Pulling off a rarely seen Anaconda choke at UFC Adelaide, Tony Martin made a major statement Saturday night — and called for the promotion to launch a 165lb division.
UFC fight night 142 wend down Saturday night from Adelaide, Australia. There, fans were treated to a main card duel featuring welterweight action between Jake Matthews and Tony Martin. Both men entered the night riding win streaks, and both men finished their previous fights, with Matthews submitting Shinsho Anzai at UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Edwards and Martin winning by KO over Ryan LaFlare at UFC 229.
Martin, meanwhile, had announced he wanted to be known as Tony Rocco Martin moving forward. Or just Rocco Martin.
Both men started with feeling each other out. Matthews fired off a right that hit the mark to start the action. Martin kept moving forward until Matthews rushed in with a combination. Martin went right back to stalking Matthews around the cage. Rocco Martin then attacked with a hard leg kick and Matthews responded with his own. Martin just missed on a head kick and Matthews responded with a straight to the body. Mathews threw another straight to the body and Martin went back to the leg kick. Matthews stepped up with left right combination and the two exchanged. Matthews went for this combination a few times until he staggered Martin with a short right that sent them to the canvas. Matthews ended up on the bottom looking for the guillotine choke but Martin survived and was now on top. Matthews reversed and worked from top but with only ten seconds left he didn’t have much he could to do as the round came to a close.
Martin started off the second round moving forward and throwing the jab. Matthews circled away and looked for his shot until he rushed forward with a right. Martin fired back but Matthews fired off another right and followed it up with a flying knee attempt that missed. Martin continued to move forward with the jab and occasional high kick and Matthews kept looking for the over head right counter. Martin started to find the mark with his jab and started to mix in the low kicks. Matthews landed a right but Martin kept moving forward. Matthews rushed in and the two exchanged with Martin looking for the uppercut and Matthews landing a knee just before the end of the round.
Martin looked to press the action from the start of the third, and the two exchanged leg kicks. Matthews rushed in for a combination that missed the mark and the two exchanged low kicks until Matthews shot in for the take down. Martin defended and spun to take his back and lock in the anaconda choke! Matthews was quickly out and the ref stopped the action.
After the bout, Martin called for the UFC to create a 165lb division, noting both he and Matthews had moved up to fight bigger men at welterweight.
Tony Martin def. Jake Matthews by technical submission (anaconda choke), Round 3, 1:19
