The
Ultimate Fighting Championship’s return to Austin was a violent
affair.
Nine out of 12 bouts fell short of the distance at
UFC on ESPN 52, but the finish in the main event still stole
the show. No. 8 ranked lightweight Arman
Tsarukyan exploded into the the Top 5 with a cataclysmic
first-round knockout over No. 4 Beneil
Dariush to close out one of the best cards of the year at the
Moody Center.
Advertisement
On paper, the fight was between two extremely skilled grapplers
with sneaky striking but we never got to see it. Both fighters
instantly looked to take center cage and land their power.
Tsarukyan (21-3, 8-2 UFC) closed the show fast with a
right knee that lined Dariush up perfectly for a flush right hand
over top.
Dariush (22-6-1, 16-6-1) hit the ground with a thud before the bout
was stopped 1:04 into the round. A year ago, Dariush was the
hottest lightweight in the world riding the momentum of an
eight-fight win streak. 2023 has been a disaster. Dariush has been
finished in back-to-back bouts and slips even further away from a
title shot. Tsarukyan will be elevated into the Top 5, where
potential matchups could be spicy for the 27-year-old.
Jalin
Turner knew it was a risk agreeing to fight Bobby Green
on a week’s notice but the gamble paid off big for „The Tarantula.“
Turner turned off Green’s lights with a devastating right hand that
put his foe flat on his face. Turner reigned down maleficent
destruction until Kerry Hately finally realized he had a job to do
and stopped the fight 2:49 into the first round of the UFC Austin
co-main event.
Turner (14-7, 7-4 UFC) has been on the backend of two split
decision losses this year
but closed out 2023 with a highlight-reel knockout. At
6-foot-3, it’s a miracle that Turner can make lightweight let alone
on a week’s notice. Despite going 1-2 in 2023, the Tarantula stock
in the lightweight division is on the rise.
The UFC’s bantamweight division just got a little deeper.
Former two-time flyweight champion Deiveson
Figueiredo took the first step in conquering a second weight
class with an impressive unanimous decision win over No. 8
bantamweight Rob Font
(30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Figueiredo (22-3-1, 10-3-1 UFC) has always been considered big for
flyweight but it was surprising to see just how well the former
champion’s power carried to 135. Figueiredo staggered the
heavy-handed Font multiple times and outboxed the 135-pound
contender.
Font landed some solid punches but couldn’t keep up with
Figueiredo’s flurries. Heading into the final five minutes after
two close rounds on the feet, Figgy turned the tide and took Font
to the canvas. Figueiredo was in full mount at the bell and looked
dominant.
Kelvin
Gastelum’s return to welterweight was not a welcome one as
Sean
Brady bullied the former reality show winner for three rounds
before submitting Gastelum by kimura with just under
three minutes left in the fight.
Gastelum (18-9, 12-9 UFC) has lost six out of his last eight and
looked lifeless in his first fight at 170 since 2016. Brady (16-1,
6-1) successfully bounced back from his TKO loss to Belal
Muhammad last year.
Joaquim
Silva picked up the biggest win of his career over study UFC
veteran Clay Guida in
lightweight action. Silva edged out Guida on the cards (29-28,
29-28, 29-28) as all three judges gave him the edge in a razor-thin
fight.
Silva jumped out early as Guida’s punches routinely fell short.
Silva picked at „The Carpenter“ with leg kicks and jabs while
circling away from his power. Guida showed success in Round 2,
getting Silva to the ground. It was either man’s fight heading into
the final five minutes.
Silva (13-4, 6-4 UFC) fought off the valiant Guida in Round 3 and
landed the cleaner shots between the two. Silva successfully
bounced back from his TKO loss to Arman
Tsarukyan last June and could be back in the mix for bigger
opportunities at lightweight.
The UFC Austin prelims were full of finishes and Dustin
Stoltzfus carried that trend into the main card. Stoltzfus
handed Punahele
Soriano his third-straight loss by way of a second-round
rear-naked choke (4:10).
Stoltzfus (15-5, 2-4 UFC) opened the fight strong, recording a
takedown and knockdown in the final 45 seconds of the first round.
Stolzfus walked behind his punches in Round 2 before eventually
taking Soriano’s back and attempting a neck crank. Once Stoltzfus
found the room to slip his elbow in under the chin,
he was able to finish the full choke.
Continue Reading »
UFC Austin Prelims: Two Slam Knockouts Steal the Show