Niklas Stolze
Division: Welterweight
Result: Ramazan Emeev def. Niklas Stolze via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 39-28)
Record: (12-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Grade: C-
Despite coming in on short notice to take on Ramazan Emeev, Germany’s [autotag]Niklas Stolze[/autotag] showed plenty of composure to avoid a sustained choke attack in the first round, then threatened with a guillotine of his own before dropping the Russian with a huge knee right at the end of the round.
It gave Stolze a real shot of confidence heading into the second round, but the German’s pace noticeably dropped, giving Emeev the chance to take control of the action. It looked almost as if Stolze was waiting for an opening to explode, but he seemed a little wary of opening up with his strikes. His only real success in the round was his calf kick, which left Emeev with a noticeable knot on the outside of his lower leg.
Stolze worked his way out of trouble against the cage early in the final round, then started to let his shots go. A crisp right hand found its mark, as did a well-timed knee, but Emeev’s relentless pursuit of clinch effectively nullified the German’s chances of registering a late stoppage. Even a hail mary guillotine attempt couldn’t halt Emeev’s path to victory.
In the final reckoning, Stolze’s relatively gun-shy display left him on the wrong end of a unanimous decision, but he showed plenty to suggest that better performances are within reach, if he can up his output in his next octagon appearances.
Next up: British heavyweight scores quickfire finish.