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. There’s a new contender in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship’s light heavyweight
division. Jiri
Prochazka staked his claim to a title shot in the
UFC on ESPN 23 headliner, as he knocked out Dominick
Reyes with a spinning back elbow 4:29 into Round 2 at the UFC
Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night. After just the third KO/TKO
stemming from a spinning back elbow in promotion history, Prochazka
(28-3-1, 2-0 UFC) has finished 25 of his 28 career triumphs by
knockout or technical knockout.
“I just want to show the beauty of the art, but sometimes I go very
quickly for the win,” Prochazka said. “(As a result of) that, I
catch some punches. Mistakes still, but I’m learning from fight to
fight.”
A still-improving Prochazka is a scary prospect for the rest of the
division, because the whirling dervish of offense he is now is
already plenty dangerous. The former
Rizin Fighting Federation took it to Reyes from the outset of
the bout, rattling his foe with heavy punches on multiple
occasions. Reyes held up well in a firefight, as he answered with
counter left hands and kicks to body when Prochazka pressured him
against the fence.
By the beginning of Round 2, it was apparent that Reyes’ already
mangled nose was broken again, and Prochazka targeted the bloodied
face of his foe repeatedly. Reyes had one last opportunity to turn
the tide when he dazed Prochazka with a left that forced the Czech
fighter to shoot for a takedown out of desperation. From there,
Reyes locked in a guillotine, but Prochazka was able to pop his
head free without issue and assume top position.
When Reyes scrambled back to his feet, Prochazka pursued his foe
near the fence. Moments later, “Denisa” went over the top with a
right elbow before spinning with his left elbow, a shot that
connected clean and sent Reyes face first to the canvas.
“I just flow,” Prochazka said. “After some counter punches from
Dominick, I have no chance to think. I just was in the flow.”
Chikadze Liver Kick Folds Swanson
Giga
Chikadze finally has his signature UFC triumph.
The Georgian featherweight dispatched Cub Swanson
in impressive fashion, winning via technical knockout 1:03 into the
opening stanza of their co-main event matchup. A liver kick — which
he calls the “Giga Kick” — folded Swanson (27-12, 12-8 UFC)
instantly, and Chikadze landed four follow-up ground strikes on the
defenseless
World Extreme Cagefighting veteran before referee Jason Herzog
stepped in to wave off the bout. The
Kings MMA representative has finished his last two Octagon
appearances after beginning his tenure with four straight decision
triumphs.
“I knew (it was over),” Chikadze said. “That’s why I kind of
stopped. Then the referee didn’t stop me, that’s why I had to do a
couple (more) punches.”
After a 2020 in which Chikadze (13-2, 6-0 UFC) won four fights
against a variety of journeymen and short-notice foes, the
33-year-old appears poised to make a serious move at 145 pounds.
Chikdaze has now won six straight fights in UFC competition, tying
him with Zabit
Magomedsharipov for the third-longest active winning streak in
the featherweight division.
“I have a ton of respect for Cub. It is what it is, I had to do
it,” Chikadze said. “I had to tell all the Top 15 guys that I’m
here. If you didn’t know my name, now you know.”
Cutelaba, Jacoby Battle to Split Draw
A light heavyweight battle between Ion
Cutelaba and Dustin
Jacoby ended in a split draw after three competitive rounds.
Rick Winter saw it 29-28 for Cutelaba, while Dave Hagen
submitted a 29-28 tally for Jacoby. Meanwhile, Tony Weeks submitted
a 28-28 scorecard.
Cutelaba (15-6-1, 4-5-1 UFC) mauled Jacoby (14-5-1, 2-2-1 UFC) in
the opening stanza. The Moldovan fighter ragdolled his foe to the
canvas repeatedly while landing heavy punches and elbows to the
side of the head when Jacoby attempted to return to his feet.
Cutelaba appeared to be on the verge of a finish, but Jacoby — with
the help of a couple fence grabs — was able to make it until the
end of Round 1. Weeks was the only judge to score that round 10-8
for Cutelaba.
With Cutelaba fading, the bout took on a different tone over the
final 10 minutes. Jacoby denied most of his adversary’s takedowns
while peppering Cutelaba’s face with punching combinations. “The
Hulk” continued to move forward, and though he did land some heavy
punches of his own, the pace and volume favored Jacoby, who ended
the contest by landing a takedown.
Efficient Strickland Cruises vs. Jotko
Sean
Strickland continued his remarkable comeback from a late 2018
motorcycle accident, winning his fourth straight bout with a
unanimous decision triumph over Krzysztof
Jotko at middleweight. The former King of
the Cage title holder earned the nod from all three cageside
scorers: 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.
Strickland (23-3, 10-3 UFC) kept Jotko (22-5, 9-5 UFC) on his
bicycle for the majority of the contest thanks to crisp straight
punches, low kicks and consistent forward movement. “Tarzan”
briefly had his Polish foe reeling after clipping his foe with a
right hand in Round 1 and he bloodied Jotko’s nose over the course
of the bout with a consistent stream of offense. Jotko occasionally
found the range for a counter left hand and attempted several
spinning attacks but otherwise rarely threatened Strickland.
Blistering Pace Propels Dvalishvili
Merab
Dvalishvili continued his ascent through the bantamweight
division with a hard-fought decision triumph against Cody
Stamann in a featured bantamweight encounter. Cageside judges
submitted scorecards of 30-27, 29-28, 29-28 — all for Dvalishvili,
who has won six consecutive fights.
In a matchup of two wrestling-minded fighters, Dvalishvili had the
better blend of skills and the more frenetic pace. The Serra-Longo
Fight Team representative countered Stamann’s takedown shots with
uppercuts and generally held the edge in takedowns and scrambles.
Most notable was Dvalishvili’s (13-4, 6-2 UFC) improved standup, as
he consistently tagged Stamann with jabs, straight right hands,
uppercuts and a variety of kicks. While Stamann (19-4-1, 5-3-1 UFC)
was able to secure top position on a few occasions, he simply
couldn’t match the energy of his opponent for a full 15
minutes.
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UFC on ESPN 23 Prelims: Michailidis Gets First UFC Triumph
