Tag: UFC Fight Night 213

Steve Garcia details heavy pressure felt before UFC Fight Night 213 battering of Chase Hooper

At UFC Fight Night 213, Steve Garcia made quick work of Chase Hooper – and afterward revealed why he fought with such a sense of urgency.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Steve Garcia[/autotag] envisioned a 15-minute fight at UFC Fight Night 213. However, his estimate proved to be nearly 14 minutes too long.

In his drop back down to featherweight, Garcia (13-5 MMA, 2-2 UFC) battered Chase Hooper (11-3-1 MMA, 3-3 UFC) en route to a 92-second TKO finish.

“I just know how tough he is,” Garcia told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “I’ve seen him fight after fight and I’m actually a fan of him. I saw him. He took a lot of shots, took a lot of damage. It doesn’t really phase him. I didn’t expect to go a first-round knockout finish, although I always think I’m going to knock everybody out.

“I think most of us do that, but realistically I thought it was going to be a 15-minute battle war and we were just going to go out there and pick each other apart and he was going to try to take me down and go after some leg locks or something. I’m blessed. God blessed me with this win. I’m here and I’m excited and happy we got the job done today.”

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Garcia, 30, bounced back after a 74-second knockout loss at UFC 275 in June. He revealed there were high stakes ahead of Saturday’s fight at the UFC Apex, as the bout was the final on his promotional contract. With a 1-2 record prior to the bout, it’s possible if not likely Garcia would be cut if he lost.

“To be honest, I just really had to sidetrack it, like, just come out here and win,” Garcia said. “If you think about that stuff, it can mess with your head. I don’t want to do that because it could damage my performance. I think I benefitted from that because we came out with the first-round victory with four knockdowns. I felt like we were able to execute the game plan like we were supposed to, just a lot quicker than I expected. Hopefully, I get a good contract after this. I have a good management team. I’m with Jason House, one of the best guys, and I think we can figure something out.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 213.

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How Michael Bisping motivated Roman Dolidze to score knockout win at UFC Fight Night 213

Roman Dolidze took inspiration from Michael Bisping’s words ahead of his knockout win at UFC Fight Night 213.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag] took inspiration from [autotag]Michael Bisping[/autotag]’s words.

Dolidze (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) knocked out an injured Phil Hawes (12-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in Round 1 of their Saturday middleweight bout at UFC Fight Night 213 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The knockout finish marked the Georgian fighter’s second straight.

Prior to those knockout wins, Dolidze said he was critiqued by Bisping for his fighting style and wanted to remind him that he could also put opponents away on the feet – and it worked.

“When I wrestled two fights ago, I was just beating guys only with wrestling and grappling,” Dolidze told reporters at the UFC Fight Night 213 post-fight press conference. “He said, ‘Yes, he won this fight, but no one will like him.’ I said, ‘OK, I will remember that,’ and last two fights I had knockouts. It was true. He motivated me for fighting more in standup, striking techniques.”

Dolidze now is 5-1 in the octagon and thinks he’s due for a big-name opponent next.

“I just want good guys,” Dolidze said. “I don’t care who it will be, but I want guys with better names – top 10 or not top 10, I don’t care. I just want better names – better names, that’s all, because I want to go higher. I want to beat good guys, and sometimes the top 10 or top 15 doesn’t mean they are better fighters than Phil Hawes or Kyle Daukaus. They are just more famous.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 213.

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Cody Durden has unfinished business with Kleydson Rodrigues

After his UFC Fight Night 213 win over Carlos Mota, Cody Durden wants to be rescheduled with Kleydson Rodrigues, who pulled out a week ago.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Cody Durden[/autotag] beat Carlos Mota with a unanimous decision Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC Fight Night 213 in Las Vegas.

Take a look inside the fight with Durden, who picked up his second straight win after a submission loss in March.

Christian Rodriguez wants Garrett Armfield or Mana Martinez after Joshua Weems finish

After a first-round submission win to open UFC Fight Night 213, Christian Rodriguez has his sights set on two potential opponents.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Christian Rodriguez[/autotag] beat Joshua Weems with a first-round submission Saturday to open up the preliminary card at UFC Fight Night 213 in Las Vegas.

Take a look inside the fight with Rodriguez, who picked up the first win of his UFC career.

Junyong Park explains why he couldn’t celebrate UFC Fight Night 213 submission victory

Junyong Park submitted Joseph Holmes at UFC Fight Night 213, but the South Korean middleweight was too concerned to celebrate.

LAS VEGAS – A dominant performance that led to a second-round finish wasn’t enough to shake UFC middleweight [autotag]Junyong Park[/autotag]’s concerns.

On the prelims of UFC Fight Night 213 at UFC Apex, Park (15-5 MMA, 5-2 UFC) submitted Joseph Holmes with a rear-naked choke to record his second straight victory. As Park’s corner began to celebrate at the moment of the stoppage, the South Korean middleweight motioned for them to quiet down.

What seemed like a “humble in victory, humble in defeat” moment after tapping Holmes (8-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC), Park later revealed his actions had a much deeper meaning. While he usually embodies the previous phrase regardless, this time was different.

“There’s been a tragedy not too long ago in Korea, and as much as I want to celebrate, I’m holding back,” Park told reporters through an interpreter at the post-fight news conference.

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During Halloween festivities in South Korea’s capital, 150 people were killed during a crowd surge incident on a narrow street in Seoul.

“I just got word, because the team didn’t want to tell me, that my friend was a part of the tragedy that happened,” Park said. “I just got word that my friend is awake, but my main goal now is to get back, get on my phone, and start making calls back home.”

Park was pleased with his performance because all of his hard work leading up to this bout paid off, but he couldn’t find it in him to celebrate the moment due to concerns for his friend and others involved in the accident.

