Mamed Khalidov’s technique proved superior to Mariusz Pudzianowski’s power in their highly anticipated showdown at KSW 77.
In a matchup of the two biggest stars in KSW history on Saturday, Khalidov (35-8-1) found his way into back mount on Pudzianowski (17-7), where he was able to posture up and pound his opponent into a submission from strikes less than two minutes into the heavyweight contest in Gliwice, Poland.
The pair, who had been cordial in the weeks and months leading up to the fight, embraced after the decision announcement, but it was a one-sided affair.
The biggest fight in KSW history ended in one-sided fashion when Mamed Khalidov made Mariusz Pudzianowski tap to strikes in under 2 minutes.
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Pudzianowski got into a good position early on when he trapped Khalidov against the fence with double under-hooks. Khalidov managed to reverse and get a trip, though, and that marked the beginning of the end. He established the back mount, and from there the path was clear. He smashed Pudzianowski with punches, and his Polish foe just covered up until he decided to tap, causing referee Marc Goddard to step in at the 1:54 mark of Round 1.
“Thank you very much for this. You are my family. I love you,” Khalidov said to the crowd during his post-fight interview. “I want to thank this champion, Mariusz – the man. … It was my better day. Thank you very much for being with me.”
With the win, Khalidov rebounded from a knockout loss to Roberto Soldic one year ago. Pudzianowski saw his surprising five-fight winning streak come to an end.
