Anthony
Smith continues to put the two-fight losing streak of early
2020 further in his rearview mirror.
“Lionheart” earned a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” award for
his first-round submission of Ryan Spann in
the
UFC Fight Night 192 headliner at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on
Saturday night. Smith dropped Spann twice in the early going,
advancing to his opponent’s back on the second occasion and locking
in a rear-naked choke to force the tap 3:47 into Round 1 of the
light heavyweight bout for his third consecutive victory.
Elsewhere, lightweight prospect Arman
Tsarukyan garnered a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” check
by making short work of Christos
Giagos in another featured pairing. The American Top Team
prospect countered a body kick from Giagos with a left hook that
put his foe on his seat near the fence. From there, Tsarukyan
unloaded with ground-and-pound until the bout was halted 2:09 into
the first frame.
Earlier, Nathan
Maness captured a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus by
virtue of a thrilling come-from-behind win against Tony
Gravely at bantamweight. Gravely nearly finished the contest in
Round 1, when he dropped Maness with a right hook and flurried with
punches in pursuit of the stoppage. Maness survived to see the
horn, however, and then floored Gravely with a right hand in Round
2 before sealing his victory with punches and hammerfists at the
2:26 mark of the period.
Finally, Joaquin
Buckley shook off a slow start to secure the evening’s final
$50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus in a knockout victory
against Antonio
Arroyo at middleweight. After Arroyo controlled the first two
rounds behind a variety of kicks, Buckley turned up the heat with
by dropping his foe with an uppercut and finishing the fight with
hammerfists 2:26 into Round 3.