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UFC 258 was tonight from the APEX in Las Vegas. Here are some quick hits from the big night.
Polyana Viana submitted Mallory Martin via armbar in just 3:18. She is now 12-4 with two straight wins by Armbar and she appears to be over that brief 3 fight losing streak. In fact, all 12 of her victories have come by submission. She makes her money quick.
Speaking of submission it was Anthony Hernandez in convincing fashion with a beautiful kata gatame choke over Rodolfo Vieira finishing their fight in the second round. Hernandez needed the win badly when he came in with only one win in his last 4 fights before this.
In a great fight to start the main card Julian Marquez battled back from two rounds down and on the verge of a decision loss, when he locked in an anaconda choke to defeat Maki Pitolo. I personally had it split going into the final moments but the UFC announce team had it squarely in favor of Pitolo.
In the second fight of the main card, Ricky Simon busted open Brian Kelleher in the first, and proceeded to pound on him the rest of the fight. Simon would walk with the easy Unanimous Decision win moving the 28 years old overall record to 18-3.
Perhaps no one needed a win more than Kelvin Gastelumn tonight, and he got one in with a razor thin decision over Ian Heinisch. He had it 30-27, 29-28, 29-28 across the board. This stops a 3-fight losing streak coming in for Gastelumn.
Alexa Grasso took her time, stayed in control showing technique and taking down a hungry Maycee Barber on her to way a unanimous Decision victory. Barber rallied late but it wasn’t enough to steal the win.
Main Event Notes
Burns landed enough shots and rocked Usman a few times to win round one in our book. Although Usman landed 42-22 in the strike category, Burns had a greater impact.
Usman hurt Burns badly in the second round with constant left handed jabs followed by a powerful right cross and hook. Burns got hurt really bad and I’m shocked survived the round.
Burns wouldn’t get far into the third before Usman took over again and used a jab to floor Burns for good. It wasn’t much longer until Herb Dean stepped in and stopped the beating.
Usman is one of the best in the world, who can step in and challenge him next?
