Nazim Sadykhov had his game stifled by Terrance McKinney for the first round at UFC on ESPN 49. In the second, however, he turned the tables.
After giving up a takedown to McKinney (13-6 MMA, 3-3 UFC) in the opening frame of the lightweight main card opener at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and having his back controlled for much of the frame, Sadykhov (9-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) wouldn’t allow the same to happen in the second.
Sadykhov trapped McKinney’s arm behind his back, locked in a rear-naked choke, and forced a quick tap.
Check out the replay of the finish below (via Twitter):
FLIPS THE SCRIPT! 😳@Naz_MMA gets the round 2 submission win at #UFCVegas77! pic.twitter.com/xAyn9yac0F
— UFC (@ufc) July 16, 2023
🇦🇿 @Naz_MMA adding himself to the lightweight conversation! #UFCVegas77 pic.twitter.com/Pdnevzympe
— UFC (@ufc) July 16, 2023
With nine consecutive wins on his resume, Sadykhov was thrilled to get his hand raised again and keep his climb up the 155-pound pecking order.
“It feels great. Obviously, I respect Terrance McKinney and I had no beef. … I didn’t like how he got the body lock and controlled the first round, but we got it done in the second.”
Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 49 results include:
- Nazim Sadykhov def. Terrance McKinney via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 1:07
- Melsik Baghdasaryan def. Tucker Lutz via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Viktoriia Dudakova def. Istela Nunes via TKO (injury) – Round 1, 0:34
- Melquizael Costa def. Austin Lingo via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
- Evan Elder def. Genaro Valdez via unanimous decision (30-26, 29-28, 29-28)
- Azat Maksum def. Tyson Nam via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Alexander Munoz def. Carl Deaton via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-28)
- Ailin Perez def. Ashlee Evans-Smith via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-26)
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 49.
