Navajo
Stirling backed up the considerable hype with a memorable
performance.
The impressive City Kickboxing prospect was one of three hopefuls
to net an
Ultimate Fighting Championship contract during Week 5 of
Dana White’s Contender Series, as he felled Phillip
Latu with a sensational one-punch knockout in the second round
of their light heavyweight showcase on Tuesday at the UFC Apex in
Las Vegas.
Stirling (5-0, 1-0 DWCS) sealed the deal 2:21 into Round
2.
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Latu (6-2, 0-1 DWCS) had issues with managing distance against the
6-foot-4 Kiwi but managed to connect with a few power punches, a
counter right uppercut chief among them. Stirling answered with a
variety of weapons: low kicks, front kicks to the body, jabs, lead
left hooks and forearm strikes in close quarters. Midway through
the middle stanza, both men uncorked left hooks. Stirling’s landed
first and sent the Forge Fight Club rep crashing to the canvas in a
dazed-and-confused state. No follow-up shots were required.
Women’s flyweight Nicolle
Caliari and bantamweight Josias
Musasa are set to join Stirling on the UFC roster in the weeks
and months ahead. Thai Brasil’s Caliari put away UAE Warriors champion Corinne
Laframboise with an armbar in the first round of their women’s
flyweight tilt.
Caliari (8-2, 1-0 DWCS) drew the curtain 4:45 into Round 1, as she
nailed down her fourth win in a row.
Laframboise (8-5, 0-1 DWCS) executed a takedown late in the period
and paired it with some significant ground-and-pound. However, the
BTT Canada rep played too loose in the Brazilian’s guard, left a
limb exposed and paid the price. Caliari went belly down with the
armbar, adjusted her grip and prompted a verbal tapout.
The setback was Laframboise’s first in more than four years.
Meanwhile, Elite Training Center’s Musasa kept his perfect
professional record intact with a split decision over Otari
Tanzilov in a three-round bantamweight encounter. All three
cageside judges scored it 29-28: Michael Bell and Junichiro Kamijo
for the unbeaten Musasa, Tony Weeks for Tanzilov.
Musasa (8-0, 1-0 DWCS) pressed forward behind punches, crowded the
Syndicate MMA-trained Georgian in the clinch and employed an
effective get-up game across the 15-minute battle. Tanzilov (9-1,
0-1 DWCS) stayed active with his kicks, unleashed close-range knee
strikes and secured multiple takedowns. However, his inability to
corral Musasa on the canvas proved costly in practice and likely
spilled over to the scorecards.
Elsewhere, Teixeira MMA’s Yousri
Belgaroui withstood a point deduction for repeated eye pokes
and disposed of Taiga
Iwasaki with punches in the third round of their middleweight
co-feature. A Levels Fight League champion,
Belgaroui (8-3, 1-1 DWCS) brought it to a close 2:34 into Round
3.
Iwasaki (9-2, 0-1 DWCS) crashed headfirst into the clinch over and
over again, interrupting the flow of the fight while scoring with a
few close-range strikes. Belgaroui stayed composed and peppered his
counterpart with a crushing jab, often following it with clean
right hands. Iwasaki finally hit a wall in Round 3. Belgaroui
backed him up with a thudding knee to the body, consolidated it
with a jumping switch knee upstairs and gave chase with punches.
Iwasaki retreated, fought back briefly and then folded against the
fence after absorbing repeated blows to the head.
Belgaroui, 32, has rattled off three straight victories but did not
do enough in a foul-marred appearance to procure a UFC
contract.
Finally, a scheduled lightweight attraction featuring the
undefeated Kody Steele
was canceled when opponent Quemuel
Ottoni elected to withdraw at the last minute. Steele will be
rebooked for later in the season.