UFC 240 Results: UFC legend in tears after losing main event, Cris Cyborg beats undefeated fighter

UFC 240.
UFC 240.

#2. Oliver Aubin Mercier vs Arman Tsarukyan (Lightweight)

Aubin-Mercier vs. Tsarukyan.
Aubin-Mercier vs. Tsarukyan.

After losing a close fight in his UFC debut, Georgian fighter Arman Tsarukyan was posed his a big challenge of facing submission specialist Aubin-Mercier in his second UFC fight. Aubin-Mercier was coming off a heavy training routine with the legendary Georges St-Pierre, but did it help the Canadian? Let's find out.

Round 1: Mercier in southpaw while Tsarukyan began in orthodox position. Surprisingly, Tsarukyan shot for the takedown and pushed Mercier towards the cage despite having more advantage on the feet.

Mercier stuffed it and the fight got back to the centre. Tsaurkyan caught Mercier's leg and followed him to the cage. Mercier hung on and avoided getting taken down. Tsarukyan controlled the dance early on as he tried a few kicks. Mercier landed a well-timed knee. He followed it up with a strike. Tsarukyan got hold of Mercier's body kick again and then his back. Not completely though as Mercier looked to fend him off while being on one knee near the cage. He got up back to his feet but Tsarukyan got him back down. The fans booed. Tsarukyan landed a few knees to the back of Mercier's leg. Tsarukyan continued to work hard to get to Mercier's back. Solid knees from Tsarukyan to the back.

10-9 Tsarukyan

Round 2: Good combination from Tsarukyan that included a body punch, a hook and a jab. Mercier got Tsarukyan pinned onto the cage with a clinch. Tsarukyan was more busy with striking attempts. However, he didn't land much as Mercier's connected with a body kick and a massive knee to the face. Tsarukyan looked hurt. His knees buckled up as Mercier got him in a front face lock.

Tsarukyan recuperated and both men began moving in the middle again. Mercier realised the high kick was his best option to rattle Tsarukyan as the Georgian left himself open to it. Tsarukyan went for another takedown. Stuffed. Arman with a spinning back kick. Mercier went for the uppercut but Tsarukyan adjusted well to avoid damage. Mercier showed good head movement to avoid a head kick. Tsarukyan ended the round with an aimless combination going forward.

10-9 Mercier

Round 3: Big right hands from Tsarukyan to begin the round. Mercier weathered the storm but Tsarukyan kept being offensively active. Mercier clamped him down with a clinch against the fence. Mercier almost got the takedown with the leg sweep but Tsarukyan landed on top of Mercier. Mercier is good from the bottom as Tsarukyan looked to inflict some damage in full guard. Elbows from both men. Mercier kept himself busy with punches and elbows from the bottom but so was Tsarukyan go kept yanking back and coming right back with big shots.

Mercier had to get out of this position as Tsarukyan kept scoring with strikes. Mercier tried for an arm triangle but Arman was too slippery. Nice elbow from Tsarukyan. This was Tsarukyan's fight to win as he kept Mercier down and most importantly, was active with elbows, punches to the body and face. Tsarukyan shifted between full and half guard and ended the round by being on top of Mercier.

10-9 Tsarukyan

Result: Arman Tsarukyan def. Olivier Aubin-Mercier via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

The highly-rated Arman Tsarukyan notched up his first UFC win and showed glimpses of his talked-about potential. His fight IQ was all there to be seen against one of the most dangerous grapplers of the 155 lbs division in Aubin-Mercier.

This was Aubin-Mercier's third straight loss and that surely is an alarming sign for the Canadian fighter.

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Edited by Sripad