The featured preliminary card main card opening bout at UFC Fight Island 8 on Wednesday saw middleweights Omari Akhmedov and Tom Breese throw down.
The bout was originally expected for the prelims, but after the fights ran long, UFC Fight Island 8 wound up with a seven-fight main card. After originally being booked for a different event altogether.
The fight had originally been scheduled for Saturday’s UFC on ABC 1 card, but had been pushed back a few days due to COVID-19 related issues (presumably, a delay in test results or similar issue). Luckily, the fight held together — giving Akhmedov a chance to bounce back from a recent loss to Chris Weidman. Breese, meanwhile, entered off a win over KB Bhullar.
Early on in the bout, Akhmedov changed levels — and shot right into a Breese guillotine attempt. The fighters were dry, the squeeze tight. But Akhmedov stayed calm and eventually pulled free. That set him up for a shot to land some heavy ground and pound, with Breese unable to escape. The Brit would eventually cover up, but weathered the storm and rolled to his knees. Even then, Breese couldn’t scramble out, with Akhmedov controlling and continuing to dominate from the top.
Breese finally broke free with ninety seconds remaining. He attacked a heel hook, then took the back and a clearly tiring Akhmedov, who may have punched himself out earlier in the round. Breese locked on with a body triangle, but couldn’t secure the submission before round’s end.
Would Akhmedov be able to recover, or just plain find some extra gas in the tank, in round two? After landing hammer fist after hammer fist, he’d won the round, but had up to ten minutes of fighting ahead. Akhmedov changed levels almost immediately and shot in for a double-leg takedown, then switched to a single, both of which Breee defended. They eventually did go down in a heap, with Breese attempting a calf slicer. However, that left Omari Akhmedov in mount, and allowed him to lock in an arm-triangle choke. Breese stayed calm, to the point that he looked out, but tried to ride it out. When that failed, Breese was forced to tap, giving Akhmedov the sound-round submission win!
Official Result: Omari Akhmedov def. Tom Breese by submission (arm-triangle choke), Round 2, 1:41
