Here’s a look back at the key takeaways following a lively night in Brazil.
Home advantage for Brazil
- Brazilian fighters went 9-3 overall on the UFC Sao Paulo fight card, but the Brazilian fighters in the two headline bouts of the evening both lost, as Lyoto Machida (TKO) and Demian Maia (unanimous decision) both crashed to damaging defeats on home soil
- There were spectacular wins for Pedro Munhoz, Thiago Santos, Vicente Luque and Antonio Carlos Junior, as well as an impressive debut performance from heavyweight Marcelo Golm
First round finish in your UFC debut? ✅@MarceloGolm gets the first round sub on home soil ?? #UFCSPpic.twitter.com/u8r33P0MLy
— UFC (@ufc) October 28, 2017
Derek's a fast finisher
- Derek Brunson sealed his EIGHTH first-round finish of his 12-fight UFC career with his KO of Lyoto Machida in the main event
- Brunson has made it to the scorecards just three times in his UFC career, winning two and losing one
ICYMI: Derek Brunson was exceptional in Sao Paulo with his first round TKO vs. Lyoto Machida! https://t.co/JEiQckDhsG
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) October 29, 2017
Colby on the cards
- Colby Covington's decision victory over Demian Maia was his third straight win on the scorecards, with all three coming via unanimous decision
- Covington is now riding a five-fight win streak, dating back to June 2016
- He probably won't be welcome back in Sao Paulo – or Brazil, for that matter – after his less-than-complimentary post-fight interview
Pedro's go-to guillotine
- Pedro Munhoz's impressive submission victory over Rob Font came via guillotine choke, marking the third win via that technique in his last four contests
- The guillotine choke is Munoz's go-to submission move, with the Brazilian winning SIX times via that technique in his 15 career victories
- Munhoz has finished five of his last six wins, with only Poland's Damian Stasiak making it to the scorecards
WHAT A MOVE! Pedro Munhoz gets the submission win with a guillotine from the top position! #UFCSPhttps://t.co/TdV3BV7Xz6
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) October 29, 2017
Hat-trick of TKOs for Thiago
- Thiago "Marreta" Santos' stunning first-round finish of Jack Hermansson gave him his third straight TKO finish
- His blistering stoppage of Hermansson was his 11th career knockout finish from 16 wins. He owns 12 finishes overall, with the other coming by way of submission in a regional show in Brazil six years ago
- His last six fights have failed to go the distance, with Santos claiming four TKO/KO finishes and dropping two defeats, one by submission and one by KO
Thiago Santos finishes off Jack Hermanssonin round one! That uppercut. That finish. Wow. #UFCSPhttps://t.co/5wLUpuLo2X
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) October 29, 2017
Appearances can be deceiving
- Despite being renowned as a knockout artist, John Lineker's decision win over Marlon Vera in Sao Paulo was the sixth time he's gone all the way to the scorecards in his last 10 bouts (he won four and lost two)
- He has a reputation for being a dangerous finisher early in his fights, but he's finished just three of his last 10 opponents in the first round, with two KO/TKOs and one submission
- He made weight for this past weekend's fight, but Lineker holds the UFC record for the most times a fighter has missed weight, having failed to hit his contracted weight on no less than FIVE occasions, four times at flyweight and once at his current weight of bantamweight
EVENT STATS
Number of fights: 12
Number of finishes: 6
KO/TKOs: 2
Submissions: 4
BONUSES
Fight of the Night: Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos def Max Griffin (both win $50,000)
Performance of the Night: Derek Brunson and Pedro Munhoz (both win $50,000)
[Main image credit: © Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports / David McIntyre-USA TODAY Sports]
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