Islam Makhachev extends winning streak to 15 at UFC 311
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Renato Moicano of Brazil and Islam Makhachev of Russia fight in a lightweight title fight during UFC 311 at Intuit Dome on Jan 18 in Inglewood, California.
PHOTO: AFP
INGLEWOOD – Islam Makhachev extended his winning streak to 15 matches with an effortless D’Arce submission in the first round (4:05) against Renato Moicano on Jan 18 in Inglewood, California, to cap UFC 311’s main event.
Makhachev (27-1 MMA) was initially scheduled to fight No. 1 lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan, but Tsarukyan suffered “significant back pain”, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) CEO Dana White disclosed on Jan 17.
Moicano (20-6-1) was elevated from his scheduled bout with Beneil Dariush to accept the fight.
Makhachev was gracious in victory, reiterating his desire to fight anyone the UFC designates.
“For me, (it doesn’t matter),” the Russian said. “(Whoever) can make 155 (pounds), just step in the cage with me.”
Moicano was harsher on himself and said Makhachev was the better fighter. However, he was worried that it might have been his one shot at championship glory.
“That wasn’t a one-day notice,” the Brazilian said after the fight. “That was a life’s notice. I’m very sad. I spent my whole life for this moment and tapped in the first round.”
Makhachev said he does not have a preference for his next opponent.
The UFC 311 co-main event saw Merab Dvalishvili make his first title defence against Umar Nurmagomedov in a high-level fight.
Both men traded nearly 20 punches per round in the first three rounds, while Nurmagomedov successfully defended seven of eight takedown attempts.
In Round 4, the fight shifted in favour of Dvalishvili, who pushed the action with volume striking and prevented Nurmagomedov from using his wrestling base to control the fight on the mat.
The crowd support moved towards Dvalishvili entering Round 5, as a visibly exhausted Nurmagomedov failed to provide any significant offence.
Dvalishvili earned a unanimous decision win (48-47, 48-47, 49-46) to hand Nurmagomedov (18-1) his first professional loss. Dvalishvili (19-4) has won 12 in a row.
In another bout, former light heavyweight champions Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill stood and traded blows for nearly 15 minutes.
Despite suffering an eye-poke midway through Round 2, Prochazka (31-5-1) delivered a left hook, followed by a right hand at 3:01 of Round 3, en route to a comeback win after losing to champion Alex Pereira last June in the main event of UFC 303.
Meanwhile, Hill (12-3) is still searching for his first win in two years.
Jailton Almeida used his ground-and-pound to finish Serghei Spivac in a heavyweight bout by TKO at 4:53 in Round 1. Almeida (22-3) has won nine of his last 10, while Spivac (17-5) has lost two of his previous three.
Middleweight Reinier de Ridder (19-2) opened the UFC 311 main card with flying colours, submitting Kevin Holland (26-13) with a first-round rear-naked-choke at 3:31.
Meanwhile, former middleweight champion Chris Weidman, 40, announced his retirement during the weigh-in for UFC 311.
“Since I decided to get into this sport, since 2009, the goal was to be a UFC fighter. Then, immediately, the goal was to be a UFC world champion,” Weidman said.
“Fourteen years later, I’m here to tell you guys, I’m hanging up the gloves in the UFC. I no longer am going to be fighting for the organisation that changed my life in so many ways.”
He retires with a 16-8 record.
REUTERS
