Zabit Magomedsharipov showed once again why he’s one of the most exciting fighters in the featherweight division tonight at UFC 228 with a highly technical kneebar submission finish against late replacement Brandon Davis.
Round One:
Leg kick for Davis. Another leg kick. Now one for Magomedsharipov. body kick attempt from Davis just grazes his opponent. Magomedsharipov steps back from a few attempts at offense from Davis.
Leg kick for Davis lands. He’s been the busier so far. Magomedsharipov switching stances. He steps into a jab and lands as Davis tries to counter. Davis lands a leg kick.
Spinning backfist from Magomedsharipov is blocked. Leg kick from Davis and Magomedsharipov counters with a punch. Magomedsharipov tries a trip, but it’s stuffed.
Jab for Magomedsharipov. Davis pressing him back against the cage, but then Magomedsharipov lands a hard left hand. leg kick for Davis. And again. One more for good measure on the other side now.
Right hand for Magomedsharipov and an uppercut from Davis. switch kick from Magomedsharipov is blocked. Body punch from Davis and comes in again only for Magomedsharipov to switch to his back and then drags him to his knees.
As Davis tries to stand, Magomedsharipov hoists him into the air and slams him to the mat. Davis landing on his knees though and soon finds a way to stand.
Crisp combo focusing mostly on the body from Magomedsharipov to end the round.
Round Two:
Leg kicks from Magomedsharipov, but one comes back in response from Davis. Again Magomedsharipov manages to spin around to his opponent’s back. He hops up onto him, but then opts to put his legs back on the mat.
Magomedsharipov lands a takedown against the cage. Half guard for Magomedsharipov. Davis able to stand, but Magomedsharipov still controlling his back.
Punch to the head and a knee to the leg from Magomedsharipov. Another knee to the leg and then he slams Davis to the mat hard.
Davis trying to stand, but Magomedsharipov is staying heavy and landing a few big shots. Davis does manage to stand and gets away.
leg kicks exchanged. Beautiful trip from Magomedsharipov and as Davis turtles on the mat he gets on his back and sinks his hooks in.
Magomedsharipov thinks about the choke, but lets go and then thinks about it again. However, as Davis is trying to stand Magomedsharipov wraps him up like a pretzel in a very technical kneebar submission from back mount and forces him to tap out at 3.46mins of the secound round.
Very impressive stuff from Magomedsharipov there and only the third time in UFC history that this particular kneebar has been executed successfully (another one being earlier in the night when Aljamain Sterling did the same thing).
