Manny Bermudez proved to be too much on the ground for the flashy Benito Lopez, with Bermudez earning a first round submission at UFC Phoenix.
Benito Lopez is an undefeated Team Alpha Male product, and will fight at UFC Phoenix after a year on the shelf due to an ankle injury. Lopez won a split decision on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series in the Summer of 2017 and made his promotional debut four months later against Albert Morales, winning by unanimous decision. He was then scheduled to fight Ricky Simon, but the aforementioned ankle injury kept him from that fight.
Manny Bermudez is an undefeated submission specialist with a 13-0 record and 10 submission victories. He has submitted his last five opponents, including the two he’s faced in the UFC, Albert Morales and Davey Grant. This fight is one of the many that were rescheduled as a result of the cancellation of UFC 233.
Lopez opened with a high kick that missed, and a calf kick that did not. Bermudez, for his part, answered back with his hands. When the fight went tot he ground, however, Bermudez was quickly on the back of his opponent, thinking choke. The rear-naked choke didn’t take, but Bermudez wound up in guard. Lopez, however, escaped. That was going to be key. As talented as Lopez was on the feet, he was outmatched on the ground.
And that is where the fight wound up. Bermudez was able to trap an arm, sink in a D’arce choke, and force the tap. A first round submission for Manny Bermudez, who earns a bit of redemption after missing weight for the fight.
Manny Bermudez def. Benito Lopez by submission (D’arce Choke), Round 1, 3:09
