UFC Fight Night 130 Prelims: Returning Tom Breese Wallops Daniel Kelly in Liverpool

Tom Breese made up for lost time.

In his first Ultimate Fighting Championship appearance since June 4, 2016, the former British Association of Mixed Martial Arts titleholder disposed of Daniel Kelly with first-round punches in the featured UFC Fight Night 130 prelim on Sunday at Echo Arena in Liverpool, England. Kelly (13-4, 6-4 UFC) bit the dust 3:33 into Round 1.

Breese (11-1, 4-1 UFC) kept the four-time Olympian at bay with a punishing jab and fast-twitch combinations. A left uppercut split open Kelly near his right year and forced him to retreat to the cage in distress with roughly 90 seconds left into the opening round. Breese continued his pursuit, let his hands go and buried the Australian judoka with punches.

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Lansberg Clinch Zaps Mazany

A stifling clinch and stellar takedown defense carried former Superior Challenge champion Lina Lansberg to a unanimous decision over Gina Mazany in a preliminary women’s bantamweight tilt. Lansberg (8-3, 2-2 UFC) swept the scorecards with 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28 marks from the judges.

Mazany (5-2, 1-2 UFC) could not keep her back off the fence. Lansberg was relentless in the clinch, pinning the Xtreme Couture rep to the cage while unleashing knees to the body and slashing elbows to the head. Mazany managed a few takedowns but failed to consolidate them with damage or positional control, as her Swedish counterpart rose to her feet with ease and picked up where she left off.

Lansberg has won eight of her past 10 bouts.

Newcomer Pedersoli Sinks Scott

Venator Fighting Championship alum Carlo Pedersoli Jr. made a successful Octagon debut, as he walked away with a split decision over Bradley Scott in a three-round undercard scrap at 170 pounds. Scores were 29-28 across the board, with two of the judges siding with Pedersoli (11-1, 1-0 UFC).

Scott (11-6, 4-4 UFC) decked the Italian newcomer with a lead left hook in the first round but failed to capitalize on the situation. Momentum slowly slipped away from him. A short-notice substitute from Salim Touahri, Pedersoli hit the gas in the second and third rounds, where he peppered the MMA Lab representative with kicks to the body, stiff jabs and occasional overhands, all while integrating tactical takedowns in an impressive, well-rounded performance.

Pedersoli, 24, has won eight fights in a row.

Robertson Chokes McCann Unconscious

American Top Team prospect Gillian Robertson rendered Molly McCann unconscious with a rear-naked choke in the second round of their preliminary women’s flyweight confrontation. Robertson (5-2, 2-0 UFC) closed the deal 2:05 into Round 2, as she extended her run of consecutive victories to three.

McCann (7-2, 0-1 UFC) enjoyed some success in the standup exchanges but looked lost once the action spilled onto the mat. Robertson took down and mounted the former Cage Warriors Fighting Championship titleholder in the first round, setting the tone for what was to come. The 23-year-old secured another takedown early in the second, climbed to mount and transitioned to the back. Robertson then snaked her arm in place, tightened her squeeze and waited for the Liverpool native to lose consciousness.

The loss snapped a six-fight winning streak for McCann.

Theodorou Outlasts Persistent Smith

“The Ultimate Fighter Nations” winner Elias Theodorou won for the fourth time in five appearances, as he took a unanimous decision from Trevor Smith in a three-round undercard affair at 185 pounds. All three cageside judges scored it for Theodorou (15-2, 7-2 UFC): 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.

The Tristar Gym standout engaged Smith (15-8, 5-5 UFC) at close range, where he won the underhook battle in the clinch and piled up points with knees to the head and body, uppercuts and occasional elbows. Thedorou withstood an inadvertent clash of heads in the second round -- he sustained a diagonal above his left eye -- while fighting through fatigue in the latter half of the bout, and though he conceded three takedowns to the Arizona Combat Sports export, he was never in danger on the ground.