Read on for UFC Fight Night main card results...
KIM vs. WATERS
The man who put Korean MMA on the map, Dong Hyun Kim, stamped an exclamation mark on the UFC’s first card in South Korea Saturday, stopping Dominic Waters in the first round of their UFC Fight Night co-main event at Olympic Gymnastics Arena.
Kim, the No. 7-ranked welterweight, was originally expected to face Jorge Masvidal, but when Masvidal was elevated to the card’s main event, Waters stepped in on short notice. But “The Stun Gun” was not to be denied.
A flashy kick by Kim to begin the bout allowed Waters to close the gap and lock his foe up against the fence. It was Kim with the throw to the mat though, and he landed right in side control. Waters was soon locked in the crucifix position, and it was bombs away for Kim. Waters gamely tried to escape from the barrage, but there would be none, with a series of unanswered strikes bringing in referee Leon Roberts to stop the fight at the 3:11 mark of Round 1.
With the win, Busan’s Kim moves to 21-3-1 with 1 NC; Waters falls to 9-4.
MINA vs. AKIYAMA
The fans in Seoul may not have been happy, but the judges got it right, as Brazil’s Alberto Mina remained unbeaten with a three-round split decision win over Japan’s Yoshihiro Akiyama,
Scores were 29-28 twice and 28-29 for Mina, now 12-0; the 40-year-old Akiyama falls to 14-6 with 2 NC.
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The first round was a measured one, both fighters picking and choosing their shots – mainly leg kicks – throughout. A late takedown by Mina may have locked up the round for the Brazilian though.
The leg kicks of Akiyama began taking their toll on Mina early in Round 2, and he used them to set up a beautiful uppercut that rattled his foe in the second minute. Hoping to turn things around, Mina tried several takedowns but came up short. He did get a nice flurry of punches off as the clock ticked down, yet a low kick by the Brazilian did halt any momentum he was putting together. In the final minute though, Mina surged once more, bloodying and nearly finishing Akiyama with a flurry of punches, with the only the horn keeping the Osaka native in the fight.
Refreshed by the minute’s rest between rounds, Akiyama landed several hard shots in the third, allowing him to regain control of the bout as Mina fatigued and failed in his attempts to get the fight to the mat. With two minutes left, Mina dragged his foe to the mat, but Akiyama wound up on top, landing some hard shots before getting back to his feet. Mina’s sole goal at this point was getting the takedown, but Akiyama wasn’t going to give it up, and he ended the bout on top with ground strikes, drawing a roar from the crowd as the fight went to the judges.
CHOI vs. SICILIA
“The Korean Superboy” was super in the main card opener, as explosive featherweight prospect Dooho Choi knocked out Sam Sicilia in the first round, making it two quick finishes in two UFC bouts for the Gumi native.
Choi drew first blood with a short right hand that put Sicilia on the deck. The American bounced back up and briefly jarred Choi in response, and the fight was most certainly on. But not for long, as Choi pounced again with a right-left that produced a second knockdown. Two more right hands ended it, with referee Greg Kleynjans stepping in at 1:33 of the opening frame.
With the win, Choi ups his record to 13-1; Spokane’s Sicilia falls to 15-6.
