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Makhachev lived up to the hype in his first headlining
effort. The Dagestani lightweight gradually imposed his will on Thiago
Moises before submitting his opponent with a rear-naked choke
at the 2:38 mark of Round 4 on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las
Vegas. Makhachev, who has won eight straight in UFC competition, is
the first person to defeat Moises via tapout.
“This is my first fourth round in my life. I never fight more than
three rounds. That’s why this is good experience for me,” Makhachev
said.
“I tell you guys before, I’m gonna take him down, make him tired,
and make him tap.”
Moises (15-5, 4-3 UFC) spent the majority of the bout on the
defensive. Makhachev (19-1, 9-1 UFC) was effective in spurts with
punching combinations to the head and kicks to the body, but it was
in close quarters that he did the most damage. Though it was Moises
who elected to force the clinch on multiple occasions, he enjoyed
little success against the Khabib
Nurmagomedov protege in this area. Makhachev showcased stout
takedown defense against the cage while landing effective knees in
the clinch, and ultimately, he was able to ground his opponent in
every frame.
That gradually led to more and more dominant sequences from
Makhachev, as he took Moises’ back on multiple occasions. Moises’
last gasp occurred in Round 3, when he threatened with a leg lock
late in the period. However, Makhachev remained composed until the
bell sounded. Makhachev slammed the ex-Resurrection
Fighting Alliance champion to the canvas early in Round 4 and
quickly transitioned to back control. From there, he slid his arm
under Moises’ chin to elicit the tapout — even without his hooks in
place.
Hey guys, you can run, but you can’t hide,” said Makhachev, who
called out Rafael dos
Anjos in the aftermath of his latest victory. “I’m coming, I’m
here.”
Tate Stops Reneau in Return from Retirement
After a retirement that lasted nearly five years, Miesha Tate
looked like she hasn’t missed a beat.
The former
Ultimate Fighting Championship and Strikeforce
champion relied on a tried-and-true formula in the
UFC on ESPN 26 co-main event, using takedowns and
ground-and-pound to carry her to a third-round stoppage of Marion
Reneau in a bantamweight encounter. A barrage of punches and
elbows from back mount brought a halt to the bout 1:53 into Round
3. It was Tate’s first Octagon appearance since a decision loss to
Raquel
Pennington at UFC 205 in November 2016.
“This has been a lot of hard work, a lot of self discovery in the
process, but I’m here and I’m back,” Tate said.
While Tate (19-7, 6-4 UFC) is just beginning her MMA comeback,
Reneau (9-8-1, 5-7-1 UFC) was making what is expected to be her
final MMA appearance at 44 years old. Tate made sure it was a
bittersweet farewell, as she blended striking with takedowns
effectively throughout the fight. “Cupcake” shook off a fence grab
to slam Reneau to the canvas in Round 2, where she methodically
pounded away with punches, hammerfists and elbows from above —
busting her foe open in the process.
Round 3 saw Tate sting Reneau with a stiff jab before landing
another takedown. From there, Tate transitioned to back mount and gradually
increased the intensity of her ground-and-pound before referee
Mark Smith stepped in to rescue Reneau.
“I’m glad I went out the way I did. I’m glad I was allowed to fight
my last fight her in the cage and fight a phenom like Miesha,”
Reneau said. “I did give it all I had and that’s it. That’s what’s
left for me.”
Gamrot Kimura Spoils Stephen’s Lightweight Return
Former
KSW champion Mateusz
Gamrot made a significant statement in the lightweight division
with a quick finish of long-tenured Octagon veteran Jeremy
Stephens. The
American Top Team member locked in a kimura to force a tapout
just 65 seconds into Round 1, becoming the first person to submit
“Lil Heathen” since 2009. Stephens, who was returning to 155 pounds
after an 18-bout stint at featherweight, is winless in his last six
bouts with the Las Vegas-based promotion.
Gamrot wasted no time shooting for a low single-leg and getting his
heavy-handed adversary to the canvas. Stephens (28-19, 15-18, 1 NC
UFC) initially attempted to use a kimura of his own to return to
his feet, but Gamrot (19-1, 2-1 UFC) countered with an armbar
before transitioning to the fight-ending maneuver. It didn’t take
long before “Gamer” was able to torque Stephens’ limb to an awkward
angle behind his back and end the contest.
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phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app.
Vieira Chokes Out Stoltzfus
Decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist Rodolfo
Vieira proved that he has a gas tank that can last beyond Round
1, as he submitted Dustin
Stoltzfus with a rear-naked choke in a middleweight tilt.
Stoltzfus asked out of the contest 1:53 into the third frame,
giving Vieira his third submission win in UFC competition.
One bout after gassing badly in an upset loss to Anthony
Hernandez at UFC 258, Vieira (8-1, 3-1 UFC) opted for a
measured approach behind his striking in the early going. The 2015
ADCC gold medalist pumped his jab into Stoltzfus’ mug repeatedly
through two rounds, an approach that left the Pennsylvania native’s
face bloody and battered. Stoltzfus was competitive in exchanges,
but Vieira left no doubt regarding the outcome in Round 3, as he
landed a pair of takedowns, climbed to his opponent’s back when he
attempted to stand and slid his arm under the chin. Vieira then
fell backward to the mat, forcing Stoltzfus (13-3, 0-2 UFC)
to tap in a matter of seconds.
Quarantillo Batters Benitez
Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Billy
Quarantillo authored a dominant performance against Mexican
veteran Gabriel
Benitez, winning via technical knockout in a featured
featherweight clash. Quarantillo (16-3, 4-1 UFC) brought the action
to a close with punches from back control at the 3:40 mark of Round
3. Benitez has lost three of his last four promotional outings.
For the most part, Quarantillo was in complete control. He dropped
Benitez (22-9, 6-5 UFC) with a massive overhand right in the
opening frame, then slammed his way out of an armbar attempt from
his opponent before spending the majority of the period in back
control.
As the bout progressed, repeated right hands from Quarantillo
caused serious swelling under Benitez’s left eye, but “Moggly” hung
tough. Benitez sat his foe down with a left hand early in Round 3,
but Quarantillo recovered to secure another takedown. From there,
the
Gracie Tampa South representative moved to back control and
with Benitez bleeding profusely, forced a stoppage with a barrage of unanswered
strikes.
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UFC on ESPN 26 Prelims: Lemos Scores Quick TKO of Ruiz
