5 biggest takeaways from UFC on ESPN 13: Calvin Kattar a contender, UFC newcomers shine, more

Thoughts and analysis of the biggest storylines coming out of UFC on ESPN 13, which took place Wednesday in Abu Dhabi.

4. Mounir Lazzez steals the shine in debut

Going into Wednesday’s main-card opener, all the focus was on Abdul Razak Alhassan in his return to the octagon after 22 months were taken from his career due to a false rape allegation. His opponent, [autotag]Mounir Lazzez[/autotag], merely existed in the backdrop.

There was a bit of a cool storyline with Lazzez, which you’ve probably heard by now. He was signed to the UFC after his friend encountered Dana White at a Las Vegas restaurant and persuaded the UFC president to give Lazzez a shot. He did, but Lazzez wasn’t given a layup in his debut.

Lazzez came in and provided nothing short of a sensational effort in the “Fight of the Night.” He went toe to toe with a destructive hitter in Alhassan and nearly finished the fight on multiple occasions. Moreover, he showed he’s competent on the ground with takedowns and wrestling, and the overall impression is that Lazzez is more than UFC worthy. A job well done.

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