Anthony Hernandez struggled to get Roman Kopylov to the mat in the 1st round of their fight tonight at UFC 298, but when he did finally land a convincing takedown in the 2nd round he made the most of it by securing a fight-ending submission.
Round One:
calf kick for Kopylov after Hernandez misses with one of his own. Hernandez lands a strike. Straight left from Kopylov and then quickly defends Hernandez’s first takedown attempt.
Body punch from Kopylov. Hernandez reaching with a punch of his own. Now a solid body kick from Kopylov. He throws up a head kick too that just whips past his opponent’s head.
Another body kick from Kopylov and it’s almost caught by Hernandez. Hernandez lands a punch and tries a takedown attempt off it, but it’s stuffed again.
Low kick for Kopylov. Now a hard left hand. A body kick connects too. Back to the calf kick. Hernandez presses forward landing a few right hands and then is on on a takedown attempt against the cage. He pulls Kopylov down to one knee, but then he stands again. Hernandez remains clinched up but they soon back off to striking range.
Hernandez with a couple of right hooks as he drives into another takedown against the cage. He’s working on a single-leg, but Kopylov stays upright for now. Punch upstairs for Hernandez. They spin around and Kopylov goes to his knees for a moment, then stands again.
Hernandez relentless though as he stays clinched up and continues to pressure for a takedown, then lands a hard elbow as the round is coming to an end.
Round Two:
Good straight right for Hernandez. Body kick for Kopylov. Body punch for Hernandez. Solid punch to the midsection from Kopylov. Hernandez with light punches and then a head kick threat mixed in.
Body kick for Kopylov and Hernandez almost buckles for a moment, but immediately regroups and taunts Kopylov, sticking his tongue out at him. Hernandez back on the attack now.
Hernandez goes for a takedown attempt against the cage. Kopylov has been doing well defending these for the most part, but finally ‘Fluffy’ manages to get in well to land a solid takedown. Hernandez working to the back and sinking in a rear-naked choke. It looks in reasonably tight, but Kopylov is hanging on in there and somehow survives.
However, Hernandez lets go and then quickly goes right back to it and this time it’s locked in right under the chin and he grins and nods his head as Kopylov grimaces then taps out only a few seconds later. Big submission win for Hernandez at 3.23mins of the 2nd round.