The win over Holmes marked Park’s fifth UFC victory, but it was his first win by stoppage. He entered Saturday’s contest on the heels of a split decision win over Eryk Anders in May. Park also holds decision wins over Marc-Andre Barriault, John Phillips, and Tafon Nchukwi.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 213.

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Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Arnold Allen after UFC Fight Night 213 win?

See who Arnold Allen should fight next after his victory over Calvin Kattar in the UFC Fight Night 213 headliner.

(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Calvin Kattar after UFC Fight Night 213 loss?)

[autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag]’s first octagon headliner didn’t end the way he wanted, but he ultimately came out of UFC Fight Night 213 with a victory over Calvin Kattar.

Allen (19-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC) was awarded a second-round TKO win after Kattar (23-7 MMA, 7-5 UFC) suffered a knee injury that forced the fight at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas to be halted. He’s off to something of a historic start in the featherweight division, and is poised for something big next.

What should come for Allen next, though? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on his future after UFC Fight Night 213.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 213.

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Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Calvin Kattar after UFC Fight Night 213 loss?

See who Calvin Kattar should fight next after his injury TKO loss to Arnold Allen in the UFC Fight Night 213 headliner.

(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Arnold Allen after UFC Fight Night 213 win?)

[autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag]’s sixth octagon main event ended in disaster when a knee injury brought end to his bout with Arnold Allen at UFC Fight Night 213.

Kattar (23-7 MMA, 7-5 UFC) hurt his leg off a missed jumping knee attempt near the end of the first round, then quickly went down at the start of the second frame, giving Allen (19-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC) the TKO win in the featherweight contest at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

With back-to-back losses and three defeats in his past four fights, questions about Kattar’s future are now legitimate, especially if his injury proves to be significant.

What’s next for him? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on Kattar’s future after UFC Fight Night 213.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 213.

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Khalil Rountree defends split decision win, says he won’t fight until he’s in the UFC video game

Regardless of any opinions, Khalil Rountree is happy with his performance against Dustin Jacoby at UFC Fight Night 213.

LAS VEGAS – Regardless of any opinions, [autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag] is happy with his performance against Dustin Jacoby at UFC Fight Night 213.

Rountree (11-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) scored a tightly contested split decision win over Jacoby at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The judges only unanimously agreed on Round 3 in Rountree’s favor, but had opposing views on Rounds 1 and 2.

But Rountree thinks he did enough to get the victory. For him, securing Round 3 was a win in itself.

“For me personally and what I gave, internally, knowing that I had to come out in the third round and give better effort than the second, I did my very best to just push a little harder,” Rountree told reporters at the UFC Fight Night 213 post-fight press conference. “Not necessarily than him, but push myself a little bit harder, and so whether the judges gave me that or not, it was a victory for me.

“I was swinging big. I’m OK with it because enough landed for me to get that decision. But that’s definitely not the best version of me. I’m ready to get back and sharpen some stuff because I don’t like how big I was swinging. When I think of the best version of myself, it’s a lot different than that. It’s a little more sharp, a little more bouncing, moving around, stuff like that. Overall, I’m OK.”

Rountree expects to take Jacoby’s spot in the light heavyweight rankings, but said he won’t disclose what’s next until he’s been added as a character in the “EA Sports: UFC 4” video game.

“Don’t call me,” Rountree said. “Dana White, Hunter (Campbell), Mick (Maynard) – don’t call me until I’m in the game. Don’t ask me who I want to fight next or when I want to fight next. Put me in the game. Call them. Make a call. Tell EA Sports, ‘Dude, this guy has been in the UFC seven years. Get him in the game.’ That’s all I ask, and then we can start talking about what’s next and who’s next.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 213.

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Max Griffin reveals ‘mushy’ injury at UFC Fight Night 213: ‘You don’t have to be a doctor to know it’s f*cked up’

Listen to Max Griffin describe the visual and audible extents of his injury.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Max Griffin[/autotag] picked up another big win at UFC Fight Night 213, but it came at a cost.

As he sat at a post-fight news conference Saturday, Griffin (19-9 MMA, 7-7 UFC) sported a wrap on his left hand, a covering for what he described as an unpleasant open wound due to internal damage.

“I mashed my hand pretty bad,” Griffin told MMA Junkie and other reporters. “It’s real mushy. I thought I broke my hand. I was going to say some sh*t in the corner: ‘I think I broke my hand.’ But I’m smarter than that. I kept it clean, but it’s what I expected. The only thing different is that he’s a little tougher than I thought. We did what we had to do.”

Griffin, 36, returned the win column when he defeated Tim Means (32-14-1 MMA, 14-11 UFC) by split decision. He spoke of his performance with pride, especially considering his inability to fully utilize his tools.

“I couldn’t grab,” Griffin said. “I did my best, but it was more positioning. … So I was really good on being heavy and using my body and my legs. I’m happy. (It was) my second co-main event. It was my second win as a co-main event. To me, this is five straight. That (Neil) Magny (loss) was whatever. (I’ve won) five straight.”

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The injury Griffin sustained occurred in Round 1, though Griffin doesn’t know exactly when. When he got backstage and took off his gloves, the damage was seen for the first time.

“My bone is sticking out,” Griffin said. “Dr. D put it in. I was talking to Heidi Androl and then I said, ‘Bye Heidi.’ Then, it popped back out. Yeah, it’s pretty nasty. I showed everyone and they’re like, ‘Ew.’ You don’t need to be a doctor to know that it’s f*cked up.

“They think it’s broken or the capsule is torn or something. (I’ll get an) MRI – no big deal. I’ll keep pushing. I want to fight soon, though. Once this is healed, I want to keep fighting.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 213.

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