The UFC’s flyweight division is once again open for business, and JP Buys is its newest addition.
Buys made his promotional debut on Saturday, taking on Bruno Silva in the card-opener at UFC Vegas 22. The flyweight from South Africa had won his way into the promotion on last year’s edition of Dana White’s Contender Series, in what was actually his second appearance on the show.
Making a little bit of history on Saturday, Buys, alongside wife Cheyanne, became the first husband and wife duo to make their UFC debut on the same night. A win, of course, would make things even sweeter.
Brazil’s Silva, mind you, would have something to say about that. But his first statement was a low blow landed squarely between the legs of Buys. As soon as the action had started, it was paused. Luckily, not for long; Buys was able to continue, but ate a number of calf kicks from Silva. Moments later, however, the action was paused again when Silva landed a poke to Buys’ eye.
On the second restart, the pair went to the ground, Silva getting on top. He nearly passed to guard, and by the midway point of the round, Buys had been fouled twice, with no point deduction, and controlled on the mat. When he made it back up, Buys was slammed back down face-first.
The first round did not belong to Buys, whose brightest moments came in the second half, using a kimura to stop another takedown from Bruno Silva, and holding his own grappling along the fence. The second round didn’t start much better. Buys was planted on his back right in the center of the cage. He would scramble up, only to be forced to block a head kick on the break.
As the round progressed, Buys finally got his hands going, and added a nasty standing elbow off a clinch. Silva, not lost on the feet himself, then dropped Buys, with a solid right. In survival mode, Buys rolled out of harm’s way, but was rocked again on the way up and went back down. Buys was then under heavy fire, but somehow survived, struggling back to his feet — only to be rocked once more moments later. The ref, having seen enough, made the save.
WOULDN'T BE DENIED 😤
🦴 @BrunoBuldogUFC finishes the newcomer in RD 2!
[ #UFCVegas22 – LIVE on ESPNews and #ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/TGE8pGBDA9
— UFC (@ufc) March 21, 2021
It wasn’t Buys’ night, but it was a big night for Bruno Silva, who earned his first UFC win in the bout.
Official Result: Bruno Silva def. JP Buys by TKO (punches), Round 2, 2:56
