Preliminary Card Highlights
The UFC Oklahoma City event began with a preliminary card that featured several notable matchups and outcomes. The action on Saturday night set the stage for the main card, which was anticipated to be an electric five-fight event.
In one of the evening’s bouts, Jose Miguel Delgado secured a unanimous decision victory over Austin Bashi. The judges’ scores were 30-27, 29-28, and 29-28. Delgado’s performance was strong, marking his second win of the year. During the first round, Bashi managed to drop Delgado in an early exchange. However, Delgado later floored Bashi with a left hook. Over the subsequent rounds, Delgado continued to control the fight, ultimately cruising to victory. This win moved Delgado’s record to 4-1 inside the Octagon, and the 28-year-old is seen as a prospect with the potential to become a Top 15 fighter.
Another unanimous decision was earned by Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani against SeokHyeon Ko in a welterweight contest. The scores were 29-28 across all three judges. This fight was described as an entertaining back-and-forth battle over three rounds. Ko was more effective in the initial half of the fight, landing powerful shots and defending against Lebosnoyani’s submission attempts. As the fight progressed, Ko’s output decreased, allowing Lebosnoyani to gain control and ultimately win. This victory extended Lebosnoyani’s winning streak to six, bringing his overall record to 11-2 and his Octagon record to 2-0.
Felipe Franco delivered a dominant performance in his return to the light heavyweight division, defeating Levi Rodrigues Jr. by TKO at 1:40 of Round 2. Franco, who previously debuted at heavyweight on short notice, secured his first UFC victory in this bout. After an initial exchange where Rodrigues Jr. connected, Franco found success with strikes, leading to a takedown. He then worked to mount Rodrigues Jr. In the second round, a sharp right hand from Franco again led to a takedown and mount, where he unleashed ground-and-pound to secure the finish. This effort showcased Franco as a prospect to watch in the 205-pound weight class.
Ezra Elliott, making his UFC debut, defeated Damien Anderson by unanimous decision with scores of 30-27, 29-28, and 29-28. Elliott utilized his grappling and physicality throughout the three rounds. Despite missing weight prior to the fight, Elliott neutralized Anderson’s offense and began to deliver his own strikes in the second round. In the third, Elliott again took Anderson to the ground and maintained control. This debut effort, taken on short notice, established Elliott’s career record at 8-0 and set a new record for most takedowns in a featherweight fight.
Alden Coria also secured a unanimous decision victory, defeating Stewart Nicoll with scores of 30-27, 30-27, and 29-28. This win marked Coria’s third consecutive victory in the UFC.
Additional Preliminary Results
The preliminary card also featured several other decisive finishes. Chase Hooper defeated Mitch Ramirez by submission via rear-naked choke at 2:15 of round 1 in a lightweight bout. In the strawweight division, Fatima Kline earned a unanimous decision victory over Tabatha Ricci, with all three judges scoring the fight 30-27.
Tommy McMillen secured a TKO victory over Alberto Montes at 3:29 of round 3 in their featherweight contest. The heavyweight division saw RJ Harris defeat Alvin Hines by TKO at 1:40 of round 1. Finally, Dione Barbosa won her flyweight bout against Anna Melisano by submission via rear-naked choke at 4:04 of round 1.
These preliminary bouts provided a strong start to the UFC Oklahoma City event on Saturday night.
Source: ufc.com