Benoit Saint Denis showed off his well-rounded skills at UFC Fight Night 226 in Paris by getting the better of Thiago Moises with both his striking and wrestling, before delivering a 2nd round TKO finish.
Round One:
Missed front kick upstairs from Moises to start. Front kick attempt again from Moises and Saint Denis lands a couple of rapid low kicks. Another low kick from Saint Denis strays to the groin of Moises and forces a stoppage.
They get back to it now. Saint Denis kicks to the body and the leg. Now a left hand from him and another kick that Moises complains went to the groin, resulting in another stoppage. Replay suggests that one landed to the belt.
Anyway, they get back to it once again. Saint Denis with straight punches and Moises looks troubled here. Moises having to back up along the cage as Saint Denis looks for more strikes. Moises swings for the fences with a single punch but misses.
Saint Denis with another flurry and now is looking to get Moises down. Moises crouched down, but then works his way back up and gets back to striking range.
Straight left lands for Saint Denis. Now big hooks. Moises with his back against the cage and looking for his own power punches, without finding a home for them. Clinched up against the cage here and Moises goes to his back then tries for a leg lock, but Saint Denis escapes that and remains on top.
Moises briefly on his knees but then rolls to his back again. Saint Denis in his guard and works light body-head combos.
Saint Denis gets to half-guard and Moises goes to his knees and turtles. Moises has a bad cut from an elbow to the eyebrow, but is suddenly working for a submission. Saint Denis escapes.
Back to the feet now and Saint Denis is back on the offensive, landing big strikes, but though Moises backs up he refuses to quit and starts swinging back to let his opponent know he’s still in this fight.
Round Two:
Saint Denis continues to pressure to star the second round. Punch lands for Moises, but Saint Denis works into the clinch and drags Moises down to a knee. Moises stands back up and Saint Denis gets him down again on his knees. Moises stands again and Saint Denis lands an elbow as he opts to back out.
Moises face streaked with blood again. Saint Denis with a few strikes. Moises throws a kick and tries to find a way back into the fight.
Moises drives into a takedown and has to work for it, but does get Saint Denis down for the first time. Not for long though as Saint Denis is able to stand back up.
Saint Denis with punches and elbows. Now he’s dragging Moises back to the mat on his knees. Saint Denis leaning heavily on him as he lands a few punches. MOises stands back up and gets dragged back down. More punches land. Moises attempts to stand, doesn’t succeed and turtles up as more punches land.
The ref comes in for a closer look and that prompts Moises to get going again for a moment, but he can’t get up. Saint Denis goes back to work with repeated right hands as Moises blood soaks the canvas. This is close to being stopped now, and as more right hands land that’s exactly what happens. Saint Denis wins by TKO at 4.44mins of the 2nd round.
