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Dusko
Todorovic reasserted himself in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight division and did so
with renewed vigor and purpose.
The Secutor MMA standout on Saturday rebounded from back-to-back
losses to Punahele
Soriano and Gregory
Rodrigues, as he dispatched Maki Pitolo
with punches in the first round of their featured UFC
on ESPN 31 prelim at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Now on a
troubling four-fight losing streak, Pitolo (13-9, 1-5 UFC) met his
end 4:34 into Round 1.
Todorovic (11-2, 2-2 UFC) delivered a takedown, freed himself from
a loose guillotine choke and made slow but consistent progress on
the ground. He transitioned from half guard to full mount, then
moved to Pitolo’s back. From there,
Todorovic flattened out the Hawaiian and cut loose with punches
until referee Mark Smith had no choice but to intervene.
Ferocious Kape Blitzes Zhumagulov
Former Rizin Fighting Federation champion Manel Kape
cut down Zhalgas
Zhumagulov with punches in the first round of their flyweight
tilt. Kape (17-6, 2-2 UFC) brought it to an emphatic close 4:02
into Round 1, notching his second victory in as many
appearances.
Zhumagulov (14-6, 1-3 UFC) was the aggressor at the start but
played with fire one too many times. Kape sat down the onetime
Fight Nights Global titleholder with a blinding left hook-right
cross combination in the center of the cage, pressured him into the
fence and
uncorked a devastating volley of power punches from both hands
until the Kazakhstani scrapper folded.
It was Zhumagulov’s first stoppage loss since Jan. 24, 2015.
Barberena Downs Unbeaten Weeks
A sustained attack on the body and legs spurred Gym-O
representative Bryan
Barberena to a unanimous decision over promotional newcomer
Darian
Weeks in a three-round welterweight clash. All three cageside
judges struck 29-28 scorecards for Barberena (16-8, 7-6 UFC), who
recorded his second win in three outings.
A short-notice substitution for Matt Brown,
Weeks (5-1, 0-1 UFC) executed multiple takedowns and punched
effectively in spurts. However, Barberena moved forward with the
unwavering purpose for which he has become known, zeroed in on the
lead leg with kicks and peppered the body with punches. His
consistent output became more and more of a factor as the match
progressed.
Weeks entered his Octagon debut on the strength of five straight
finishes.
Surging Vlismas Handles Martin
Xtreme Couture export Cheyanne
Vlismas outstruck and outmaneuvered Mallory
Martin to a unanimous decision in a three-round women’s
strawweight battle. Vlismas (7-2, 2-1 UFC) carried all three
scorecards: 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28.
Martin (7-5, 1-3 UFC) was a step or two behind in the standup
exchanges. Vlismas circled on the perimeter, connected with
accurate punching combinations and managed to steer clear of return
fire. Hand speed, footwork and output provided the difference, the
divide between the two women seeming to grow as the minutes and
seconds ticked off the clock.
Vlismas, 26, has won six of her last seven bouts.
Hulking Knight Outpoints Menifield
Thornton Martial Arts representative William
Knight won for the fifth time in six outings, as he laid claim
to a contentious unanimous decision over fellow Dana White’s
Contender Series graduate Alonzo
Menifield in a three-round light heavyweight encounter. All
three cageside judges scored it the same: 29-28 for Knight (11-2,
3-1 UFC).
The 15-minute bout was marked by extended periods of inactivity.
Knight authored the most significant moments of offense in the
first round, where he scrambled into full mount, advanced to the
back and briefly threatened with a rear-naked choke. Once the two
men disengaged, he sat down Menifield (11-3, 4-3 UFC) with a left
hook and appeared to have him teetering on the brink when the bell
sounded. Not much happened over the final two rounds, as Menifield
relied on a stall-heavy clinch and Knight responded with a few
power punching bursts.
The loss snapped Menifield’s two-fight winning streak.
Puelles Kneebar Submits Gruetzemacher
Sanford MMA prospect Claudio
Puelles submitted “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 22
quarterfinalist Chris
Gruetzemacher with a kneebar in the third round of their
lightweight encounter. Gruetzemacher (15-5, 3-4 UFC) raised the
white flag 3:25 into Round 3.
The 25-year-old Puelles (11-2, 4-1 UFC) set the tone with a strong
first round, where he struck for a takedown, applied his
ground-and-pound and ultimately achieved full mount. “The Ultimate
Fighter Latin America” Season 3 finalist held his own in the clinch
throughout a grimy middle stanza, then waited for an opportunity to
present itself in the third. Gruetzemacher held top position for
much of the frame but paid too little attention to the Peruvian’s
persistent attacks on his lower extremities. Puelles eventually
isolated his left leg,
engaged his hips on the kneebar and prompted the tapout.
Puelles will ride a four-fight winning streak into his next
assignment.
Syndicate’s Morales Buries Smolka
Syndicate MMA export Vince
Morales put away former Pacific Xtreme Combat champion Louis
Smolka with punches in the first round of their bantamweight
pairing. Smolka (17-8, 8-8 UFC) succumbed to blows 2:02 into Round
1, losing for the third time in five appearances.
Morales (11-5, 3-3 UFC) targeted the Hawaiian with body-head
combinations and a few leg kicks. Smolka engaged him at close range
and fired off a few knees from the Thai clinch but left his head
exposed in the process. Morales
floored him with an overhand right and pounced with punches
until referee Chris Tognoni called for the stoppage.
The 31-year-old Morales has rattled off back-to-back victories.
