Germaine de Randamie showed off a new dangerous wrinkle to her fight game tonight at UFC on ESPN 16 by choking Julianna Pena unconscious with a third round guillotine submission.
Round One:
De Randamie snapping out the jab to start as she circles around Pena. She lands it a couple of times. Pena tries to land her lead hand, but doesn’t find the range.
Kick for De Randamie. She lands a right hand and Pena staggers, but recovers. Pena with a head kick attempt that misses. De Randamie threatens with an uppercut.
Pena pressing forward now. Surely only a matter of time before she goes for a takedown. She clinches up, but de Randamie works into the thai clinch and Pena wants no part of that and moves away.
Nice one-two for de Randamie. Pena moves forward quickly and throws a high kick that misses. Good right hand for de Randamie. Clear difference in the striking ability here as expected. De Randamie just misses with an uppercut.
Pena charges forward with a punch. Right hand for de Randamie. Overhand right scores, but Pena takes it. Left hand for Pena and another one grazes the target.
Front kick to the body from de Randamie and Pena immediately looks to grab on and try to work a takedown from the clinch. De Randamie manages to keep upright at first, but Pena does bring her down just before the horn sounds to give her a needed confidence boost.
Round Two:
Grazing right hook for de Randamie. Pena wades forward and lands with a big punch. She looks for more, but de Randamie is now eager to throw back. Pena clinches up though and presses her into the cage.
De Randamie working hard to keep this one standing as Pena looks for a trip that doesn’t pay off. Pena still working for this and an inside trip does get the job done at the second attempt.
Pena postured on top in the center of the Octagon. GDR with her butterfly hooks in here. Pena tries to pass, but doesn’t get it. de Randamie goes to full guard and Pena leans back and starts landing punches to the body. GDR trades with her from her back and that leads to Pena leaning forward and taking a more secure position on top.
Pena able to get to half guard now. Pena starts to work on a guillotine choke from on top and it looks like an uncomfortable position for GDR.
De Randamie able to scramble though and ends up on top with Pena still trying to work the choke. GDR starts to work a Von Flue choke though and now it’s Pena who looks uncomfortable, but she manages to survive to the end of the round.
Round Three:
De Randamie feeling out with punches to keep her opponent at bay. Pena starts pressing forward with purpose though throwing straight punches and some of them get through and back up GDR.
Back to the center of the Octagon they go. Overhand right for GDR. Both women throw hard, but just miss. Pena ducks for a takedown, but de Randamie stalls that attempt. Pena staying in the clinch though against the cage.
Knees exchanged in close to the legs. Final half of the round remaining. Pena would really like a takedown at this stage. She’s going for a double-leg takedown and though she has it, GDR immediately wraps up a guillotine choke and it’s very tight.
Slick work from GDR here. Pena’s position on top makes it hard to see if she’s out and the ref has to try and lift her arm to see – and it’s limp, she’s unconscious! De Randamie shows there’s more to her game than just striking with a big submission win over the grappler at 3.25mins of the third round.
