# Nicolas Dalby

Nicolas Lyngh Dalby (born November 16, 1984) is a Danish mixed martial artist who is currently fighting in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional since 2010, he is both a former Welterweight and interim welterweight champion in Cage Warriors.

## Mixed martial arts career
### Background and early career

Nicolas Dalby started learning karate as a teen to defend himself against bullies. He moved from Sønderborg to Copenhagen to be around his friends. After five years of training karate, he started training in Rumble Sports, one of the biggest MMA gyms in Copenhagen. He had a total of five amateur fights, losing the first one by decision and winning the rest of them. Dalby was quickly recognized for his powerful striking and knockout power. He became one of the most feared strikers in Europe after many brutal knockouts.

### Cage Warriors Fighting Championship

In 2014, Dalby gained two victories in the Cage Warriors, including a TKO stoppage of Sergei Churilov to earn the CWFC Welterweight Championship.

### Ultimate Fighting Championship

Dalby made his promotional debut against Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos on 30 May 2015 at UFC Fight Night 67. He won the fight via split decision.
Dalby next faced Darren Till on 24 October 2015 at UFC Fight Night 76. The bout ended in a majority draw. Both fighters were awarded Fight of the Night honors.
Dalby was expected to face Bartosz Fabinski on 10 April 2016 at UFC Fight Night 86. However, on March 2, Fabiński was removed from the card due to undisclosed reasons and replaced by Zak Cummings. Dalby lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Dalby next faced Peter Sobotta on 3 September 2016 at UFC Fight Night 93. He lost the fight by unanimous decision and was subsequently released from the promotion.

### Return to the UFC

Despite struggling with depression and alcoholism stemming from unsuccessful UFC stint, Dalby racked up 3–1 (1 NC) record in Cage Warriors including winning interim Welterweight Championship. Dalby was re-signed to the UFC in mid-2019 and faced Alex Oliveira on 28 September 2019 at UFC on ESPN+ 18. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
Dalby was scheduled to face Danny Roberts on 21 March 2020 at UFC Fight Night: Woodley vs. Edwards. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was eventually postponed . The bout with Roberts was rescheduled and was expected to take place on 26 July 2020 at UFC on ESPN 14. However, Roberts pulled out of the bout citing injury and he was replaced by Jesse Ronson. Dalby lost the fight via a rear-naked choke in round one. The fight result turned to no contest after Ronson received USADA handed 22 month suspension for testing positive for Metandienone.
Dalby was scheduled to face Orion Cosce on 21 November 2020 at UFC 255. However, Cosce was pulled from the event for undisclosed reason and he was replaced by Daniel Rodriguez. Dalby won the fight via unanimous decision.
Dalby was scheduled to face Sergey Khandozhko on 26 June 2021 at UFC Fight Night 190. However, Khandozhko pulled out due to injury and was replaced by Tim Means. Dalby lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Dalby faced Cláudio Silva on July 23, 2022, at UFC Fight Night 208. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
Dalby faced Warlley Alves on January 21, 2023, at UFC 283. He won the fight via split decision.
Dalby faced Muslim Salikhov on June 24, 2023, at UFC on ESPN 47. He won the bout via unanimous decision.
Dalby faced Gabriel Bonfim on November 4, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 231. He won the fight via technical knockout in the second round, which earned him a Fight of the Night performance bonus award.
Dalby faced Rinat Fakhretdinov on June 22, 2024, at UFC on ABC 6. He lost the close fight by split decision.
Dalby was scheduled to face Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos in a rematch on November 9, 2024 at UFC Fight Night 247. However, Dalby withdrew from the fight due to an injury and was replaced by promotional newcomer Zach Scroggin.
Dalby is scheduled to face Randy Brown on April 26, 2025 at UFC on ESPN 66.

## Championships and accomplishments
### Mixed martial arts

* Ultimate Fighting Championship
** Fight of the Night (Two times) vs. Darren Till and Gabriel Bonfim
** UFC.com Awards
*** 2015: Ranked #9 Fight of the Year vs. Darren Till
* Cage Warriors Fighting Championship
** CWFC Welterweight Championship (One time)
*** One successful title defense
** Interim CWFC Welterweight Championship (One time)
* European MMA
** EMMA Welterweight Championship (One time)
* Fighter Gala
** FG Welterweight Championship (One time)
** One successful title defense
* Nordic MMA Awards - MMAviking.com
** 2014 Knockout of the Year vs. Sergei Churilov on March 22
** 2015 Comeback of the Year vs. Darren Till on October 24
** 2019 Comeback Fighter of the Year

## Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown :
| 31 matches | 23 wins | 5 losses |
| By knockout | 7 | 0 |
| By submission | 4 | 0 |
| By decision | 12 | 5 |
| Draws | 1 | 1 |
| No contests | 2 | 2 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Loss | 23–5–1 (2) | Rinat Fakhretdinov | Decision (split) | UFC on ABC: Whittaker vs. Aliskerov | June 22, 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | |
| Win | 23–4–1 (2) | Gabriel Bonfim | TKO (knees and punches) | UFC Fight Night: Almeida vs. Lewis | November 4, 2023 | 2 | 4:33 | São Paulo, Brazil | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 22–4–1 (2) | Muslim Salikhov | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ESPN: Vettori vs. Cannonier | June 17, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 21–4–1 (2) | Warlley Alves | Decision (split) | UFC 283 | January 21, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |
| Win | 20–4–1 (2) | Cláudio Silva | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Aspinall | July 23, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | London, England | |
| Loss | 19–4–1 (2) | Tim Means | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Gane vs. Volkov | June 26, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 19–3–1 (2) | Daniel Rodriguez | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 255 | November 21, 2020 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| NC | 18–3–1 (2) | Jesse Ronson | NC (overturned) | UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Till | July 26, 2020 | 1 | 2:48 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | Originally a submission (rear-naked choke) win for Ronson; overturned after he tested positive for metandienone. |
| Win | 18–3–1 (1) | Alex Oliveira | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Cannonier | September 28, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Copenhagen, Denmark | |
| NC | 17–3–1 (1) | Ross Houston | NC (surface deemed unsafe) | Cage Warriors 106 | June 29, 2019 | 3 | 2:05 | London, England | For the Cage Warriors Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 17–3–1 | Alex Lohore | TKO (punches) | Cage Warriors 103 | March 9, 2019 | 4 | 2:47 | Copenhagen, Denmark | Won the interim Cage Warriors Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 16–3–1 | Philip Mulpeter | TKO (punches) | Cage Warriors 100 | December 8, 2018 | 3 | 3:32 | Cardiff, Wales | |
| Win | 15–3–1 | Roberto Allegretti | Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) | Cage Warriors 96 | September 1, 2018 | 2 | 0:50 | Liverpool, England | |
| Loss | 14–3–1 | Carlo Pedersoli Jr. | Decision (split) | Cage Warriors 93 | April 28, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Gothenburg, Sweden | |
| Loss | 14–2–1 | Peter Sobotta | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Arlovski vs. Barnett | September 3, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Hamburg, Germany | |
| Loss | 14–1–1 | Zak Cummings | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Rothwell vs. dos Santos | April 10, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Zagreb, Croatia | |
| Draw | 14–0–1 | Darren Till | Draw (majority) | UFC Fight Night: Holohan vs. Smolka | October 24, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Dublin, Ireland | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 14–0 | Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Condit vs. Alves | May 30, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Goiânia, Brazil | |
| Win | 13–0 | Mohsen Bahari | Decision (unanimous) | Cage Warriors 74 | November 15, 2014 | 5 | 5:00 | London, England | Defended the Cage Warriors Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 12–0 | Sergei Churilov | TKO (head kick and punches) | Cage Warriors 66 | March 22, 2014 | 4 | 2:19 | Ballerup, Denmark | Won the vacant Cage Warriors Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 11–0 | Morten Djursaa | TKO (punches) | European MMA 6: The Real Deal | September 26, 2013 | 1 | 0:27 | Brøndby, Denmark | Won the EMMA Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 10–0 | Ivica Trušček | Decision (unanimous) | WKN Valhalla: Battle of the Vikings | March 9, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Aarhus, Denmark | |
| Win | 9–0 | Ivica Trušček | Decision (unanimous) | Royal Arena 2 | August 31, 2012 | 3 | 5:00 | Brøndby, Denmark | |
| Win | 8–0 | Cristian Brinzan | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | Fighter Gala 25 | May 12, 2012 | 2 | 4:45 | Frederiksberg, Denmark | Defended the Fight Gala Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 7–0 | Acoidan Duque | Decision (unanimous) | Royal Arena 1 | March 10, 2012 | 3 | 5:00 | Brøndby, Denmark | |
| Win | 6–0 | Glenn Sparv | Decision (unanimous) | Cage Fight Live 2 | November 19, 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | Herning, Denmark | |
| Win | 5–0 | Mindaugas Baranauskas | KO (punch) | Fighter Gala 23 | October 1, 2011 | 1 | 1:22 | Copenhagen, Denmark | Won the Fight Gala Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 4–0 | Raymond Jarman | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Fighter Gala 17 | November 13, 2010 | 2 | 1:08 | Odense, Denmark | |
| Win | 3–0 | Raimondas Sinica | KO (punches) | Fighter Gala 16 | October 2, 2010 | 1 | 0:06 | Helsingør, Denmark | |
| Win | 2–0 | Jaroslav Poborský | Decision (unanimous) | Fighter Gala 13 | April 17, 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Copenhagen, Denmark | |
| Win | 1–0 | Laurens-Jan Thijssen | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Fighter Gala: Fight Night 5 | March 6, 2010 | 3 | 2:35 | Sønderborg, Denmark | |