Islam Makhachev put in another dominant display on the mat tonight at UFC ON ESPN 26 with a fourth round submission stoppage of Thiago Moises.
Round One:
Body kick from Moises. Head kick attempt from Makhachev is blocked. Makhachev has the center of the Octagon here and is backing Moises up to the cage.
Inside leg kick for Makhachev. He fires off a one-two. Body kick for Moises. Now one from Makhachev. Quick punch from Moises as he bursts forward.
Moises clinches and presses Makhachev up against the cage. He doesn’t do too much with it though before opting to back out.
Front kick to the body from Moises. Now a body kick from Makhachev. Solid left hand from Makhachev. Flurry of punches off the guard from Makhachev and then a knee to the body and goes into the thai clinch. MOises presses him up against the cage though and then thinks about a takedown.
Makhachev defends that and turns him into the cage, but soon after Moises gains control again. Makhachev with a few knees and turns into his opponent again.
Makhachev suddenly hoists Moises into the air and drops him down in the center of the Octagon. Makhachev in Moises guard. He lands a few short elbows.
Hammerfists and then back to the elbows for Makhachev in the final seconds of the round.
Round Two:
Front kick to the body from Moises. Jab for Makhachev. Another front kick to the body from Moises.
Flurry of punches from Moises. Moises working the jab now and then an inside leg kick. Body kick for Moises. Makhachev with a punch and now a solid body kick of his own, before going into the clinch against the cage.
Moises reverses the clinch position now. Makhachev lands a few knees to the body with his back against the cage. Moises goes for a takedown and gets it. Big moment for him and then spins to side control.
However, he goes to take the back and then Makhachev shakes him off to get on top and works around to Moises back. Moises on one knee and looking to stand back up, but Makhachev staying heavy on him.
Makhachev staying patient here. He lands a few punches to the body and head. Final minute of the round now. MOises still trying to stand, but he’s finding it tough.
Makhachev rolls to his back and starts landing punches and trying to soften up his opponent to set up the rear-naked choke.
Makhachev transitions into full mount and goes for an armbar attempt, but as he drops back the horn sounds for the end of the round.
Round Three:
Leg kick for Makhachev. Probing punches from both men. Kick from Moises. Nice counter hook from Makhachev now.
Makhachev with a nice straight left. Moises tries for a kick and Makhachev responds with a flurry of punches that has Moises reaching for the clinch.
Moises presses Makhachev up to the cage. He tries to bring Makhachev down, but he shows good balance to stay upright. Makhachev tries to work a takedown of his own, but they end up back in the clinch and jockeying for position. Makhachev attempts a foot sweep, but Moises stays clinched up.
Makhachev reverses the clinch position and then lands a nice knee upstairs. He lands another. Now Makhachev shunts around to Moises back. he picks Moises up and brings him down.
Makhachev takes the back. There’s a scramble and Makhachev ends up on top, but then finds himself defending a leg lock attempt from Moises.
Makhachev lands a few punches from here, then Moises adjusts and tries to crank more on the leg. Final 10 seconds now though and Makhachev stays calm and seems ok.
Round Four:
Front kick to the body from Moises and then a right hand. He fires off another right hand. Now an inside leg kick from him.
Head kick attempt from Makhachev is blocked. Makhachev swiftly into a takedown attempt and lands it nicely. Moises was trying to get his legs up for a possible submission attempt, but nothing doing and Makhachev settles into his full guard with almost four minutes to work in the round.
Nice elbow from Makhachev. Moises scrambles to his knees, but Makhachev is instantly back on him. A few punches from Makhachev.
Now Makhachev manages to sink his arm under the chin and it seems to be tight, and sure enough just seconds later Moises is rapidly tapping out at 2.38mins of the fourth round!
Big win for Makhachev, becoming the first man to finish Moises inside the distance and extending his own unbeaten run in the UFC so far to eight fights.
