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After an early prelims card that consisted of just one fight, the UFC on ABC 2 broadcast switched from ESPN+ to ESPN proper at 12pm ET/9 am PT with a seven-fight prelims card. The bouts feature the usual fair of rising prospects, battle-tested vets, and a cornucopia of Dana White’s Contender Series alum.
Jung takes Knight to Korean wrestling class in prelims opener
Da Un Jung landed a trip takedown early in the first and maintained top control over William Knight for a couple of minutes. Eventually, “Knightmare” powered out with two minutes left in the round. Unfortunately for him, Jung rinse and repeated that trip and had him on the mat once again. At the end of the frame, Knight was bleeding from his month and taking deep breaths.
Knight surprisinly attempted a takedown of his own in the second, only to place himself in a clinch for guess what? Getting hit with another trip takedown from “Sseda.” This time around Knight had a far more difficult time getting back to his feet. Jung would get his back towards the end of the round and pummel Knight. Round two consisted of more top control for Jung, more punches, and more blood from Knight.
Knight valiantly attempted to be aggressive and throw bombs early in the last round but was taken down three times in the first minute. It stayed on the mat the rest of the way. Jung earned the unanimous decision win and scored his first UFC takedown while landing eight of nine attempts. It was also his first decision victory in the promotion and his third W in four UFC fights. He went to a draw with Sam Alvey in his previous outing. Knight moves to 1-1 in the UFC and gets the second loss of his 11-fight career.
Saldana earns debut W in razor-thin decision over Griffin
Luis Saldana being the better striker early, with some nasty calf-kicks, forced Jordan Griffin into takedown attempts. The second time around he was successful as the 31-year-old got it to the mat where he wanted it. “The Native Pscyho” even got back control of his foe in what was a tale of two rounds in the opening frame of the fight.
Griffin forced another ground battle early in the second, but Saldana was able to scramble out and sink in what looked like a painful front choke. Griffin defended, and seconds later scored another takedown. Catching his opponent in striking exchange and transitioned to a double leg takedown. Late in the round, Saldana was saved by the bell as Griffin had a rear-naked-choke sunk in pretty deep.
With both men showing signs of exhaustion from a grappling heavy scrap, the third round took place on the feet for much of the early minutes. Griffin continued his workman-like effort to get it to the ground once again but ended on the bottom after a failed rear-naked-choke. That control for much of the third and early success in the first was enough to sway the judges for the Iowa native, however. As the DWCS contract winner in Saldana got the unanimous decision victory in his promotional debut. Griffin moves to 1-4 in the UFC and is in serious danger of a pink slip waiting for him in his Monday morning inbox.
Welsh wrestling wins the day for unbeaten Shore
Unbeaten bantamweight Jack Shore offered a nice all-around attack in the first round, with a solid mix of strikes and a grinding wrestling attack that seemed to keep Hunter Azure off balance at times. The frame definitely goes to the native of wales.
Azure tried unsuccessfully to turn the wrestling tables early in the second. Shore took control against the cage, but a deep front-choke attempt by Azure forced his foe to go to the mat to defend and gave the native of Montana a top-control position to score points. The round eventually returned to the feet where Shore seemed to have the edge, in a round that could easily go either way. Shore’s corner between rounds even suggested it was too close to call and he needed the final frame.
Like the first round, “Tank” showed his talents in the various facets of MMA, by leading in the striking, and pushing a high pace in the grappling. He landed two takedowns and even got the back of Azure halfway through the round. The former Cage Warriors champ got the split-decision win, with two judges scoring it 30-27 for him. He moves to 14-0 and earns his third straight victory in the UFC. As for Azure, his record moved to 9-2, having split his four appearances in the UFC.
“The Man Mountain” scores avalanche first-round KO over De Castro
After four and half years away from the sport, Jarjis Danho returned with an emphatic knockout of Yorgan De Castro. Early in the first, the pair seemed in a feeling out process with the Danho’s low kicks being the story. Eventually, De Castro got aggressive and it forced Danho to grapple and land a trip takedown. However, “The Mad Titan” defended and got it back to the feet. Around a minute later, “The Man Mountain” dropped an avalanche of a right hook that put De Castro to sleep immediately. It was Danho’s sixth knockout in six career wins and a perfect return for the 37-year-old. De Castro on the other hand lost his third straight in the UFC, and it was the first time he was finished and knocked out in his nine-fight career.
Makdessi eeks out win over tough as nails UFC newbie Bahamondes
Early in the round, the five-inches taller UFC debutante in Ignacio Bahamondes made great use of his size advantages and range,as he pushed a high pace. However, the power-punching veteran in John Makdessi found an opening and stunned the Chilean youngster halfway through. The rest of the round consisted of Makdessi beating up Bahamondes, and the newbie choosing to grapple to get his bearings back.
The 23-year-old showed his toughness in the second in not backing away from the 17-fight UFC vet. The pair went back and forth in a boxing battle with “The Bull” working a nice jab early and often. It was a high-action second frame where both had moments and put in work on the other. Makdessi edged it out on my scorecard being the fighter effectively dictating the action.
The final round was more of the same with a competitive battle of technique versus output. “La Jaula’s” face showed the effects of a hard-fought fight and his out-and-out guts. Makdessi was awarded the split-decision victory by the judges and gets back in the win column after a March 2020 loss that ended a three-fight win streak. For Bahamondes, he loses his promotional debut but showed a ton of heart, and grit against a fighter with more fights in the UFC than he has total fights. Hopefully, for his next fight, he makes weight and doesn’t lose 20-percent of his next purse as he did today.
Former KSW two-division champion Gamrot gets first win in the UFC
It was a range-finding battle early between Scott Holtzman and Mateusz Gamrot, before the action picked up and both landed some good shots midway through. The first five minutes were very close. The former KSW champion probably gets the nod off landing a takedown in the last two minutes.
In the second the native of Poland pushed hard for the takedowns and ended up getting the back of Holtzman early in the round. A minute later, Gamrot landed a picture-perfect one-two that floored the former hockey pro. A few shots on the ground later and the referee officially ended the fight at 1:22 of the round.
The former two-division champion bounced back from a promotional debut loss in October. Moving his record to 18-1 and getting his fifth career stoppage from strikes. For 12-fight UFC vet “Hot Sauce,” he loses for the second-straight time by knockout. After falling to Beniel Dariush in August via a vicious spinning back fist. He moves to 7-5 in the promotion.
Solecki earns his third straight UFC win in uneventful grappling clash against Miller
Joe Solecki, the ten years younger fighter, looked faster than Jim Miller, as well as the fighter landing shots with a legit thump on them early on. However, a well-defended takedown by Miller led to the veteran getting top-position halfway through, and controlling for the last two minutes of the round. Making it an interesting round to score heading into the second.
The roles switched in the second and Solecki’s takedown attempt was a success this time around. Much like the first with Solecki being too comfortable playing defensive jiu-jitsu on the mat, Miller surely lost the round being too content off his back as well.
A clinch battle and scramble ended up with the 27-year-old back on top a minute in to the third. Like the second, Solecki was not dealing out much damage but did enough to control and score points on his fellow New Jersey native. It was an uneventful fight where both seemed to play it too safe on offense and defense. The DWCS alum earned his third straight win in the UFC and handed Miller a second-straight setback. His third loss in his last four fights.
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