Young’s Late Surge Edged Moisés on the Winnipeg Cards
Gauge Young defeated Thiago Moisés by split decision on April 18, 2026, at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg. Two judges scored the lightweight contest 29–28 for Young, while the third preferred Moisés by the same margin.
The matchup and early action
The matchup offered Young a substantial experience test against a Brazilian veteran familiar with high-level UFC opposition. Moisés sought to establish his grappling early and move the contest into positions where his submission game could matter.
Moisés worked hard to complete that opening plan, eventually taking Young’s back and enjoying success on the canvas. Young avoided a finish and remained in the fight despite the difficult first-round positions.
The decisive developments
The American began recovering momentum during the second round. As Moisés’s early efforts appeared to affect his pace, Young found more opportunities to bring his own offense into the contest.
Young’s strongest striking arrived in the third, when he repeatedly hurt Moisés before both men continued trading toward the final horn. The fight completed all three scheduled rounds without a stoppage.
What the result meant
Sal D’Amato and Junichiro Kamijo preferred Young 29–28, while David Therien selected Moisés 29–28. The split verdict therefore reflected disagreement over the rounds rather than uncertainty about whether a finish had occurred.
The victory gave Young consecutive UFC wins and a significant name on his developing record. His response to the early grappling disadvantage proved central: surviving the difficult phase kept him available to generate the more effective late offense that carried two scorecards.
