Rec and Sports

UFC Fight Night 17 – Notable Rounds

STEVE BRUNO VS. MATTHEW RIDDLE: Round 1 – After a touch of gloves, we’re underway. Both fighters miss on leg kicks before Bruno connects on one to set up a nice right. Riddle clinches and delivers knees to the body before eating a forearm to the face. Bruno again works for kicks with little luck before lunging and connecting with a right that earns a smile from Riddle. Riddle again clinches and delivers some knees to the body and thighs. The fighters separate, and Bruno connects on some low kicks. The last one sets up a stiff right that connects flush. Riddle avoids a takedown attempt, and the fighters return to the center of the cage. Riddle works a combination before landing a solid kick to the inner leg. After a wild exchange, Riddle pushes Bruno into the cage and dips for a takedown attempt. Bruno balances on one leg before Riddle forces the fight to the ground with a sweep. Working from half guard, Riddle delivers elbows to the face and side of Bruno’s head and starts doing some damage. Bruno tries to turtle up into Riddle’s body and then gets to his feet, but Riddle punishes him a knee to the body. Bruno closes the distance and is thrown to the mat, and he eats a knee on his way back to his feet. Bruno lands an exchange and forces a double-leg takedown just as the round ends.

NICK CATONE VS. DEREK DOWNEY: Round 1 – Catone lands an early right, but Downey shoots for the single-leg takedown. Catone sprawls and spends the next half minute fending off the takedown. Downey presses Catone into the fence and delivers a knee to the body and instantly dips and again looks for the takedown. After switching to a single leg, he finally gets it and drags Catone to the mat. Catone, though, quickly reverses the position and puts Downey on his back. From north-south position, Catone works punches to the body, but Downey gets back to his feet, secures a leg and tries to take Catone to the mat. Catone defends well and knocks Downey off balance and puts him on the mat. Catone again works from north-south position and then attempts to take Downey’s back. After a battle for position, Catone secures half guard and delivers a steady stream of elbows that appears to open a cut. From the ground, Catone works for a choke, but Downey gets to his feet. Catone pops him with a couple punches and then pushes forward to put Downey on his back with a bumrush takedown. Catone frees a leg and delivers elbows from half guard as the round comes to a close. As Downey gets back to his feet, he has a protruding half-baseball-sized swelling on the side of his head.

DAN MILLER VS. JAKE ROSHOLT: Round 1 – Rosholt shoots early and eats a knee in the process. With Rosholt on his back, Miller connects on a few punches from above before he’s forced to the mat when Rosholt grabs a leg. Rosholt releases it and gets back to his feet, but he’s secured with a guillotine choke and is forced to tap instantly. Dan Miller def. Jake Rosholt via submission (guillotine choke) — Round 1, 1:03.

ROB EMERSON VS. KURT PELLEGRINO: Round 2 – The fighters again trade jabs to start the round, and Pellegrino lands a nice shot to the body. A left-right combination then lands for “Batman,” and follows it with a leg kick. Emerson connects on a left kick, but doesn’t have a ton behind it, and Pellegrino shakes it off. Emerson lands a leg kick, but his second one is countered by Pellegrino’s overhand left. Pellegrino shoots for a single-leg takedown, and Emerson fends it off and then hops over Pellegrino to try to escape. Pellegrino clinches and then slams Emerson to the mat. Working from inside full guard, Pellegrino tries to pass and frees one leg. He follows with some short elbow strikes and then hops into full mount. Emerson rolls over, and Pellegrino locks in a rear-naked choke. Pellegrino secures his hooks and flattens him out, and the tap-out comes just seconds later. Kurt Pellegrino def. Rob Emerson via submission (rear-naked choke) — Round 2, 3:14.

DENIS STOJNIC VS. CAIN VELASQUEZ: Round 1 – Velasquez lands some early punches and then counters with a few more. After a clinch, he then lands some knees to the gut. Stojnic charges forward, but Velasquez clinches and works knees to the body. Velasquez looks for the takedown, but with Stojnic fending it off, Velasquez instead throws punches and knees to the head and body. With Stojnic pinned against the cage, Velasquez continues the assault. With more knees and hands to the body, Stojnic circles off and then waves Velasquez in. Not a good idea. Velasquez nails him with more punches to the body. Stojnic finally counters with a couple blows that land, but Velasquez keeps him against the cage and continues working his opponent from all levels. Velasquez now stalks his opponent across the cage and delivers a steady stream of punches and knees. Stojnic swings wildly — and misses wildly — and Velasquez clinches to deliver more punishment. Stojnic can take some punishment, if nothing else. As the round comes to a close, Velasquez continues teeing off at will.

As you can no doubt see, UFC Fight Night 17 was action packed with some of the biggest upcoming stars in the UFC. Some saw victory by submission and some chose to overwhelm their opponents with big shots. But they all have one thing in common: a bright future in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

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