Brady Hiestand emerged victorious in a highly entertaining back-and-forth battle with Garett Armfield tonight at UFC On ESPN 58.
Round One:
Hiestand ducks his head and wades in with strikes. Hiestand tries for a takedown, bu Armfield breaks away.
Hiestand trying to maintain his aggression, but Armfield lands a counter-punch. Armfield goes for the takedown, but Armfield is looking to get on top.
Armfield goes for an armbar and it looks in tight, but Hiestand does well to get his limb free. Hiestand immediately going for an arm-in guillotine choke and it too looks very threatening. Armfield stays calm though and manages to break free and get back on top.
Hiestand looking to stand, but easier said than done. He manages it though and then takes Armfield down. Armfield back up and gets picked up and put back down again. Armfield stands again with Hiestand in the back clinch and trying for another takedown again. Armfield gets away to striking range.
Step-in jab for Armfield. Hiestand goes for another takedown and bring him down. He’s on the back and sinks in the rear-naked choke. He drops back with it, but somehow Armfield manages to survive that. Hiestand looking for it again, but Armfield hangs on in there and makes it to the end of the round.
Round Two:
Body punch for Armfield. Now a punch upstairs too. Body kick for Hiestand. Knee upstairs from Armfield and then a hook that knocks Hiestand off-balance.
Hiestand back up, but la left hand drops him. Armfield goes for the finish on the mat, but Hiestand threatens with a triangle choke.
Armfield gets out of the submission and then postures up to land a few few punches, then drops back down in half-guard.
Armfield lands a few elbow strikes. He’s trying to improve position, but Hiestand is able to scramble. This high-paced battle continues with Hiestand now bringing Armfield to the mat and trying for a rear-naked choke. Armfield trying to turn into him and it’s quite a struggle here, but he does successfully manage to get back up to striking range.
Neither man taking a breather here as they go straight back to it. Bit of clinch work but they are both looking for strikes and each lands punches before the round ends.
Round Three:
Jab for Armfield. Hiestand just misses with a front kick upstairs. Hiestand clinches up and moves Armfield over to the cage.
Armfield in low on a takedown attempt and lands it. Armfield goes to his knees and then stands with Hiestand still clinched to his back. Hiestand hoists Armfield up and dumps him to the mat. Armfield back up, but then he’s brought back down and Heistand sinks in the rear-naked choke. It’s in tight this time and Armfield has now choice but to tap out at 1.52mins of the final round.
What a great back-and-forth battle that was and all credit to Hiestand for surviving being dropped in the second and then continue to push a crazy pace and find the submission finish in the final five minutes.
