UFC on Fox 24 Prelims: Prospect Tom Duquesnoy Nets Second-Round Stoppage in Debut
Tom Duquesnoy answered the hysteria surrounding his Octagon arrival with results.
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Williams (8-5, 1-2 UFC) held his own in the early going, as he delivered multiple takedowns, dropped the ballyhooed French prospect to a knee with a right hand and opened a cut near his left eye. However, his hard work proved to be a drain on his gas tank. Duquesnoy had the 35-year-old Floridian reeling with standing elbows along the fence in the closing seconds of the first round and picked up where he left off in the second. Another elbow strike over the top decked the exhausted Williams, and a left hand that followed finished the job.
Related » UFC on Fox 24 Round-by-Round Scoring
Volkov Batters Shopworn Nelson
Former Bellator MMA and M-1 Global champion Alexander Volkov made Roy Nelson look old, as he hammered out a unanimous decision against “The Ultimate Fighter 10” winner in a preliminary heavyweight clash. Volkov (28-6, 2-0 UFC) swept the scorecards with matching 30-27 marks.
Nelson (22-14, 9-10 UFC) recorded a first-round takedown but failed to consolidate it with damage. “Big Country” was a non-factor on the feet. Volkov battered him with uppercuts, knees, punishing jabs, power punches and front kicks to the gut. Nelson ran out of steam in the latter stages of the match, and the 6-foot-7 Russian showed him no mercy. Volkov punctuated his night’s work with an exquisite multi-strike combination late in Round 3, as he uncorked punches with both hands and a thudding leg kick.
The 40-year-old Nelson has suffered seven defeats in his past 10 appearances.
Magomedov Edges Slumping Green
Former M-1 Global champion Rashid Magomedov eked out a split decision against Bobby Green in a three-round undercard pairing at 155 pounds. All three judges struck 29-28 scorecards: Brian Puccillo and Cardo Urso for Magomedov, Rob Francis for Green.
Magomedov (20-2, 5-1 UFC) countered beautifully with both hands, pieced together surgical punching combinations and incorporated sneaky kicks to the body and legs. Green (23-8, 4-3 UFC) was effective in close quarters, often trapping the Dagestani striker along the fence for extended stretches while feeding him knees to the body and short punches upstairs. In space, Magomedov established his superiority, cutting loose with pinpoint bursts of punches.
Green, 30, finds himself on a three-fight losing streak.
Elliott Outpaces Reeling Smolka
“The Ultimate Fighter 24” winner Tim Elliott won for the fourth time in five outings, as he claimed a unanimous decision from onetime Pacific Xtreme Combat champion Louis Smolka in a preliminary flyweight confrontation. Elliott (14-7-1, 3-5 UFC) drew 30-27 nods from all three judges.
Smolka (11-4, 5-4 UFC) was forced to play defense for a majority of the chaotic and wildly entertaining 15-minute bout. Elliott struck for multiple takedowns in all three rounds, mounted the Hawaiian twice and gained the advantage in many of the frenetic scrambles that unfolded on the mat. Smolka answered the takedown-heavy onslaught with a variety of chokes but failed to author he finish he needed against an opponent who simply outworked him.
The 25-year-old Smolka has lost three fights in a row.
Razor-Sharp Sterling Subdues Mendes
Cage Fury Fighting Championships and Ring of Combat titleholder Aljamain Sterling snapped a two-fight losing streak with a unanimous decision over decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Augusto Mendes in a three-round undercard tilt at 135 pounds. Sterling (13-2, 5-2 UFC) was awarded 29-28 scores across the board (online sportsbooks).
Mendes (6-2, 1-2 UFC) staggered the Serra-Longo Fight Team rep with a right hand in the first round but failed to secure a subsequent guillotine and wound up in bottom position, squandering his advantage. Sterling applied his ground-and-pound and rode the momentum into the final two rounds, utilizing a dazzling array of kicks, a committed clinch, takedowns and ground-and-pound to keep the MMA Lab standout at bay.
Once-Beaten Clark Handles Collier
Takedowns, ground-and-pound and a grueling clinch attack carried Jackson-Wink MMA export Devin Clark to a three-round unanimous decision over Jake Collier in a preliminary light heavyweight encounter. All three cageside judges scored it for Clark (8-1, 2-1 UFC): 30-27, 30-27 and 30-26.
Collier (10-4, 2-3 UFC) created a few glimmers of hope with his standup but failed to maintain a safe distance between himself and the onetime Resurrection Fighting Alliance champion. After two competitive rounds, Clark mauled the St. Louis native in the third. He struck for repeated takedowns, advanced to mount and unleashed his ground-and-pound, stealing away what was left of Collier’s resolve.
The 28-year-old Collier has lost three of his last five fights.
Underdog Smith Stuns Sanchez
Former Victory Fighting Championship titleholder Anthony Smith wiped out Andrew Sanchez with a third-round knee strike and follow-up punches in the third round of their undercard scrap at 155 pounds. Smith (27-12, 3-2 UFC) brought it to a close 3:52 into Round 3.
Sanchez (9-3, 2-1 UFC) spent much of the first two rounds troubling his adversary with clinch takedowns and ground-and-pound, all while integrating punches upstairs and a steady diet of kicks to the leg and body. However, “The Ultimate Fighter 23” winner ran out of gas in the third. Smith backed him to the fence with a flurry of punches and uncorked a perfectly timed head kick. His knee connected, and Sanchez collapsed, powerless to stop the volley of hammerfists that came next.
Cummings Guillotine Sleeps Coy
“The Ultimate Fighter 17” alum Zak Cummings choked American Top Team export Nathan Coy unconscious with a first-round guillotine in a preliminary welterweight affair. Coy (15-7, 1-2 UFC) lost consciousness 4:21 into Round 1.
Cummings (21-5, 6-2 UFC) picked apart the former Maximum Fighting Championship titleholder with overhand lefts, short left hooks and a probing right jab. He met a takedown attempt from Coy with a sprawl and caught the guillotine during the subsequent scramble. Cummings then moved to mounted position, as his 38-year-old counterpart went limp beneath him.
The 32-year-old Cummings has won eight of his past 10 bouts.
Undefeated Vieira Outduels Evans-Smith
Nova Uniao prospect Ketlen Vieira kept her perfect professional record intact with a unanimous decision over Ashlee Evans-Smith in a three-round undercard battle at 135 pounds. Vieira (8-0, 2-0 UFC) swept the scorecards with 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27 marks from the judges.
Crisp counterpunches, heavy pressure and control in the clinch buoyed the Brazilian’s efforts. Vieira mixed in a takedown in the second round and held off a late surge from her opponent in the third. There, Evans-Smith (5-2, 2-2 UFC) sent her somersaulting backward with a clean right hand, followed with knees to the body and stepped up her pace, leaning on kicks to the body and legs.
The loss snapped a two-fight winning streak for Evans-Smith.
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