Finishing the Fight: UFC Vegas 9

    Augusto Sakai UFC Vegas 9
    LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 04: Augusto Sakai of Brazil poses on the scale during the UFC Fight Night weigh-in at UFC APEX on September 04, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

    Mixed martial arts fans love a good fight-ending sequence, as often it summarizes the story of the fight in just a few seconds. Getting the finish is a definitive end to a fight that makes a statement: “I was this much better than my opponent at that particular moment in time.”

    Every fighter has their go-to moves, especially specialists within certain martial arts disciplines. Their own signature styles that can lead to spectacular finishes. Whether it’s a scary-good rear-naked choke that fighters just can’t seem to avoid once going to the ground or crazy power in a straight left hand that has dropped even granite-chinned fighters with ease, each fighter has a particular finishing move or sequence. Moves that have stuck in fan’s minds and come to define and describe their careers within the cage.

    This week we will take a look at some fighters with only a few (5 or less) fights in the UFC, rather than those fighters that are long time UFC veterans with a bunch of finishes with the promotion. 

    Augusto Sakai (15-1-1 MMA, 0-2 UFC)

    Total Number of Pro MMA Finishes: 11

    Via KO/TKO: 11

    Via Submission: 0

    Total Number of UFC Finishes: 2

    Via KO/TKO: 0

    Via Submission: 0

    Augusto Sakai has a 73.3% win finishing rate over the course of his professional mixed martial arts career.

    Sakai has some very slick striking, especially the fluidity with which he is able to throw some very effective punches. Sakai’s fight and finish against Marcin Tybura was a perfect demonstration of the type of boxing and dirty boxing offense that the heavyweight is capable of.

    Sakai has put together some good combinations in order to finish his opponents with weapons other than his hands including a head kick and knee finish back in 2014 under the Bellator promotional banner. Sakai also showed off his diverse striking techniques with his 2018 UFC debut win over Chase Sherman.