Geek for Technique: Best Moves at UFC Fight Night 132
With a start time of 4:30 a.m. ET in the United States, many fans
probably missed
UFC Fight Night 132 on Saturday in Singapore. It turned out to
be one of the best UFC Fight Pass events of the year. Those who
skipped the
Ultimate Fighting Championship’s latest show can catch up in
the latest installment of the Geek for Technique series.
Jake
Matthews took on Shinsho
Anzai in a preliminary welterweight clash. Matthews wasted no
time dismantling the former Pancrase champion, landing a beautiful
knee-tap takedown after a few knees to the body. Less than a minute
after the takedown, Matthews advanced to the back and secured a
rear-naked choke. Matthews apparently wields quite a squeeze, as
Anzai went out almost immediately and had to be saved by the
referee.
Later, Song landed a perfect straight right hand and finished the fight. When Song took a step forward, Aldana was expecting the jab and attempted to counter with one of his own, only to get caught with the right straight while coming in.
Shane Young earned an impressive finish against Rolando Dy. After what had been a closely contested bout at 145 pounds, Young landed a beautiful counter elbow late in the second round. Young had been hunting elbows from the start and finally connected with one when Dy swung a wild right hand and dropped his guard.
Yadong Song authored a stellar knockout against Felipe Arantes, and it was set up with an elbow from the clinch. Song was accurate with the strike, connecting with the sweet spot right behind the ear. The 20-year-old has become a prospect worth watching in the bantamweight division, and the fact that he only has five years of professional experience under his belt bodes well for future development.
In the featured prelim, Absolute Championship Berkut titleholder and top Russian prospect Petr Yan made his UFC debut against the fickle Teruto Ishihara. Yan looked to push the pace from the get-go and had Ishihara flustered the entire time before getting the knockout just three minutes into the first round. Expect Yan to make waves at 135 pounds sooner rather than later.
The main card opener saw Jingliang Li take on Daichi Abe. Li dominated the fight from beginning to end but did his best work with his lead hand. Whether it was jabs or hooks, Abe had no answers for his counterpart’s lead-hand work and spent most of the fight on his bicycle in an attempt to avoid Li’s offense.
In the co-headliner, longtime UFC veteran Ovince St. Preux squared off with rising contender Tyson Pedro at 205 pounds. Early in the fight, Pedro looked to have the advantage on the feet and caught St. Preux clean with two question mark kicks before dropping him with the right straight. Just when it seemed Pedro was taking over, St. Preux shocked the Singapore crowd and snatched straight armbar from half guard and forced the tap. Before the fight, St. Preux was expected to have the advantage on the feet and Pedro to have the edge on the ground, but it proved to be the exact opposite. Fans and media continue to count out St. Preux and he continues to surprise with incredible finishes.
The welterweight main event paired Leon Edwards with Donald Cerrone. In a previous breakdown, it was made known that Edwards’ offense was widely based on his rear kicks to the body; and the fight with Cerrone was no different. With a healthy dose of hip feints and jabs, Edwards brutalized “Cowboy” with kicks to the body that slowed him down tremendously.
Edwards left straight was on point the entire night, especially on the counter. Cerrone routinely looked to close the distance with nothing more than a 1-2 or a leg kick, and Edwards made him pay with a counter left almost every time.
Cerrone enjoyed brief moments of success, including a tricky glove pull to head kick, but he was picked apart by Edwards for most of the fight. “Cowboy” was once the gold standard of muay Thai in MMA, but with more traditional muay Thai philosophies and tactics at Edwards’ disposal, perhaps that title now belongs to him.
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Kenan
Song locked horns with Hector
Aldana at 170 pounds. Song controlled the fight from start to
finish, and early in the second round, he landed a magnificent
two-touch turning heel kick.
Later, Song landed a perfect straight right hand and finished the fight. When Song took a step forward, Aldana was expecting the jab and attempted to counter with one of his own, only to get caught with the right straight while coming in.
Shane Young earned an impressive finish against Rolando Dy. After what had been a closely contested bout at 145 pounds, Young landed a beautiful counter elbow late in the second round. Young had been hunting elbows from the start and finally connected with one when Dy swung a wild right hand and dropped his guard.
Yadong Song authored a stellar knockout against Felipe Arantes, and it was set up with an elbow from the clinch. Song was accurate with the strike, connecting with the sweet spot right behind the ear. The 20-year-old has become a prospect worth watching in the bantamweight division, and the fact that he only has five years of professional experience under his belt bodes well for future development.
In the featured prelim, Absolute Championship Berkut titleholder and top Russian prospect Petr Yan made his UFC debut against the fickle Teruto Ishihara. Yan looked to push the pace from the get-go and had Ishihara flustered the entire time before getting the knockout just three minutes into the first round. Expect Yan to make waves at 135 pounds sooner rather than later.
The main card opener saw Jingliang Li take on Daichi Abe. Li dominated the fight from beginning to end but did his best work with his lead hand. Whether it was jabs or hooks, Abe had no answers for his counterpart’s lead-hand work and spent most of the fight on his bicycle in an attempt to avoid Li’s offense.
In the co-headliner, longtime UFC veteran Ovince St. Preux squared off with rising contender Tyson Pedro at 205 pounds. Early in the fight, Pedro looked to have the advantage on the feet and caught St. Preux clean with two question mark kicks before dropping him with the right straight. Just when it seemed Pedro was taking over, St. Preux shocked the Singapore crowd and snatched straight armbar from half guard and forced the tap. Before the fight, St. Preux was expected to have the advantage on the feet and Pedro to have the edge on the ground, but it proved to be the exact opposite. Fans and media continue to count out St. Preux and he continues to surprise with incredible finishes.
The welterweight main event paired Leon Edwards with Donald Cerrone. In a previous breakdown, it was made known that Edwards’ offense was widely based on his rear kicks to the body; and the fight with Cerrone was no different. With a healthy dose of hip feints and jabs, Edwards brutalized “Cowboy” with kicks to the body that slowed him down tremendously.
Edwards left straight was on point the entire night, especially on the counter. Cerrone routinely looked to close the distance with nothing more than a 1-2 or a leg kick, and Edwards made him pay with a counter left almost every time.
Cerrone enjoyed brief moments of success, including a tricky glove pull to head kick, but he was picked apart by Edwards for most of the fight. “Cowboy” was once the gold standard of muay Thai in MMA, but with more traditional muay Thai philosophies and tactics at Edwards’ disposal, perhaps that title now belongs to him.
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