries into cage clinches, plus a timely level change—tilted swing rounds his way.

Rowe had moments, especially when he drew Ko into the fence and fired the right hand over the top, but the consistency belonged to “The Korean Tyson.” The decision gives Ko his best UFC scalp to date and sets him up for a step toward the division’s receiving line of ranked veterans.

Steve Garcia vs David Onama: violent efficiency vs. violent patience

The main event pairs two featherweights on streaks for a reason. Steve Garcia is a momentum fighter who builds damage quickly once he finds his pocket entries; his last year has been a reel of knockdowns off straight-line pressure and clean right hands. David Onama brings a different cadence—he’s comfortable losing the first minute of an exchange if it buys him data for the second and third. Expect:

• Early chess: Garcia’s forward march will test Onama’s counters. If Garcia can get his feet set inside the logos, he’ll be first and third in sequences.

• Body investment: Onama’s best equalizer might be early body work to tax Garcia’s gas under pressure.

• Clinch stakes: Whoever owns over-unders along the fence will decide whether this is a sprint or a structured fight.

The winner doesn’t just bank a ranking bump; he claims a style credential in one of UFC’s most talent-rich divisions.

Philip Rowe: flashes remain, but the margins narrowed

For Philip Rowe, this was a night of inches. His length still plays in the division, and when he forced exchanges in the pocket he landed the cleaner single shots. The issue was volume and command of the terms: Ko kept Rowe at choices instead of combinations. For Rowe’s next outing, tightening entry feints and adding a few more level threats could restore the layered offense that fueled his earlier finishes.

Sedriques Dumas: back on the clock, with questions to answer

Sedriques Dumas stepped in as a short-notice opponent this week, a chance to stabilize a stop-start UFC run. The scouting report hasn’t changed: heavy kicks, fast first rounds, and a need to manage pace if the fight stretches. The assignment also comes with context—outside-the-cage turbulence and late reshuffles have framed his last year. What matters tonight is the in-cage read: improved shot selection, fewer empty blitzes, and a willingness to clinch to buy minutes when momentum wobbles.

What Ko Seok-hyeon’s win means in the welterweight scrum

Welterweight is unforgiving; winning clean matters as much as winning big. Ko’s decision over Rowe checks a matchmaker’s boxes:

• Cardio proof: No fade in the last two minutes.

• Defense under fire: Limited clean counters eaten when exchanges got messy.

• Translatable plan: Jab-low kick-angle is bankable against a broad spectrum of styles.

This is the kind of performance that typically earns a veteran test or a fellow riser with a complementary style—think a measured boxer-wrestler who can ask different questions.

Five quick takeaways from UFC Vegas 110’s storylines

1. Featherweight clarity: Garcia–Onama has “top-10 implications” written on it. The winner should land a name in the next booking cycle.

2. Ko’s ceiling rises: Add a well-known welterweight to his 2026 dance card.

3. Rowe’s adjustments: More proactive entries and layered feints could unlock the hands that didn’t fully show tonight.

4. Dumas watch: Efficiency over explosion will tell us more about his true floor.

5. Matchmaking momentum: The APEX isn’t glamour, but it’s where contenders are quietly sorted; tonight’s results will echo into Q1 schedules.

What’s next, realistically

• Ko Seok-hyeon: A mid-table welterweight with stout takedown defense—an opponent who forces Ko to extend his wrestling looks beyond defensive reads.

• Philip Rowe: A fellow long striker outside the rankings or a short-notice opportunity to reframe momentum.

• Garcia/Onama winner: A top-12 opponent with proven five-round cardio.

• Sedriques Dumas: A consistency test—either a durable veteran who drags him late or a prospect adjacent to the rankings.

UFC Vegas 110 promised answers and delivered at least one: Ko Seok-hyeon is more than a puncher’s nickname—he’s a measured problem at 170. Now the card waits on the featherweights to decide whose rise gets a rocket strapped to it.