Roman Kopylov was involved in a close fight with Alessio Di Chirico at UFC Fight Night 209, right up until he landed a flurry of punches early in the third round that knocked out his opponent.
Round One:
Leg kick for Di Chirico to start. Now a head kick attempt. Back to the leg kick. Another leg kick. Left hand from Kopylov. Now a calf kick from him.
Punch from Kopylov and a counter hook from Di Chirico. Another calf kick from Koyplov. Di Chirico throwing counter hooks as Kopylov steps into range.
Body punch from Di Chirico. Now a body kick that’s stifled by Kopylov. Head kick attempt from Kopylov, but stumbles to the mat and has to rush to get back up before Di Chirico can capitalize.
Di Chirico uses head movement to avoid a punch but misses on his counter this time. Overhand from Di Chirico misses too. Body kick from Kopylov. Now a jab.
Good punch from Kopylov sends Di Chirico back on his heels for a moment. Calf kick again from Kopylov.
Kopylov looks to engage again and Di Chirico fires back on the counter. Nice uppercut from Kopylov.
Jumping knee from Kopylov, but Di Chirico then grabs hold of him and presses him into the cage to end the round.
Round Two:
Brief flurry from Kopylov and Di Chirico returns the favor. Kopylov picking out single punches now. Di Chirico with a flying knee attempt that doesn’t quite find the mark.
Body punch from Kopylov. Di Chirico tries a knee upstairs at close range that just misses. One-two for Kopylov. He lands a jab and Di Chirico grabs a leg, but the takedown attempt is stuffed.
Kopylov with a jab and Di Chirico lands harder in response. Di Chirico with another snapping punch.
Di Chirico into the clinch against the cage. Kopylov with a knee as he defends the takedown attempt. Di Chirico still working for it though.
Now Kopylov breaks free. He lands a hard body kick. Jab for Di Chirico. Nice jab for Kopylov. Right hand from Di Chirico. He tries for a knee but falls and gets back up.
Solid body kick for Kopylov. Di Chirico with a knee strike to the head as Kopylov was ducking.
Body punch from Kopylov. Right hand for Di Chirico, but then gets one in response from Kopylov. Another right hand from Di Chirico. Kopylov looking for a spinning backfist, but Di Chirico lands a strike first to abort that attempt.
Round Three:
Punches coming off the guard from both men and Kopylov lands a couple of low kicks. Di Chirico then lands a nice flurry of punches.
Light jab and then a body punch from Kopylov. Now a hard left hand from him. Missed flying knee from Di Chirico. Solid body kick again for Kopylov.
Good one-two for Kopylov. He lands a hard left hand and Di Chirico seems dazed as Kopylov follows up with several hard right hands that suddenly results in Di Chirico slumping almost face first onto the canvas at the 1.09min mark of the final round to hand Kopylov a big KO victory and his first win in the UFC!
