Tagir Ulanbekov and Clayton Carpenter, UFC 311 ceremonial weigh-in Credit score: Gabriel Gonzalez/Cageside Press
The lone flyweight battle on the UFC 311 card in Los Angeles kicked off the present, as Tagir Ulanbekov took on Clayton Carpenter in Saturday’s curtain-jerker.
Carpenter entered the evening with an unblemished 8-0 document, whereas Ulanbekov was returning to the UFC cage for the primary time in simply over a 12 months.
A pupil of the late Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, Ulanbekov linked with a quick leg kick within the opening minute, however Carpenter answered again along with his palms, connecting. Carpenter almost caught a kick, then went on the offensive, firing a excessive kick that missed, and a low kick of his personal that landed with a pointy crack. Ulanbekov, maybe having seen sufficient, shot in on a takedown, however Carpenter fought off the try, and the pair reversed a few occasions. A second try by Tagir Ulanbekov landed care of a visit; Carpenter saved his guard excessive, and tight, seeking to set one thing up off his again.
As busy as Clay Carpenter stayed off his again, Ulanbekov was simply as efficient, touchdown some smashing elbows. Quickly, a trickle of blood had appeared on Carpenter’s brow; extra floor n’ pound would observe with punches touchdown a number of occasions earlier than Carpenter scrambled free. And again on the ft, Carpenter continued to focus on the lead leg of his opponent.
Spherical two opened with Carpenter closing the space, firing a few heavy-looking punches. A entrance kick, then a low outdoors kick to the lead leg, adopted for Carpenter, then a takedown. Carpenter wasted no time seeking to arrange an arm-triangle choke, however his leg was trapped. Carpenter would get some high time, and sneak in an elbow or two, however couldn’t discover a end earlier than Ulanbekov freed himself. Tagir then shot for a takedown of his personal, which noticed Carpenter sprawl and stuff the try. A follow-up takedown try landed for Ulanbekov, nevertheless, with a little bit over two minutes nonetheless on the clock. He’d end the spherical in management, although like Carpenter, he didn’t come near a end.
Between rounds, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Ulanbekov’s coach, informed him to cease kicking, and remember to have a giant spherical. Carpenter regarded for a method inside and continued to seek out some success with low kicks. About two minutes in, the American tied issues up, searching for a takedown alongside the fence. Ulanbekov, nevertheless, would land one ultimate takedown and shut out the spherical on high, resulting in a clear-cut resolution win, and taking Carpenter’s beforehand undefeated document.
Official Consequence: Tagir Ulanbekov def. Clayton Carpenter by unanimous resolution (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
