Diego Ferreira weathered an early storm from Mateusz Rebecki tonight at UFC On ESPN 56 and then put on an impressive performance to pick apart his tiring opponent and earn a late TKO stoppage.
Round One:
Rebecki immediately pressing forward with kicks. He lands a nice hook in close. More pressure and Ferreira is staggered for a moment with a good hook.
He backs up Ferreira to the cage with a flurry of punches. Ferreira with a punch and a few kicks to show this isn’t going to be one-way traffic.
Rebecki lands a couple of nice punches upstairs. Both swing at close range but don’t find the target.
Body punch for Rebecki. A couple of punches for Ferreira now. Heavy punch lands for Rebecki, but Ferreira eats it. Head kick from Rebecki.
Now a head kick threatens for Ferreira. Push kick from him. Body punch from Rebecki and a body kick in return from Ferreira.
Rebecki steps into a hook and there was a clash of heads there, but both seem ok. Rebecki with a big left and drops Ferreira.
Rebecki immediately getting on top to land ground and pound, but Ferreira still seems aware and looking for potential submissions from his back, so Rebecki opts to slow things down and not go all out for a finish. Instead he remains on top for the remaining time on the clock.
Round Two:
Hard leg kick for Rebecki. Now a punch. Another leg kick knocks Ferreira off his feet, but he rights himself quickly.
Body kick for Ferreira. Punches for him. Very nice timing from Rebecki to land a takedown. Ferreira trying to set up a triangle choke, but Rebecki gets away. Ferreira able to elevate Rebecki away from him and then get back to his feet.
Left hook for Rebecki. Front kick to the body from Ferreira. Jab for him. Overhand grazes the target from Rebecki.
Rebecki presses forward and lands a takedown. Ferreira soon gets back to his feet.
A few missed punches from Recebki and then Ferreira lands one of his own. Rebecki with blood on his cheek now, perhaps from his eye. Punches land for Ferreira as he starts to look the fresher fighter.
Rebecki has cuts and swelling to both eyes so the ref wants the doctor to have a look at him. He’s ok to continue though.
Rebecki looking to regain the momentum now and he’s able to land a takedown. However Ferreira does well to scramble on top and gets to mount while threatening with a potential arm-triangle choke.
Round Three:
Body punch for Ferreira. Jab for Rebecki. Body kick for Ferreira. Inside leg kick from Rebecki. Punches upstairs and to the body from Ferreira.
Another punch lands and snaps Rebecki’s head back. Rebecki tries to fire back but Ferreira tags him again and seems to trouble him.
inside leg kick from Rebecki. Ferreira with punches and a knee upstairs. jab for Ferreira. Then back down to the body.
Rebecki tries to drive into a takedown, but Ferreira stuffs it for now. Rebecki still working on this though and a scramble ensues that enables Ferreira to works his way on top.
Ferreira steps into mount. He lands a few punches as he’s worked back to side control. Rebecki trying to scramble but unable to get away and Ferreira gets back into mount and lands elbows and punches.
Rebecki able to get back to his feet with a minute left. One-two for Ferreira. Now a front kick to the body. Another solid body punch. Body kick and a couple of clean punches from Ferreira. He goes to the body again and then rips him down to the mat with a takedown.
Hammerfists from Ferreira. He gets into mount and look for more strikes, which convinces the ref that Rebecki has had enough and waves off the fight. Big TKO victory for the underdog Ferreira at 4.51mins of the final round to show he’s still a contender at 39-years-old.
