Neil Magny somehow survived appearing to be submitted in the first round of his fight with Jake Matthews tonight at UFC Fight Night 260 and then got payback with a submission of his own in the final five minutes.
Round One
Leg kick from Magny to start. Now a jab. He doubles up on the jab. Left hand lands for Matthews.
Ripping uppercut from Matthews comes close. Reaching left hand for Matthews. Now a right lands and then a brief clinch, but quickly separates.
Magny punching out of another clinch position. Low kick for Matthews. Magny sitting behind the jab. Calf kick for Matthews. Jab for Matthews. Double jab from Magny and then comes forward behind more punches.
Matthews rips to the body then head. Jab work from Magny. He clinches up against the cage. Magny disengages, but then drives back in working for a takedown and lands it.
Matthews sitting with his back against the cage and feeling for a potential guillotine choke. Matthews able to roll on top with this and Magny is in trouble and trying to hang on in there for the final few seconds.
The ref suddenly steps in and thinks Magny has gone to sleep and says “it’s over,” only for the still conscious Magny to immediately vigorously protest and insist he wasn’t out as the horn sounds for the end of the round.
Bizarrely the ref realizes he’s got it wrongand insists that the fight is still on, so we’re headed to a second round after all!
Round Two
Nice punch from Matthews. Matthews able to get Magny down again and takes his back. Matthews thinking about a rear-naked choke, but then transitions into full mount. Potential submission set-up here, but then has to readjust and settles back into controlling from half-guard.
A minute to go in the round as Matthews opts to just stay in control on top. He almost passes to full mount again, but Magny keeps him at bay for now and makes it to the end of the round.
Round Three
Matthews with punches and then there’s a brief clinch. Punch from Magny and then into a takedown.
Matthews working the guillotine choke again and then tries to transition on top, but unlike the first round Magny stands back up.
Matthews remains in the clinch against the cage and Magny reverses the position. Matthews breaks away but eats a punch on the way and then Magny throws up a knee for good measure.
Magny closing the distance to work another knee and then gets a takedown. Magny into full mount. Matthews does well to not only escape, but also stand and instantly work for a takedown of his own.
However, Magny defends and tries to slam him. Matthews prevents that but does go to the mat and suddenly Magny’s working on a d’arce choke submission that Matthews can’t fight his way out of, leading him to tap out! Big win for Magny at 3.08mins of the third round, but a very controversial one too given that the ref did appear to end the bout late in the first round, and so Matthews might feel hard done by.
