Tony Ferguson had to battle through some adversity in the first round of his main card opening fight at UFC 181 with Abel Trujillo’s aggressive striking giving him problems, but he persevered and then turned the screw as his opponent tired to eventually finish late in the second round by rear-naked choke.
Round One:
Trujillo lands first with a punch and Ferguson returns fire with a leg kick. Trujillo presses forward with a flurry of punches.
Ferguson with a body kick as Trujillo comes in. Huge right hand to the ear from Trujillo drops Ferguson, but he’s right back up. Trujillo continuing to try to capitalize with more strikes, but Ferguson seems to have his bearings and is bobbing and weaving out of the way of these punches.
Ferguson eats another big shot. Kick from Ferguson and Trujillo catches it and briefly takes him down.
Back up on his feet is Ferguson with Trujillo continuing to charge forward. Another kick from Ferguson and again it’s caught and used for a takedown by Trujillo.
Trujillo throwing down some bombs as Ferguson tries to throws his legs up looking for a submission opportunity.
Ferguson back up with a little over a minute to go. A right hand from Ferguson catches his opponent and seems to have him a little hurt. Trujillo backing up for the first time in the round.
Ferguson now taking the center of the Octagon and looking to lands his own strikes. Single big hook from Trujillo is mainly blocked. Far less volume from him now and Ferguson is walking him down as the round comes to a close.
Round Two:
Ferguson looking to work the jab, but Trujillo still is able to get in on his range advantage to throw aggressive strikes. Nice body kick from Ferguson.
Ferguson with a good leg kick and then a nice sprawl as Trujillo comes in on a takedown attempt. Ferguson spins around with Trujillo on his knees turtled up.
Ferguson going in on a potential armbar attempt, but it doesn’t work out and Trujillo gets back to his feet. Ferguson gets him back down again and has really shifted the momentum of this fight with Trujillo seeming to have tired.
Credit to Trujillo though as I say that as he manages to get up and land a takedown of his own, but immediately Ferguson is upright again and it’s not long before he snaps Trujillo back down to the mat and turtled up on his knees again.
A minute to go in the round and Ferguson puts a hook in as he looks to secure Trujillo’s back. He whips an arm under his chin and drops back with the rear-naked choke in tight for the tap-out finish with 4.19mins of the second round gone.
