Nate
Diaz saw the opening and threaded the needle.
“The Ultimate Fighter” Season 5 winner dismissed Tony
Ferguson with a guillotine choke in the fourth round of their
UFC
279 headliner on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where
he fulfilled the final bout on his current
Ultimate Fighting Championship contract and gazed towards
greener pastures. Diaz (21-13, 16-11 UFC), who sounds very much
like a man who intends to enter professional boxing at some level,
sewed up the submission 2:52 into Round 4.
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Ferguson (25-8, 15-5 UFC) was effective in spurts, especially with
repeated kicks to his opponent’s legs. Diaz weathered the damage to
his lower extremities, uncorked some of his patented multi-punch
volleys and stayed competitive as the fight drifted into the fourth
round. There, Ferguson moved in for an ill-advised takedown and
wandered into the awaiting guillotine. Diaz tightened his grip,
brought his hips into play and let his squeeze do the rest.
Winless since June 8, 2019, Ferguson has now suffered five straight
defeats.
Unbeaten Chimaev Throttles Holland
Allstars Training Center thoroughbred Khamzat
Chimaev kept his perfect professional record intact and did so
in spectacular fashion, as he submitted Kevin
Holland with a brabo choke in the first round of their
catchweight co-main event at 180 pounds. Holland (23-8, 10-5 UFC)
bowed out 2:13 into Round 1, his modest two-fight winning streak at
an end.
Chimaev (12-0, 6-0 UFC) ducked under a hand tap at the outset and
swooped in for a lightning-quick takedown, maintaining a position
of dominance through a series of wild scrambles. Holland wandered
into the brabo choke and did everything in his power to extricate
himself from danger. Chimaev kept his composure, readjusted his
grip more than once and eventually drew out the tap.
The undefeated Chimaev has finished eight of his 12 opponents
inside one round.
Surging Rodriguez Edges Li
A persistent jab, occasional counters and sustained output carried
Syndicate MMA’s Daniel
Rodriguez to a contentious split decision over Jingliang
Li in a three-round catchweight attraction at 180 pounds. All
three cageside judges scored it 29-28: Michael Bell and Douglas
Crosby for Rodriguez, Ron McCarthy for Li.
All three rounds were closely contested. Rodriguez (17-2, 7-1 UFC)
focused his attention on the head with intermittent combinations he
set up with the jab. Li (19-8, 11-6 UFC), meanwhile, zeroed in on
the body and legs with heavy kicks, while mixing in sporadic
crosses and overhands to the head. He slowed down in the third
round, where Rodriguez continued to unleash his jab, sometimes two
and three at a time.
Rodriguez, 35, has won four fights in a row.
Aldana Upkick Stops Chiasson
Lobo Gym standout Irene
Aldana cut down “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 28 winner
Macy
Chiasson with an upkick to the body in the third round of their
featured catchweight clash at 140 pounds. Chiasson (8-3, 6-3 UFC)
froze and collapsed 2:21 into Round 3.
The 34-year-old Aldana (14-6, 7-4 UFC) handled her business in the
first round, where she buckled the Fortis
MMA rep with a right hand and cut off an attempted takedown
with an armbar that nearly drew the curtain there. Chiasson upped
her aggression in the middle stanza and seemed to turn the tide in
her favor, as she moved to full mount and battered her opponent
with elbows and punches. Aldana withstood the assault but conceded
another takedown early in the third round. With Chiasson hovering
above her in a standing position, she delivered a brutal heel
strike to the liver that short-circuited the New Orleans native and
brought their contest to a sudden and unexpected conclusion.
Aldana has rattled off seven wins across her past nine
appearances.
Walker Choke Submits Cutelaba
Former Jungle
Fight champion Johnny
Walker put away Ion
Cutelaba with a rear-naked choke in the first round of their
light heavyweight showcase. Walker (19-7, 5-4 UFC) coaxed the
tapout 4:37 into Round 1, securing his first victory in nearly two
years.
Cutelaba (16-8-1, 5-7-1 UFC) executed a trip takedown and stymied
the
SBG Ireland-trained Brazilian with top control but did little
else to establish his superiority. Walker scrambled out of danger,
avoided an armbar and ultimately progressed to the back. He
threatened initially with a neck crank, softened Cutelaba with
punches and bit down on the choke once the opportunity presented
itself. Walker’s squeeze proved too great for the Moldovan to
overcome.
The 28-year-old Cutelaba has lost back-to-back bouts, both by
submission.
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