Andreas Michailidis
Division: Light heavyweight
Result: Modestas Bukauskas def. Andreas Michailidis via TKO (retirement) – Round 1
Record: (12-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Grade: D
Greek debutant [autotag]Andreas Michailidis[/autotag] jumped up a weight class and faced a fellow newcomer at UFC on ESPN 13 and ended up on the losing end of the clash after shipping some punishing elbows at the end of the first round.
Michailidis started slower than opponent Modestas Bukauskas and, although he had some success with his strikes, he looked slower and more ponderous than the Lithuanian whenever the pair exchanged strikes.
It was clear that the Greek was loading up on his shots, and he found his mark with a few solid punches, though he wasn’t able to make a major breakthrough against the former Cage Warriors champion.
Eventually, he found himself shoved up against the fence taking a barrage of elbows to just behind the ear as the buzzer sounded to end the round.
He didn’t respond decisively to referee Dan Movahedi’s instructions, then fell backward through the open octagon door, presumably as he looked to use the cage fence to help himself get back to his feet.
But the fact that he didn’t bounce straight back up, and then required medics to sit him down on the canvas before eventually helping him up to the stool, showed that the stoppage was a warranted one.
It was a disappointing way for “The Spartan” to kick off his UFC career, and perhaps the Greek will pursue his next UFC opportunity in his regular weight class of 185 pounds.
Next up: A welterweight pitches a shutout – at middleweight