Ryan Bader brutally knocked out Ilir Latifi tonight at UFC Fight Night 93 with a perfectly timed knee to the head in the second round.
Round One:
Bader takes the center of the Octagon. As he comes in looking to strike, Latifi attempts to clinch up and work a takedown, but it doesn’t pay off and they go back to striking range.
Missed leg kick from Latifi. Latifi marauds forward and eats a jab from Bader. Head kick attempt from Bader is blocked.
Again Latiti looks to clinch and again Bader shuts it down. Nice body kick from Bader. Again he lands hard to Latifi’s ribs.
Another good kick for him and Latifi powers into a takedown attempt that Bader does well to prevent. So far so good for him, but Latifi’s power makes him a constant threat.
Bader misses with a big hook as latifi ducks under. As Bader drives in looking for strikes, Latifi changes levels for the takedown, but no matter what he does he keeps coming up short in that regard.
Overhand right from Latifi is blocked. Latifi covers ground quickly and Bader backs up under fire, getting caught with a right hook that drops ‘Darth’ to the mat. bader is back up quickly, but after a good start to the fight, that’s a setback for him just as the round comes to a close.
Round Two:
Big left hand for Latifi misses. Right hand lands for Bader and Latifi targets the body. Latifi again backing Bader up with punches.
Bader tries to go for a takedown, but this time it’s Latifi’s turn to stuff it and puts on a headlock attempt. Bader back up though and after a brief clinch they get back to striking range.
Bader pushing forward and fires off punches, but Latifi avoids and spins off the cage with a shake of his head.
Bader again goes in hard on Latifi. He’s not been scared off by that punch that dropped him late in the opening round.
Again Bader steps in to engage and as Latifi ducks in ‘Darth’ does a great job of landing a huge knee that sends his opponent crashing to the canvas, knocked out cold! Terrific highlight reel finish for Bader that comes 2.06mins into the second round.
