Michael Eswell Defeats Joo Sang Yoo by Split Decision at UFC 331

Michael Eswell ended a difficult stretch in his UFC career by outlasting Joo Sang Yoo across three rounds at UFC 331, taking a split decision by scores of 29-28 twice and 28-29 on Saturday night.

Eswell was the more dominant fighter in the opening round, establishing control that proved decisive when the judges' scorecards were tallied. Yoo clawed his way back into the fight in the second round and added a takedown in the third, giving at least one judge enough reason to score the bout in his favor, but it was not enough to sway the majority. The final verdict moved Eswell to 2-3 inside the Octagon, snapping a two-fight skid that had put his UFC tenure under pressure.

For Yoo, the defeat is a second consecutive loss at the UFC level, dropping him to 1-2 with the organization. The takedown he secured in the championship round showed he remained competitive until the final horn, but his inability to consistently threaten Eswell in the opening frame ultimately cost him on the cards.

Why it matters

• Eswell arrests a two-fight losing streak and keeps his UFC roster spot with a badly needed victory.
• Yoo has now dropped back-to-back bouts, raising questions about his path to consistency at this level.
• The split nature of the decision underlines how competitive the bout was, with Yoo's third-round takedown nearly complicating matters for Eswell.