Expect the unexpected when two people square off to fight. It happened again on Saturday night when Sean Strickland, fighting on a month's notice, went to Australia and took the middleweight crown off reigning champion Israel Adesanya in the main event of UFC 293.
Strickland was simply the better fighter on the night as he pressure Adesanya throughout the five rounds and kept the previously long reigning champ off balance and uncomfortable. Strickland scored a wicked knockdown in the first round with a beautiful counter right hand that had Adesanya nearly out. The champ managed to survive to the end of the round, but he never could muster enough offense to justify scoring rounds in his favor.
Elsewhere on the card, Alexander Volkov scored a second-round submission of hometown favorite Tai Tuivasa with an ezekiel choke. The former Bellator heavyweight champ picked apart the Aussie fighter on the feet before dropping him and securing full mount, where he then smothered Tuivasa for the unique submission. Plus, both Justin Tafa and Tyson Pedro were able to send the hometown fans happy with first-round knockouts in brutal fashion.
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UFC 293 fight card, results
- Sean Strickland def. Israel Adesanya via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
- Alexander Volkov def. Tai Tuivasa via second-round submission (Ezekiel choke)
- Manel Kape def. Felipe Dos Santos via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
- Justin Tafa def. Austen Lane via first-round TKO (punches)
- Tyson Pedro def. Anton Turkalj via first-round TKO (punches)
- Carlos Ulberg def. Da Woon Jung via third-round submission (rear-naked choke)
- Chepe Mariscal def. Jack Jenkins via second-round submission (verbal tap)
- John Makdessi def. Jamie Mullarkey via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Nasrat Haqparast def. Landon Quinones via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Charlie Radtke def. Mike Diamond via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
- Gabriel Miranda def. Shane Young via first-round submission (neck crank)
- Kevin Jousset def. Kiefer Crosbie via first-round submission (rear-naked choke)
