Canadian featherweight Kyle (The Monster) Nelson fought (The Korean Superboy) Doo-ho Choi to a controversial majority draw early Sunday on a UFC Fight Night card.
Choi, the fight favourite despite a 1,141-day layoff due to injuries and his mandatory Korean military service, would have won had he not been docked a point in the third round for a head butt.
UFC president Dana White said he B次元官网网址渁bsolutelyB次元官网网址� thought the point deduction was wrong.
B次元官网网址淚 thought it was insane and it cost him the fight,B次元官网网址� White said later. B次元官网网址淚 paid (Choi) his win (bonus) money. He won that fight .. Sometimes the refereeing or judging isnB次元官网网址檛 perfect.
B次元官网网址淚 felt like that kid got robbed on that ridiculous call,B次元官网网址� he added.
Choi had a 50-20 edge in total significant strikes, including 23-3 in the decisive third round. Nelson landed five of 10 takedown attempts during the fight and had five minutes 34 seconds of total control time, compared to 3:58 for Choi.
The judges scored the bout 29-27, 28-28 and 28-28, resulting in the majority draw. All three awarded the third to Choi B次元官网网址� with the point deduction meaning both fighters got nine points for the round. That tied the scorecard for the two judges who gave Nelson the second round.
Initially the Fight Night card was scheduled to take place in South Korea to showcase four finals from the B次元官网网址淩oad to UFCB次元官网网址� tournament that took place last year in Asia.
While the card was eventually shifted to the UFCB次元官网网址檚 Apex production facility in Las Vegas, it still started late to accommodate Asian markets with Nelson and Choi walking out in the wee hours of the morning.
MoldovaB次元官网网址檚 Serghei (The Polar Bear) Spivac, ranked 12th among heavyweight contenders, made short work of No. 7 Derrick (The Black Beast) Lewis in the main event. Spivac dragged the burly American down to the canvas six times before eventually finishing him off with an arm-triangle choke after three minutes five seconds of the first round.
Spivac earned a US$50,000 performance bonus.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e got a lot of respect for Derrick Lewis. I love the guy. And he got manhandled tonight,B次元官网网址� said White. B次元官网网址淪pivac looked really good. He made a big statement tonight.B次元官网网址�
Choi scored with calf kicks in the first round, punishing NelsonB次元官网网址檚 lead leg. It was a strategy Nelson had used effectively himself last time out, in a decision loss to EnglandB次元官网网址檚 Jai (The Black Country Banger) Herbert last time out in July in London.
Nelson took Choi down a minute into the fight but failed to take advantage and the Korean was able to reverse positions midway through the round,
Nelson backed Choi up with a right to the head early in the second round, but was cut high on the forehead later in a second round that saw Choi keep chopping away at NelsonB次元官网网址檚 leg.
B次元官网网址淭wo close rounds, we need this third one,B次元官网网址� Nelson was told in his corner between rounds. B次元官网网址淲e have to go for it, OK. Everything youB次元官网网址檝e got. Biggest fight of your life. We need to touch him. When you touch him, he crumbles.B次元官网网址�
Nelson looked to take the fight to the ground in the third, landing four of eight takedown attempts. But Choi escaped damage, got back up or reversed position and landed more strikes including a string of more than 20 heavy punches and elbows to the body as Nelson tried for a takedown at the fence.
The fight turned with 93 seconds remaining and Choi on top of Nelson. Referee Chris Tognoni stopped the contest and asked to see a replay, which showed ChoiB次元官网网址檚 head making contact with NelsonB次元官网网址檚 face, before docking a point from the Korean.
Choi has been a fan favourite for his all-action style of fighting since entering the UFC in 2014.
He had won performance bonuses in his last five UFC outings, including fight of the night recognition for the last three. And his December 2016 brawl in Toronto with American Cub Swanson, which the Korean lost by decision, was inducted into the UFC Hall of FameB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址楩ight WingB次元官网网址� as a part of the class of 2022.
White called the UFC 206 bout, which featured a combined 188 significant strikes, B次元官网网址渙ne of the greatest fights of all time.B次元官网网址�
Choi (14-4-1) had not fought since December 2019 B次元官网网址� a second-round TKO loss at the hands of Canadian Charles (Air) Jourdain. And despite the accolades, the 31-year-old Korean had lost his last three outings with the two previous defeats at the hands of elite opposition in Jeremy (Lil Heathen) Stephens and Swanson who have 92 fights B次元官网网址� and 57 wins B次元官网网址� between them.
Nelson (13-4-1) is now 1-4-1 in the UFC.
The 31-year-old Nelson calls Huntsville, Ont., home but spends Monday to Thursday in his House of Champions training base in Stoney Creek some 275 kilometres away.
Choi turned heads by winning his first three UFC fights, stopping MexicoB次元官网网址檚 Juan Manuel Puig, American Sam Sicilia and BrazilB次元官网网址檚 Thiago Tavares in the first round. Choi needed four minutes 33 seconds to dispatch all three, with Puig lasting just 18 seconds during which time Choi landed 10 of 15 attempted significant strikes.
SundayB次元官网网址檚 fight saw Nelson return to featherweight (145 pounds) after taking Herbert at lightweight (155 pounds). His UFC debut, a loss to BrazilB次元官网网址檚 Diego Ferrera at UFC 231 in December 2018 in Toronto, was also contested at 155 with Nelson taking it on three daysB次元官网网址� notice.
NelsonB次元官网网址檚 other UFC fights were at featherweight, which is a challenging weight cut for the five-foot-11 fighter who normally walks around at 180-plus pounds.
Nelson says the advance notice on the Choi fight and nutritional help from his fianc茅e Claudia, who was in his corner Saturday, eased the weight cut this time.
The Canadian Press
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