Bengaluru, September 23: The UFC were in Japan this Saturday (September 23) as the Saitama Super Arena hosted their fifth event with UFC Fight Night: Saint Preux Vs Okami in Saitama, Japan.
In the main event, Ovince Saint Preux finished Yushin Okami with a Von Flue choke quickly in the first round in a lightweight bout. It was Saint Preux's third Von Flue choke in the UFC and second straight - and there have been only five of those finishes in UFC history.
"Should we start calling it the Von Preux choke?" @DanHardyMMA
— UFC (@ufc) September 23, 2017
"Might as well." @003_OSP
YES IT IS THE SAINT PREUX CHOKE FROM HERE ON OUT pic.twitter.com/QUAAFy9qvw
In the co-main event, Brazilian Jessica Andrade picked up a unanimous decision victory against her compatriot Claudia Gadelha in a mostly dominant performance that had both fighters bloody through most of the fight. Andrade won with scores of 30-25, 30-26 and 30-27.
Who do YOU want to see @JessicaMMAPro fight next after her huge win at #UFCJapan? pic.twitter.com/Mj6YUrWpXS
— UFC (@ufc) September 23, 2017
Next up, in a lightweight bout, "Maestro" Dong Hyun Kim picked up an easy first-round TKO against Takanori Gomi, who saw his struggles continue. A straight right hand from Kim led to ground-and-pound that put "The Fireball Kid" away just 90 seconds into the fight.
After two and a half years away, Gokhan Saki picked up a highlight reel in his return. Saki knocked out Henrique da Silva with a massive left hand with 15 seconds left in the first round in a light heavyweight bout.
BOP!@GokhanTheRebel drops Da Silva early! #UFCJapan pic.twitter.com/StEh88aGel
— UFC (@ufc) September 23, 2017
Later in a featherweight bout, Teruto Ishihara earned a unanimous win decision against Rolando Dy, aided by a point deduction for Dy in the third round after a brutal low blow following a previous warning to keep his leg strikes up. Ishihara won with scores of 28-27, 28-27, 29-27.
Jussier Formiga forced Ulka Sasaki to tap to a first-round rear-naked choke in a flyweight bout, and immediately asked for a title shot. Formiga got the finish with 30 seconds left in the first round.
Welterweight Nakamura picked up a split decision from Alex Morono in which the former took a pair of 29-28 scores to a dissenting 29-28 for Morono, in yet another back-and-forth slugfest on the prelims in Japan.
Next up in women's strawweight, Syrui Kondo was consistent in her pressure against Chan-Mi Jeon and won with a pair of 30-27 scores. A dissenting judge gave the fight to Jeon, 29-28.
Shinsho Anzai had a successful return to the UFC with a unanimous decision in a hard-fought win over Luke Jumeau in a welterweight bout. Anzai topped Jumeau with a pair of 29-28 scores and a 30-27 thanks to solid work in the clinch and with his takedown game in front of his home-city fans.
To kick off UFC japan Daichi Abe took a unanimous decision against Hyun Gyu Lim likely thanks to a big knockdown late in the fight that broke Lim's nose.
BONUSES BABY!@003_OSP | @ClaudiaGadelha_ vs @JessicaMMAPro | @GokhanTheRebel
— UFC (@ufc) September 23, 2017
50K for ALL! 💰 pic.twitter.com/BQS1sgPZ0u
Here are the final results of the night:
Main Card
1. Light Heavyweight bout: Ovince Saint Preux defeated Yushin Okami by technical submission (Von Flue choke) - Round 1, 1:50
2. Women's Strawweight bout: Jessica Andrade defeated Claudia Gadelha by unanimous decision (30-25, 30-26, 30-27)
3. Lightweight bout: Dong Hyun Kim defeated Takanori Gomi by TKO (punches) - Round 1, 1:30
4. Light Heavyweight bout: Gokhan Saki defeated Henrique da Silva by knockout (punch) - Round 1, 4:45
5. Featherweight bout: Teruto Ishihara defeated Rolando Dy by unanimous decision (28-27, 28-27, 29-27)
6. Flyweight bout: Jussier Formiga defeated Ulka Sasaki by submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 1, 4:30
Preliminary Card
1. Welterweight bout: Keita Nakamura defeated Alex Morono by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
2. Women's Strawweight bout: Syrui Kondo defeated Chan-Mi Jeon by split decision (28-29, 30-27, 30-27)
3. Welterweight bout: Shinsho Anzai defeated Luke Jumeau by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
4. Welterweight bout: Daichi Abe defeated Hyun Gyu Lim by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)