UFC Las Vegas: Veteran fighter lays unconscious after insanely rare reverse triangle submission

UFC Fight Night 221 is currently underway at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada. Top-ranked bantamweight contenders Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili are expected to square off in the main event.

The card has already delivered some exciting fights, including a rare submission courtesy of Davey Grant. The UK native pulled off a sensational reverse triangle submission victory over Raphael Assuncao on the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night 221.

Raphael Assuncao made a strong start to the fight, landing solid leg kicks on Grant. The pair exchanged leg kicks in an attempt to get a read of each other's range. Assuncao caught Grant's kick during one such sequence and used it to score a takedown and establish top control in guard. Davey Grant was able to scramble back to his feet. The round was closely contested, with Assuncao appearing to edge out on the judges' scorecards.

The second round went similarly, with Grant rallying to press the action with some urgency. Raphael Assuncao was clearly looking to take the fight to the ground, whereas Grant preferred to keep it standing. As both fighters battled for the upper hand, Assuncao managed to land a takedown in the final minute of the second round and masterfully take Grant's back. The Brazilian appeared to have won two rounds going into the third.

In the third round, Davey Grant caught Assuncao with a spinning backfist that dropped the Brazilian. Assuncao quickly transitioned into a single leg attempt to avoid taking any further damage. Grant reversed the position and sunk in a rare reverse triangle choke that left Assuncao unconscious.

Check out the submission below:

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Raphael Assuncao announces retirement following submission loss to Darvey Grant at UFC Fight Night 221

Raphael Assuncao, an MMA veteran with a career spanning over 19 years, has finally left his gloves in the octagon after an illustrious career.

The announcement came after Assuncao was rendered unconscious by Davey Grant on the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night 221. Assuncao has been competing in the UFC since 2012, and holds victories over the likes of T.J. Dillashaw, Marlon Moraes and reigning bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling.

Speaking in the post-fight octagon interview, Raphael Assuncao stated:

“Thank you God for giving me the strength up to this age. Thank you to my family for giving me 100 percent support. Thanks to the UFC and you guys calling these shows. It’s such a tough career. I was able to do this for 19 years as a professional, but I think my time has come now. I put a lot of effort into this training camp away from my family, and I think that’s it for me.”

Check out the post-fight octagon interview below: