Star heavyweights draw mixed reviews for victories at UFC Fight Night 102
Rising UFC heavyweight star Derrick Lewis was hoping to showcase his skills in his first main event bout on Friday night in Albany, New York.
While he found a way to extend his winning streak to five, Lewis was critical of his performance after needing nearly four full rounds to take out Shamil Abdurakhimov at UFC Fight Night 102.
“That was one of my terriblest fights of all time,” Lewis lamented after finishing the fight with strikes from mount. “I didn’t like my performance at all.”
For much of the first three rounds, Lewis sloppily launched haymakers as he chased Abdurakhimov around the cage. He was also taken down several times when Abdurakhimov was able to catch his kicks and Lewis lost all three rounds on all three scorecards.
Late in the third round, however, Abdurakhimov was warned for timidity. Referee Dan Miragliotta threatened to take a point away if he refused to engage.
Whether it had an impact on his gameplan in the fourth round isn’t clear, but Abdurakhimov was finally taken down by Lewis. From there, it was only a matter of time.
Lewis worked to the mount and unleashed a string of power punches until the fight was stopped.
“I knew it was a five round fight,” Lewis said. “I tried to pace myself, but that was some (expletive).”
It was the fifth straight win for Lewis, including four knockouts. He refused to call out a top 10 opponent after the victory, because he didn’t believe his performance warranted such a reward.
“I’m taking this win hard because I wasn’t acting like I should have been,” Lewis said. “I guess because Shamil was running around. I expected a better performance out of myself because I wanted a top-10 opponent and after a performance like that I don’t believe that I deserve one. I don’t see myself as a top-10 heavyweight because I’ve never seen any of those guys fight like I fought tonight.
“I don’t know if I can learn anything, right now I’m just highly disappointed. I need to take some time off and really think, press the reset button and see where I’m at.”
Francis Ngannou had no such issue.
The heavyweight phenom turned in another spectacular effort to extend his winning streak.
Ngannou locked in a kimura on Anthony Hamilton as they stood against the cage and finished it on the ground at just 1:57 of the first round.
“This is something we drilled a lot because everyone thinks that I am only a striker,” Ngannou said. “I wanted to show my submission game and I want to fight someone in the top 10 so I can prove that I am ready for a shot at the belt.”
Hamilton said Ngannou’s grappling prowess was unexpected.
“I just got caught,” he said. “Francis is known as a standup guy and I didn’t expect him to pull a kimura from a standing position. My mistake, I got caught and now I have to deal with that.”
Ngannou has now won eight straight fights overall and is 4-0 since signing with the UFC. None of his fights have made it to the third round.
A pair of local light heavyweights put on strong performances en route to second-round knockout victories.
Corey Anderson manhandled Sean O’Connell on the mat before finally stopping him with a series of punches and Gian Villante stopped newcomer Saparbek Safarov with a flurry against the cage.
Anderson, a New Jersey native, was dominant in bouncing back from a loss to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in May. After taking O’Connell down early, he relentlessly attacked with short punches and elbows.
“I learned a lesson that once I get guys down, don’t let them up,” Anderson said. “I’ve got great ground-and-pound and I’m going to use it.”
Villante, a Long Islander, traded huge punches with Safarov in a first round that featured little defense. Safarov slowed down significantly in the second after taking some big shots to the leg and the referee finally stopped the fight with Villante landing unanswered blows with Safarov backed against the cage.
Both fighters were transported to the hospital.
Rising welterweight prospect Randy Brown scored the only knockout of the preliminary card with a second-round stoppage of Brian Camozzi. The New Yorker dropped Camozzi with a knee and finished him off with punches.
“Emotions are how they always are when you win. I’m happy,” Brown said. “I came in here with intentions to do big things, so one step at a time and that’s another step taken. I feel good. The energy was amazing. There was no way I was coming in here to lose. No way. In New York, my hometown, my second home away from Jamaica, come on man.”
It was the second straight win and third in four UFC fights for Brown, who wants to fight close to home again when the organization returns on Feb. 11.
“I’m trying to get on that Brooklyn card too,” Brown said. “I’ll fight anybody. It doesn’t matter who.”
Gerald Meerschaert submitted Joe Gigliotti with an anaconda choke in the first round of a middleweight bout.
Each of the other six bouts on the card went to decision, highlighted by Justine Kish’s victory over Ashley Yoder in a women’s strawweight bout that featured an entertaining back-and-forth display of grappling.
“There were things I wanted to accomplish in there that I’m a little upset that I didn’t, but it’s something I can go back to camp and work on the things I was supposed to do,” Kish said. “Again, I got the win. I’m really excited about it but I can’t wait to go back and work on the things I need to work on.
“I want to fight the champ, I want to fight the best and I want to fight frequently.”
Yoder, who was making her UFC debut on short notice, was displeased with the result.
“Going in was definitely the most surreal, exciting experience I’ve ever had as a fighter,” she said. “The energy of the fans, it was the best feeling ever. I don’t agree with the decision, but I believe it was close. I believe there are things I could have done to seal my side of it and I’m kind of regretting it now, but it’s a learning experience and I’ll grow from it.”
Andrew Sanchez, Shane Burgos, Marc Diakiese, Ryan Janes and Juliana Lima all picked up unanimous decision victories.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-277-8028. Follow @adamhilllvrj on Twitter.
