Demian Maia won the battle of the grappler that headlined at UFC Fight Night 162 by choking out Ben Askren in the third round.
Round One:
The main event is underway in Singapore.
Solid right hand from Maia to start. Now a body punch from him. Leg kick for Askren. Askren throws a punch out and then tries to reach to grab him, but doesn’t do so successfully.
Askren with a kick. Missed spinning backfist from Askren, but then moves into the clinch. Knees exchanged from here in the center of the Octagon.
They break apart and Maia lands a straight. Askren with another inside leg kick and an uppercut. They clinch momentarily and Maia lands a knee to the body.
Again they clinch. Another knee from Maia and then they separate. Clipping left hand from Maia. Askren tries to clinch yet again. So far not able to get a takedown going though.
However, Askren manages to latch onto maia’s head and land a knee strikes, but then he gets out of the hold.
Right hand from Askren. He’s trying to get into close range, but Maia holds him off. Big punch for Maia. Another lands.
Maia connects again and Askren has to clinc up again. they separate. In close Askren lands an uppercut series.
Another clinch and this time Askren punches to the body.
Askren with a right hand. Maia with a body punch. Right hand for Maia. Continual clinches, but can either work the fight to the mat.
This time the clinch leads to Askren going for a takedown and he does land it. Finally this fight is where everyone wanted to see it.
Maia looking for a submission attempt, but Askren scrambles and ends up on top landing light ground and pound to end the round.
Round Two:
Light body kick from Askren. Another body kick from Askren. Body punch from Maia. Clinch and Maia lands a knee to the body then pushes him away.
Body punch from Maia again. Another clinch. Another knee from Maia before the seperation.
Nice left hand from Maia and Askren connects with an uppercut too. Maia bleeding to the cheek.
Clipping punch from Askren. Again Askren initiates the clinch and tries for a trip, but Maia’s base is solid.
Right hook for Maia. Left hand lands as he moves out of another clinch. In close Maia lands again, but he’s got a lot of blood around his face now.
Maia lands to the body. Double jab for Askren as he starts to chase Maia and then lands a right hand too. Stepping jab for Maia.
Both fighters exchanging punches. More doubling up on the jab from Askren. Right hand gets through for Maia. Now a left.
Maia to the body and then a clipping right hook. Jab for Askren and then immediately into a takedown and lands it with just over a minute in the round remaining.
Maia works an omaplata and ends up on top. Good work from the BJJ master. Maia tries to pass guard into full mount with 30 seconds remaining.
Askren gives up his back but then turns again and uses his ‘funky’ style to scramble on top. Good work from him. Maia looking to transition too now, but Askren stays on top to end the round as Maia goes to his knees. This is what people came to see.
Round Three:
Right hand for Maia. Another lands to the chin. Short jabs from Askren and then clinches up against the cage. Maia able to spin away though and get back to striking range.
Another clinch in the center of the Octagon. He’s trying to unbalance Maia and then lands a suplex.
North south position for Askren as Maia is on his knees, but Maia able to stand from that position and back to striking range.
Right hand for Askren as they go back into the clinch and then separate. Askren with blood around his left temple.
Maia with the jab. Askren reaching for the legs, but Maia prevents that and they end up in the clinch. Maia with a knee as he separates.
Solid left hand for Maia. He connects again and then Askren works a jab. Single leg takedown from Askren and he gets him down.
However, Maia tries for a leg lock and then uses that to get on top and quickly gets to full mount with the best part of two minutes to work.
Askren rolls to his knees and Maia has his back and gets the body triangle sunk in. Now he’s looking for the rear-naked choke and Askren is in big trouble here.
Maia’s got this locked in tight and Askren isn’t getting out – he’s tapped out and looks on the verge of unconsciousness!
Terrific grappling from Maia on the mat, showcasing his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills to the fullest against the decorated wrestler.
This will be a huge blow for Askren, who came to the UFC with a proud unbeaten record and a lot of trash-talk, but has now suffered a brutal five second flying knee knockout loss to Jorge Masvidal followed by being choked out on the mat by Demian Maia.
