Tapped!@RickySimonUFC
[
gets the job done in RD
#UFCFightIsland8 |
#InAbuDhabi | @VisitAbuDhabi
] pic.twitter.com/lqHZbiGzuQ— UFC (@ufc)
January 20, 2021
Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on
your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the
ESPN app. Former
Legacy Fighting Alliance champion Ricky Simon
submitted Belgian newcomer Gaetano
Pirrello with an arm-triangle choke in the second round of
their featured bantamweight prelim on Wednesday at Etihad Arena in
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Simon (17-3, 5-2 UFC) drew the
curtain 4:00 into Round 2, scoring his first submission in nearly
three years.
Pirrello (15-6-1, 0-1 UFC) did not enjoy his first UFC experience.
Simon closed the distance, delivered repeated takedowns and
methodically wore down the Osman Gym representative. He struck for
his final takedown late in the second round, advanced immediately
to full mount and framed the choke in half guard. After a brief
struggle, Pirrello capitulated.
Simon, 28, will head to his next assignment on the strength of
back-to-back victories.
Surging Mudaerji Handles Asashev
Fast-rising Tibetan prospect Su Mudaerji
utilized his superior height and reach in capturing a unanimous
verdict against Zarrukh
Adashev in a three-round flyweight scrap. Mudaerji (14-4, 3-1
UFC) carried all three scorecards: 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27.
Adashev (3-3, 0-2 UFC) had his moments but failed to successfully
navigate the physical disadvantages with which he was confronted.
Mudaerji fought mostly at a comfortable range, chipped away with
clean jab-cross combinations and used smooth lateral movement to
avoid unnecessary danger. He dropped Adashev to a knee with a check
right hook in the second round, moved in for potential finish and
settled back into a more relaxed pace once it became clear the
Uzbekistan-born kickboxer was not going to break.
Mudaerji has pieced together a three-fight winning streak since his
Octagon debut resulted in a submission loss to Louis
Smolka in November 2018.
Lungiambula Outmuscles Replacement Perez
Overpowering takedowns and damaging ground-and-pound carried Xtreme
Couture export Dalcha
Lungiambula to a unanimous decision over former LFA champion
Markus
Perez in a three-round middleweight encounter. All three
cageside judges scored it the same: 29-28 for Lungiambula (11-2,
2-1 UFC).
A short-notice replacement for Isi
Fitikefu, Perez (12-5, 2-5 UFC) had issues with the South
African’s brute physicality. Lungiambula bullied him to the mat
more than once across the first 10 minutes, steered clear of the
Brazilian’s submissions and punished him with short punches and
elbows, one of which opened a cut in the second round. Perez
enjoyed some success in the clinch in Round 3 but could not dig
himself out of a hole on the scorecards.
Lungiambula has won seven of his past eight bouts.
Debuting Figueiredo Tops Rivera
Jungle Fight veteran Francisco
Figueiredo — the younger brother of reigning flyweight champion
Deiveson
Figueiredo — made a successful Octagon debut, as he laid claim
to a unanimous decision over Jerome
Rivera in a three-round confrontation at 125 pounds. Figueiredo
(12-3-1, 1-0 UFC) swept the scorecards with matching 29-28 marks
from the judges.
Rivera (10-4, 0-2 UFC) struggled to get in gear through the first
two rounds. Figueiredo peppered him with sneaky left hands over the
top but made his biggest gains in close quarters, as he secured
repeated takedowns and paired them with stifling control and
effective ground-and-pound. Rivera did his best work in Round 3,
where he slammed punches and knees into the fatigued Brazilian
before landing a takedown of his own. However, the finish he needed
failed to materialize.
The 31-year-old Figueiredo owns a 3-0-1 record over his past four
appearances.
Davis Outlasts Undefeated Jones
American Top Team’s Mike Davis
leaned into efficient punching combinations, blasted away with
well-disguised calf kicks and mixed in a few takedowns, as he took
a unanimous decision from former two-division Cage Warriors
Fighting Championship titleholder Mason Jones
in an attritive three-round lightweight battle. All three cageside
judges scored it 29-28 for Davis (9-2, 2-1 UFC).
Jones (10-1, 0-1 UFC) was outstanding in defeat. The Welshman
marched forward behind multi-punch bursts, stayed in Davis’ face
with merciless pressure and forced the Dana White’s Contender
Series graduate to dig deep into his reserves. Bleeding from
multiple cuts, Jones showed signs of deterioration late in the
bout. Davis made the most of his opportunities down the stretch, as
he met the organizational newcomer’s aggression with close-range
elbows to the head and knee strikes to the body.
Davis has rattled off four wins in five outings.
Unbeaten Nurmagomedov Throttles Morozov
Umar
Nurmagomedov kept his perfect professional record intact, as he
put former M-1 Global champion Sergey
Morozov to sleep with a rear-naked choke in the second round of
their bantamweight pairing. Morozov (16-5, 0-1 UFC) lost
consciousness 3:39 into Round 2, closing the book on his five-fight
winning streak.
The undefeated Nurmagomedov (13-0, 1-0 UFC) flexed his skills in
all phases. He zeroed in on Morozov with kicks to the body, legs
and head, swooped in for opportunistic takedowns and progressed to
more advantageous positions with stellar offensive grappling.
Nurmagomedov stunned his counterpart with a head kick inside the
first 10 seconds of the middle stanza, swarmed with punches and
eased off the accelerator when a finish failed to materialize. He
executed another takedown later in the second round, advanced to
the back, snaked his arms in place for the choke and squeezed
until Morozov went limp.
Nurmagomedov has finished seven of his 13 opponents.
Newcomer Fiorot Squashes Leonardo
Manon
Fiorot dazzled in her promotional debut, as she put away Dana
White’s Contender Series alum Victoria
Leonardo with a head kick and follow-up punches in the second
round of their women’s flyweight clash. Leonardo (8-3, 0-1 UFC)
bowed out 4:08 into Round 2.
It was a comprehensive beatdown from start to finish. Fiorot (6-1,
1-0 UFC) set the tone with an overwhelming start, as she unleashed
side kicks to the body, crisp punching combinations, standing
elbows and clinch knees in a dominant first round. Leonardo fared
no better in the second. There, Fiorot continued her standup
assault, incorporated a takedown and ground-and-pound, reset
herself on the feet and blindsided the Louisianan with the head
kick. Leonardo buckled and retreated to the fence, where the Frenchwoman cut loose with punches until the
job was done.
Fiorot, 30, has won six fights in a row, five of them finishes.
