Daron Cruickshank produced an impressive first round TKO stoppage over Erik Koch tonight at UFC Fight Night 40, first flooring him with a head kick series before finishing things up with ground and pound.
Round One:
They’re underway and Koch immediately takes the center of the cage. He looks to trade, but Cruickshank counters with a right hand.
Kick lands for Koch, but from an awkward angle Cruickshank manages to land a kick of his own to the body of his opponent.
A feeling out process now and Koch lands a kick. Cruickshank presses forward quickly and lands a body kick.
A clash of kicks now as both men try to unleash at the same time. Right hand from Cruickshank whistles past Koch’s head. Koch responds with a leg kick.
Cruickshank paws at the air with punches as he closes the distance and then lands a body kick. Cruickshank with a spinning kick that doesn’t connect.
Suddenly Cruickshank goes upstairs with a right head kick and it at least partially connected. However, then comes a left head kick immediately afterwards and it connects cleanly, flooring Koch who almost lands on his face.
Koch tries to move onto his back and is helped along by a big punch from Cruickshank that almost KO’s him. Koch looks dazed now and Cruickshank starts raining down heavy blows.
The ref is taking a very close look at this, but gives Koch every opportunity to recover. He’s unable to though and under the continued barrage of strikes he calls an end to the fight, handing Cruickshank a big TKO victory with 3.21mins of the second round gone.
