In his first bout since January 2016, Brazilian lightweight Diego Ferreira got right back to business at Frank Erwin Center in Austin, stopping Jared Gordon in the opening round on Sunday.
After eating two groin kicks in the opening minute that drew Ferreira a hard warning from referee Dan Miragliotta, Gordon saw his first takedown attempt stuffed and things got worse from there, as he was dropped by a left hand to the head. Ferreira moved in for the finish and he got it, as he locked up the New Yorker’s arm and proceeded to fire ground strikes until Miragliotta called the bout at the 1:58 mark.
With the win, Pharr’s Ferreira improves to 13-2. Gordon falls to 14-2.
NEAL vs CAMOZZI
Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series alum Geoff Neal put together a memorable UFC debut at home in Texas, as he submitted Brian Camozzi in the first round of their welterweight bout.
Austin native Neal (9-2) let his hands go at the start, but Camozzi (7-5) tied his foe up and regrouped. When the two broke, Camozzi got some shots off before another clinch. Neal was holding the edge on the feet at distance, but midway through the round, the two started to head to the mat. And in the process, Neal - now cut over the right eye – locked in a bulldog choke and Camozzi tapped. The official time was 2:48 of round one.
In flyweight action, Texas’ own Roberto Sanchez spoiled Joby Sanchez’ first UFC bout since 2015, as he won by submission in the first round.
Houston’s Sanchez got his grappling game on immediately, and within seconds he had a takedown and then locked himself on the returning Sanchez’ back. Soon, the Albuquerque native fell to the mat, and “Littlefury” sunk in the rear naked choke that produced a tap out at 1:50 of the opening frame.
Roberto Sanchez moves to 8-1 with the win. Joby Sanchez falls to 11-3.
PUDILOVA vs MORAS
Czech Republic bantamweight Lucie Pudilova impressed in a back-and-forth battle with Canada’s Sarah Moras, taking control late en route to a unanimous decision victory.
Scores were 29-28 twice and 29-27 for Pudilova, now 8-2. The No. 13-ranked Moras falls to 5-4.
Moras got Pudilova to the mat in the first 30 seconds, following up a head kick with a takedown, and she proceeded to implement her ground-and-pound strategy. But after a surprising restart from referee Jacob Montalvo with 1:12 left, Pudilova went on the attack, dropping Moras with a right hand before proceeding to fire off with her own strikes. Moras, bleeding from the nose, looked for a submission finish from her back, but Pudilova got loose and ended the round with more hard strikes.
Early in round two, Moras got the fight back to the mat and again looked for an armbar, but Pudilova slammed her way free. Moras and Pudilova both stayed busy on the mat before rising with 40 seconds left, and it was another right hand-induced knockdown by Pudilova just before the horn.
Pudilova kept it standing for much of the third round, allowing her to put more points on the board. Moras did get it to the mat with 1:30 left, but Pudilova remained in control, firing punches from her back until reversing position in the closing seconds.
MORONO vs BURKMAN
Houston welterweight Alex Morono earned his third UFC win and first Octagon finish, as he submitted veteran Joshua Burkman in the opening frame.
Morono’s leg kicks had Burkman switching to the southpaw stance by the second minute, and that allowed the Texan to land the left hand that put Burkman down with three minutes remaining. A guillotine choke followed, and Burkman was forced to tap at the 2:12 mark.
Morono ups his record to 14-4 with 1 NC. Burkman falls to 29-17 with 1 NC.
PIECHOTA vs WILLIAMS
Polish middleweight prospect Oskar Piechota kept his unbeaten record intact in the opener, as he stopped Octagon newcomer Tim Williams in the first round.
Both fighters kicked off the bout with sharp, straight punches and each 185-pounder landed, but it was an overhand right by Piechota that dropped Williams hard. As Williams tried to get up, Piechota pushed the New Jersey native back to the mat, and after a few unanswered ground strikes, referee Kerry Hatley stepped in, with the official stop coming at 1:54 of the opening round.
Gdynia’s Piechota moves to 11-0-1 with the win. Millville’s Williams falls to 15-4.
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