UFC Denver: Li Jingliang KO's Bobby Nash
UFC newcomer Bobby Nash faced veteran Chinese fighter Li Jingliang at UFC on Fox 23.
The UFC returned to Denver with a welterweight fight between the debuting Bobby Nash and Chinese veteran Li Jingliang.
East Lansing, Michigan native Bobby Nash made his UFC debut after going 8-1 in his career. Nash had four knockout and three submission victories in his career. But the step up in competition was a new challenge for Nash. The 26-year-old got his chance to make a good first impression on the UFC brass.
Li Jingliang has fought five times since debuting for the UFC at UFC 173, in May 2014. In his career, Jingliang was 11-4, with five submission and three knockout finishes in his career. However, Jingliang was just 3-2 in the UFC.
Jingliang was originally scheduled to fight on the UFC 206 card. However, he had to withdraw from the fight. Jingliang was rescheduled to fight Yancy Medeiros on the Denver card, but Medeiros was forced to pull out with an injury. Jingliang has seen his original opponent withdraw with injury on four occasions since September 2015.
Jingliang enters the octagon as a -125 favorite over the debuting Nash. However, Nash holds a three-inch reach advantage.
Round One:
Round one gets off to a slow start. Both fighters exchange leg kicks. A USA chant breaks out but does not last very long. After feeling each other out for the first minute the action begins to pick up. Jingliang lands a right hook. Both fighters are throwing big punches, but very few are landing. Nash lands his first big shot of the fight, connecting with a left hook.
Jingliang scores a knock down when he lands an overhand right that stuns Nash. Nash is quick to his feet and lands his own punch. Nash lands a big knee. After absorbing a big punch from Jingliang, Nash counters with a left hook that sends Jingliang to the canvas.
Nash attempts a submission, but the clock is working against him. Nash is unable to get a submission attempt locked in. Jingliang did a good job preventing Nash from getting a submission. Nash lands a few strikes but the bell goes to end round one.
Round Two:
Nash gets off to a quick start. Jingliang did not have enough time to recover being knocked down at the end of round one. Jingliang survives Nash’s attempt to end the fight, and lands a big right hand. Both fighters are throwing power punches, but cannot connect.
Jingliang lands a counter right, but Nash goes for a take down attempt. Jingliang does a good job of getting back to his feet. But the fight stalls up against the cage. The commentators criticize the referee for not calling for a break.
Following the clinch on the cage, Jingliang lands a left hand. Nash stops a takedown attempt. In the dying seconds of the fight, Jingliang lands a two punch combo. Jingliang lands a right hand and immediately follows it with a left hand. Nash instantly falls backwards. For good measure, Jingliang lands a right hand to Nash. The referee steps in and stops the fight.
Official Scorecard: Li Jingliang defeats Bobby Nash – Knockout Round 2, 4:45
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