MMA
UFC Fight Night results: Rafael dos Anjos turns back Paul Felder with decision victory
Rafael dos Anjos made a successful return to the lightweight division with a split-decision victory over late replacement Paul Felder in the main event of UFC Fight Night from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Felder accepted the fight on five days' notice after Islam Makhachev was forced to pull out because of a staph infection. Not only did he rescue the card, he also put up a game performance against the former 155-pound champion.
Unfortunately for Felder, that wasn’t enough against a man who is determined to fight his way back into title contention.
RDA showcased a healthy blend of striking and grappling while keeping Felder’s back either on the mat or against the fence to prevent his opponent from showcasing his striking. Although the fight was relatively even when the two were in the center of the Octagon, dos Anjos’ grappling and takedowns proved to be the difference in the five-round affair.
After a back-and-forth opening round that was secured by the Brazilian only with a late takedown and flurry, dos Anjos found himself on the wrong end of some short elbows from Felder. Dos Anjos adjusted, landed solid body kicks and pushed Felder against the cage fence to sap his opponent's energy.
Felder admitted that he hadn’t trained in an MMA gym in four months, but he was still extremely sharp in the striking department. Dos Anjos took advantage of the Irish Dragon's conditioning and wore him down in the late rounds by pinning his back to the canvas and working in submission attempts.
Somehow, a judge scored the fight 48-47 for Felder, which was an absurd call, while the other two judges saw it for dos Anjos 50-45. The Brazilian will certainly have a number next to his name when the lightweight rankings are released next week.
In the co-main event, Khaos Williams picked up his second UFC win in devastating fashion as he obliterated Abdul Razak Alhassan with a first-round knockout.
In two fights, Williams has spent a total of 57 seconds in the Octagon. He took out Alex Morono in 27 seconds in his UFC debut and followed that with the stunning highlight-reel KO of Alhassan in just 30 seconds.
All it took from Williams was a short right hand that stiffened his opponent and sent him crashing to the canvas. The sheer brutality of the strike will certainly make him one to watch in the welterweight division.
