Flow state on the floor for @PatSabatini145
[
#UFCVegas43 LIVE on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/KTmNzhz80j— UFC (@ufc)
November 20, 2021
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on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via
the ESPN app. Pat
Sabatini has quickly established a firm foothold in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship’s featherweight division.
The former Cage Fury Fighting Championships titleholder grounded
and controlled Tucker Lutz
to a unanimous decision in the featured
UFC Fight Night 198 prelim on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las
Vegas. Sabatini (16-3, 3-0 UFC) swept the scorecards with 30-26,
30-27 and 30-27 nods from the cageside judges.
A short-notice substitution for Gavin
Tucker, Lutz (12-2, 1-1 UFC) never managed to get himself in
gear. Sabatini short-circuited his efforts with takedowns, stifling
control, positional advances and submission attempts. He was at the
peak of his powers in Round 2, where he struck for a takedown
inside the first 15 seconds, moved to a mounted guillotine and
ultimately advanced to the back. Lutz denied his bids for chokes
but offered little else in terms of resistance.
The loss halted Lutz’s run of consecutive victories at 12.
Garcia Sinks Unbeaten Levy
Repeated takedowns, sneaky counters and intermittent power punching
combinations drove former Combate Global champion Rafa Garcia
to a unanimous decision over the previously undefeated Natan Levy
in a three-round lightweight duel. All three judges arrived at the
same verdict: 29-28 for Garcia (12-2, 1-1 UFC).
Levy (6-1, 0-1 UFC) stayed active with kicks—those aimed at the
body were particularly effective—but overextended on his punches
and created unnecessary openings for his counterpart. The
opportunistic Garcia landed takedowns in all three rounds,
frustrated the Syndicate MMA-trained Israeli with his persistence
and did more than enough to get by in the standup exchanges.
Garcia now holds a 4-2 mark in bouts that reach the judges.
Ubiquitous Godinez Subdues Suphisara
Onetime Legacy Fighting Alliance titleholder Lupita
Godinez made her third appearance in 43 days and emerged no
worse for wear, as she took a unanimous decision from Konklak
Suphisara in a three-round women’s strawweight battle. A
short-notice replacement for Cheyanne
Buys, Godinez (7-2, 2-2 UFC) carried all three cards with 30-27
scores.
Suphisara (6-3, 3-2 UFC) could not stay upright long enough to make
headway. Godinez punched into clinch range, took down the Tiger
Muay Thai standout repeatedly and consolidated those efforts by
transitioning to dominant positions and applying her
ground-and-pound. Faced with exhaustion and inevitability,
Suphisara grew less and less effective as the fight moved
forward.
The setback snapped Suphisara’s two-fight winning streak.
Dogged Durden Downs Aori
Former Valor Fighting Challenge champion Cody Durden
returned from reconstructive knee surgery and an 11-month layoff
that resulted to nail down a unanimous decision over Qileng Aori
in a three-round lightweight encounter. All three cageside judges
scored it 29-28 for Durden, who rebounded from his Dec. 19
submission loss to Jimmy
Flick.
Durden (12-3-1, 1-1-1 UFC) made his intentions known at the outset,
as he doggedly pursued takedowns and clinches. Aori (18-9, 0-2 UFC)
managed distance effectively in the second round, threw heat in the
Covington, Georgia, native’s direction and appeared to turn the
tide in his favor with uppercuts, overhand rights and occasional
knee strikes. Durden, however, fought through fatigue and did just
enough to get his hand raised across the final five minutes,
delivering two takedowns and more often than not keeping himself
glued to the onetime Wu Lin Feng titleholder.
The victory was Durden’s first since July 18, 2020.
Shayilan Outgrapples Struggling Soriano
China Top Team export Nuerdanbieke
Shayilan leaned on takedowns, positional control and
ground-and-pound, as he laid claim to a unanimous verdict over
Sean
Soriano in a three-round featherweight encounter. All three
cageside judges scored it the same: 29-28 for Shayilan (20-7, 1-1
UFC).
Soriano (14-8, 0-5 UFC) held the advantage for much of the first
round with superior standup and an effective sprawl. However, the
Sanford MMA rep lost his way in Round 2. Shayilan reversed into top
position after being taken down, achieved full mount and piled up
valuable control time. More importantly, he brought doubt into the
equation for Soriano. Shayilan delivered multiple takedowns and
scored with a belly-to-back suplex in a largely one-sided third
round, where he advanced to the back, secured his position with a
body triangle and snuffed out whatever hope remained for the former
Championship Fighting Alliance titleholder.
Shayilan has won three of his last four fights.
Surging Pinheiro Handles Hughes
Head-and-arm throws, jabs to the body and timely punching
combinations carried Nova Uniao’s Luana
Pinheiro to a unanimous decision over Sam Hughes
in a three-round women’s strawweight affair. The once-beaten
Pinheiro (10-1, 2-0 UFC) swept the scorecards with 30-27, 30-27 and
29-28 marks from the cageside judges.
A short-notice substitution for Jessica
Penne, Hughes (5-4, 0-3 UFC) failed to get dialed in. Pinheiro
set the tone in Round 1, where she executed multiple throws, scored
with some ground-and-pound and even made a pass at a Peruvian
necktie. The Brazilian capped an otherwise uneventful middle stanza
with a late flurry that sat down Hughes and kept momentum in her
corner. All was not lost for the Sikjitsu rep, who enjoyed a strong
third round that saw her capitalize on a cautious Pinheiro and her
decision to steer clear of danger.
Pinheiro, 28, has rattled off eight consecutive victories.
