Outside Source
All the superlatives seem to fit Ilia Topuria.
The unbeaten Spaniard laid claim to the vacant Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight title with a stirring knockout of Charles Oliveira in the UFC 317 headliner on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Topuria (17-0, 9-0 UFC), who held UFC gold previously at 145 pounds, brought it to a close 2:27 into Round 1 and became the 10th fighter in the promotion’s history to win championships in multiple divisions.
Oliveira (35-11, 23-11 UFC) did his best to neutralize his counterpart’s punching power by crowding him in the clinch. However, Topuria countered a takedown into top position, opened a cut above the Brazilian’s right eye and escaped an attempted leg lock. Back on the feet, he stepped into range, froze Oliveira with a right hook and landed a left as he collapsed downward. “Do Bronx” was unconscious before he hit the mat, where he was met with a few hammerfists that added insult to injury and served as capstones for Topuria’s career-defining performance.
Meanwhile, American Top Team’s Alexandre Pantoja tightened his stranglehold on the undisputed flyweight crown, as he disposed of Kai Kara-France with a rear-naked choke in the third round of their co-main event. Kara-France (25-12, 8-5 UFC) raised the white flag of surrender 1:55 into Round 3, suffering his first submission loss in almost five years.
Pantoja (30-5, 14-3 UFC) set the tone with a near-flawless first round, where he dragged the City Kickboxing star to the mat, progressed to the back and consolidated his position with a body triangle. He later threatened with an arm-triangle and achieved full mount, establishing his superiority right out of the gate. Pantoja’s pace slowed somewhat in Round 2, which only served to lull his challenger into a false sense of security. “The Cannibal” pulled Kara-France to the ground again in the third, laced another body triangle and snuck his arms into place for the choke. Pantoja constricted as his opponent struggled to free himself, ultimately forcing the tap.
The 35-year-old Pantoja has rattled off eight straight victories.
Further down the main card, former Fury Fighting Championship titleholder Joshua Van made his strongest statement yet with a unanimous decision over Brandon Royval in a thrilling three-round flyweight showcase that figures to earn its share of “Fight of the Year” votes. All three cageside judges scored it for Van (15-2, 8-1 UFC): 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27.
Royval (17-8, 7-4 UFC) fought fire with fire and nearly made it pay off. His jab was his most effective weapon, and he often paired it with multi-punch bursts upstairs. A late replacement for Manel Kape, Van stood his ground and often pressed forward under duress, utilizing crisp, accurate counters in a classic tug-of-war between two of the sport’s premier 125-pound competitors. With the outcome still in doubt, the Myanmar native decked Royval with a clubbing right hand late in the third round. Van followed with ground-and-pound in the waning seconds, separating himself when it mattered most.
Van will ride a five-fight winning streak into his next assignment.
Elsewhere, Kings MMA’s Beneil Dariush overcame an early knockdown to outstrike and outgrapple Renato “Money” Moicano to a unanimous decision in their three-round lightweight attraction. Dariush (23-6-1, 17-6-1 UFC) swept the scorecards with matching 29-28 marks across the board.
Moicano (20-7-1, 12-7 UFC) floored the Rafael Cordeiro protégé with a straight right in the first round but otherwise proved ineffective. Dariush blasted the Brazilian’s inner lead leg with kicks, targeted the body with equal aplomb and ran circles around him in the grappling exchanges. Moicano had grown weary from fatigue in the latter stages of the match, leaving him vulnerable to two-, three- and four-punch combinations.
Dariush, 36, has won nine of his last 11 fights.
Finally, Dana White’s Contender Series graduate Payton Talbott leaned into his all-terrain skills and laid claim to a unanimous decision over Felipe Lima in their three-round bantamweight appetizer. All three cageside judges turned in 29-28 scorecards for Talbott (10-1, 4-1 UFC), who rebounded from his Jan. 18 defeat to Raoni Barcelos.
Lima (14-2, 2-1 UFC) gave up his gains with questionable strategy, often shooting for ill-timed takedowns. Talbott walked down the former Oktagon MMA champion throughout the 15-minute encounter, letting his hands go with little regard for the return fire. The Reno Academy of Combat rep conceded a few takedowns but often scrambled into advantageous positions that allowed him to rack up points with top control and ground-and-pound. He mounted Lima on two occasions and left his stamp on the match by staying one step ahead of the Brazilian at virtually every turn.
The loss was Lima’s first in almost a decade and snapped his 14-fight winning streak.
Continue Reading » UFC 317 Prelims: Jose Delgado Wrecks Hyder Amil in 26 Seconds
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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