The headlining attraction of of International Fight Week, UFC 213 took place Saturday night in Las Vegas, Nevada. While the main event featured a middleweight interim title fight between Yoel Romero and Robert Whittaker, there were also a trio of heavyweight bouts on the card – the first being Travis Browne vs. Oleksiy Oliynyk.
Capping off the Fox Sports 1 Preliminary card of UFC 213, Browne vs. Oliynyk was the story of a veteran submission specialist against a fighter once considered one of the more promising new generation heavyweights.
Oliynyk immediately began looking to find a way inside on the much taller Browne. He did not appear afraid to trade, and swung a couple of haymakers towards Browne that didn’t land. Browne utilized kicks, and was using his reach well early. In the clinch Oliynyk landed some uppercuts to the body, but Browne rocked his opponent with a left hook, and they went to the ground. Oliynyk survived, for the time being at least. An overhand by Oliynyk dropped Browne moments later! In the clinch, Oliynyk landed more hard uppercuts to the abdomen. Browne would try for high kicks, but with a minute left Oliynyk was able to take Browne down. He would work for a choke, but Browne was saved by the bell.
In the second, Oliynyk again went to the body with every clinch. Browne, meanwhile, looked to keep the fight at range. Two minutes in, however, Browne found himself on top, grappling with the submission expert. Before long, Oliynyk had reversed position and had Browne’s back, dropping shots from behind. Before long, he had an arm under Browne’s chin and slowly tightened the choke!
Oleksiy Oliynyk def. Travis Browne by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 3:44
