'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQb/2gAIAQEAAAAAhAP/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/9oACAECEAAAAH//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAB/9oACAEDEAAAAD//xAAeEAADAAICAwEAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEBQAHERQxov/aAAgBAQABPwBupt/DYWxEwsNPeAQlLAzgnn7y3Vm/jZ5pCNFRiocOoDfrn//EABYRAAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAREv/aAAgBAgEBPwCUf//EABYRAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAA//aAAgBAwEBPwB0Uv/Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
After plenty of build, some of it controversial, there were high hopes that UFC 272 would deliver some exciting fights inside the octagon.
While UFC 272’s headline bout did not produce an explosive finish, the same could not be said for the rest of the event, which was largely excellent.
So with knockouts, tap outs, upsets, and an excellent comeback, this show had plenty for every fan to enjoy, even if 8 of its 13 bouts went the distance.
With that in mind, here are the five most explosive moments from UFC 272: Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal.
#5. Umar Nurmagomedov blows away Brian Kelleher with no issues to go 2-0 in the UFC
The featherweight bout between hot prospect Umar Nurmagomedov – the cousin of former UFC lightweight kingpin Khabib – and veteran Brian Kelleher was largely flying under the radar last night, perhaps due to its curious position on the early preliminary card.
In the end, though, Nurmagomedov proved why he’s so highly touted. He blew right through ‘Boom’ in the first round, ending his night with a rear-naked choke that felt as explosive as any knockout.
This was a thoroughly one-sided fight. Kelleher even struggled to get things going on the feet before Nurmagomedov grabbed hold of him, and dragged him to the ground. From there, the fight seemed to be over in a matter of seconds as Nurmagomedov snaked his arm under the chin and forced a tap out.
The win moved Nurmagomedov to 2-0 in the UFC. However, he’s hardly inexperienced overall, holding an MMA record of 14-0. Judging by this, it’s time to match him with a top fifteen opponent next time out because only the elite fighters of the division would appear to stand a chance of stopping him.
It’ll be a hard task for him to match the incredible accomplishments of his cousin inside the octagon. While it’s early days, it seems like Umar will give it a good shot – and this was another great finish from him.
#4. Maryna Moroz picks up an emotional submission victory over Mariya Agapova
The most emotional moment of last night’s event came on the preliminary card, as Ukrainian flyweight Maryna Moroz produced her best performance in a long time to defeat Mariya Agapova in the second round.
Moroz largely worked Agapova over on the ground in the first round, coming close to finishing her with a rear-naked choke and then an armbar on more than one occasion. However, ‘The Demonslayer’ was able to hang on tight, surviving the stanza.
In the second round, though, she was not so lucky. Once again, ‘The Iron Lady’ was able to secure a takedown and work into back control. From there, she hammered Agapova with some nasty elbows before securing an arm-triangle choke as her opponent rolled, forcing her to tap out on the verge of unconsciousness.
Post-fight, Moroz understandably addressed the horrendous situation in her home country. She wished love to her family and those suffering in Ukraine, something that garnered plenty of cheers from the crowd.
This win was Moroz’s third in a row. However, it’s safe to say that not only was it her most impressive win in a long time, it was also her most important – and it quite rightly earned her a bonus cheque of $50k.
#3. Sergey Spivak likely ends the UFC career of Greg Hardy in nasty fashion
Despite possessing far more technical skill than his opponent last night, many fans still expected Sergey Spivak to come out on the wrong end of things against Greg Hardy. After all, ‘The Polar Bear’ was outsized by the former NFL star and possessed far less power and explosive athleticism.
However, Spivak demonstrated that you need far more than just brute force to succeed in the UFC. The way he put ‘The Prince of War’ away in the first round once again made a mockery of the adage that the NFL houses the world’s best athletes.
Spivak didn’t even have to suffer to pick up his win, either. He ate a couple of glancing blows but then closed the distance, hit a wonderful hip throw to ground Hardy, and then went to town from there.
Hardy did escape to his feet, but Spivak quickly dumped him down again and went back to dominating. Spivak pinned his rival to the ground and mounted him. He then destroyed Hardy with heavy punches for a TKO stoppage.
Surprisingly, this victory wasn’t enough to earn Spivak a $50k bonus cheque, but ‘The Polar Bear’ probably isn’t too worried about that today. After all, he’s now on a run of 4-1 in his last five bouts in the octagon and may have ended the UFC career of the controversial Hardy in explosive fashion in the process, too.
#2. Jalin Turner viciously dispatches Jamie Mullarkey
UFC 272’s preliminary card was short on knockouts, even if it wasn’t short on solid action. However, that changed when Jalin Turner met Jamie Mullarkey in the final bout before the main card.
‘The Tarantula’, buoyed by winning his last three octagon bouts via stoppage, looked like a man possessed from the moment he began his fight last night. Essentially, the usually-durable Mullarkey stood no chance.
Mullarkey did survive the first round, but it didn’t exactly seem promising for him. He was firmly outstruck on the feet and was only able to slow down the offense of Turner with a strong takedown late in the round.
In the second round, however, he was not so lucky. In the opening minute of the stanza, ‘The Tarantula’ landed a brutal right hook that dropped the Australian fighter. From there, Turner pounced and destroyed him with punches for the stoppage.
Quite how far Turner can go in the packed lightweight division is anyone’s guess, but given his huge size – he’s 6’3” and has a 77” reach – he could prove to be a handful for any 155lber in the UFC. How this performance didn’t net him a bonus $50k is anyone’s guess.
#1. Kevin Holland arrives as a UFC welterweight with a comeback win over Alex Oliveira
While it didn’t receive the Fight of the Night award – that somehow went to the headline bout between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal – it’s probably safe to say that the most explosive fight of the night came between Kevin Holland and Alex Oliveira.
Holland’s first bout in the UFC welterweight division looked like it might go badly for him early on. It seemed like ‘The Trailblazer’ had underestimated his Brazilian opponent as he struggled for traction on the feet. Holland was knocked down at one point with a right hand. He also came very close to being choked out as the round ended.
However, rather than causing him to wilt, the bad round only seemed to fire Holland up. In the second round, ‘Cowboy’ was faced with a different ‘Trailblazer’ altogether.
Holland turned up the pressure in the opening seconds, and as Oliveira threw a low kick, the former middleweight countered with a nasty right hand that put his rival down hard.
Seconds later, ‘The Trailblazer’ pounced and finished Olveira off with a brutal salvo of ground-and-pound, pulling off quite a stirring comeback in the process.
The win was enough to net Holland a $50k bonus cheque, and while Oliveira did his part in producing an explosive encounter, it’s ‘The Trailblazer’ who will move up the ladder at 170lbs. If he can continue to fight like this, he’ll be a must-see attraction in his new division for sure.
