Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC,
PFL and “The Ultimate Fighter” live on your smart TV, computer,
phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Once upon a time, Chan Sung
Jung’s default mode was to brawl and throw caution to the
wind. On Saturday, “The Korean Zombie” displayed a different element to
his game, as he incorporated timely grappling with his striking to
capture a unanimous decision triumph over Dan Ige in the
UFC on ESPN 25 headliner at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Jung
received scorecards of 48-47, 49-46 and 49-46 to rebound from a
loss to current No. 1 contender Brian
Ortega this past October.
The 34-year-old South Korean appeared to be in typical form in
Round 2, when he buckled Ige (15-4, 7-3 UFC) with a right hook.
Jung wasn’t content to stay on the feet, however, as he ended the
frame with a back take against his Hawaiian opponent.
That would turn out to be a prevailing theme in the fight. “The
Korean Zombie” landed a takedown and took Ige’s back again with
approximately 3:00 remaining in Round 3, where he would spend the
rest of the period attached to Ige’s back. Likely three rounds
behind at that point, Ige came out with the appropriate sense of
urgency in Round 4, landing punches to the head and body of his
opponent to put Jung on the defensive. Jung put the brakes on Ige’s
comeback in the final stanza, when he again got Ige to the mat and
spent the last two minutes of the fight on Ige’s back.
Spivak Wears Down Oleynik
Sergey
Spivak earned the most significant victory of his career thus
far, pulling away from Alexey
Oleynik down the stretch to garner a unanimous decision triumph
at heavyweight in the UFC on ESPN 25 co-main event. All three
judges struck 29-28 tallies for Spivak, who has been victorious in
his last three Octagon appearances.
Oleynik was able to draw Spivak into his world in Round 1, when he
landed a takedown and then threatened with a rear-naked choke
before transitioning to full mount. It was downhill from there for
the Russian veteran, however. Oleynik (59-16-1, 8-7 UFC) jumped
guard early in the second stanza, but Spivak (13-2, 4-2 UFC)
managed to maintain top position and spend the majority of the
period landing ground-and-pound.
Spivak did some solid work standing in Round 3, when he opened a
significant gash on the side of his opponent’s head with a punch.
Later, “The Polar Bear” stuffed a shot from Oleynik and spent the
waning moments of the period landing more punches from top position
on his exhausted adversary.
Vera Takes Entertaining War Over Grant
Marlon
Vera avenged a previous loss to Davey Grant,
taking a unanimous verdict in an entertaining bantamweight brawl.
“Chito” received tallies of 29-27, 29-28 and 30-26 from the
cageside judges, bringing Grant’s three-bout winning streak to an
end. The Englishman bested Vera via unanimous decision in their
first meeting at UFC Fight Night 84 in February 2016.
Grant (13-5, 4-4 UFC) set the tone early, attacking with strikes to
all levels in an impressive opening round. Vera (17-7-1, 11-6 UFC)
picked up the pace in Round 2, opening a cut on Grant’s forehead
with a series of elbows in close quarters before ending the frame
with ground-and-pound from top position.
Vera did his best work in Round 3, when he sprawled on a takedown
from a fading Grant, took his man’s back and then transitioned from
a rear-naked choke to an arm-triangle choke. Vera continued the
assault on the feet, swarming with elbows, knees and punches to the
body before ending the fight with a tight RNC attempt in the waning
seconds.
Woo Choi Wins Third Straight, Stops Erosa
South Korean prospect Seung Woo
Choi won his third straight fight, defeating “The Ultimate
Fighter 22” alum Julian
Erosa via technical knockout in a featherweight tilt. Choi put
Erosa away 1:37 into Round 1, ending his opponent’s three-bout
winning streak.
Choi and Erosa (25-9, 3-5 UFC) traded willingly for the short time
that the bout lasted. Choi floored Erosa with a left hook and then
pounced for the finish, unloading with punches from top position until
referee Mark Smith stepped in to halt the contest. Choi (10-3, 3-2
UFC) has earned six of his nine triumphs via KO or TKO.
Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC,
PFL and “The Ultimate Fighter” live on your smart TV, computer,
phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app.
Silva Ground-and-Pound Mauls Turman
Brutal ground-and-pound made the difference for ex-M-1 Global
champion Bruno Silva
in a first-round stoppage of Wellington
Turman at middleweight. The 31-year-old
Evolucao Thai representative put Turman’s lights out with heavy
punches from inside his opponent’s guard at the 4:45 mark of Round
1. “Blindado” has won five straight fights — all via knockout or
technical knockout.
Turman (16-5, 1-3 UFC) opted for a grappling-heavy approach to
negate his foe’s knockout power. It worked for a while, especially
when he jumped on Silva’s back and make his adversary carry his
weight. Eventually, Silva (20-6, 1-0 UFC) was able to shake Turman
off and assume top position. From there, Silva methodically dropped
heavy shots on his foe before rendering Turman unconscious with a left
hook from above. Turman has lost three of his four Octagon
appearances.
Brown Scores One-Punch KO Against Lima
Matt
Brown showed he still has something left in the tank at 40
years old, as he earned a resounding knockout victory against
Dhiego
Lima in a welterweight clash. “The Immortal” brought the show
to a close 3:02 into Round 2, tying Vitor
Belfort and Derrick
Lewis for the most KOs in promotion history with 12.
In a competitive opening stanza, Lima (15-9, 4-7 UFC) repeatedly
battered Brown’s leg with calf kicks. Brown (23-18, 16-12 UFC) was
able to absorb the assault, however, and he set up the finishing
blow with a right hand to the body. From there, the Ohioan followed up a pinpoint right hand while
taking his head off the center line, sending Lima face first to the
canvas. No follow-up punches were necessary for Brown, who also
secured his 14th finish overall in UFC competition — a figure that
ties him for third most all-time.
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UFC on ESPN 25 Prelims: Jandiroba Injures Murata’s Arm
