LONDON – Gunnar Nelson knew where he’d succeed in his return to the octagon.
Nelson (19-5-1 MMA, 10-5 UFC) took on a battle-tested Bryan Barberena (18-10 MMA, 9-8 UFC) on the main card of UFC 286 at The O2 in London. It was his first fight in a year, and though his absence was long, his performance was not.
Nelson submitted Barberena with a first-round armbar and said he knew the finish would be there given Barberena’s most recent performance against former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos.
