After a bout with Danny Roberts on last week’s UFC Vegas 29 card fizzled, Tim Means was in action just a week later. Means, now with nine years under the UFC banner, was shoehorned into a bout with Nicolas Dalby at Saturday’s UFC Vegas 30, after Dalby’s own original opponent had fallen through.
With both men coming off recent wins, Means vs. Dalby represented two things: a slight boost up the ladder for the winner, and a fan-friendly fight for those watching from home. Despite proclaiming that he’d fight smart heading into the bout, Dalby came out swinging Saturday. That led to a Tim Means takedown, following which “The Dirty Bird” quickly moved to side control.
Dalby, meanwhile, scooted back to the fence, but was breathing heavy just three minutes into the opening frame.
The second saw more of a stand-up battle. Dalby found some success with his knee. Lots of back and forth. High kicks. Means landed a takedown later in the round, finishing up in side control. With ten minutes in the books, there was an easy argument to be made for both rounds going to Tim Means. That left Nicolas Dalby in need of a finish, at least theoretically.
It appears Dalby was well aware of that fact. He started round three guns blazing, and rocked Means early. That resulted in a clinch with Means’ back to the fence. Means was bloodied after a right hand clipped his nose, but holding on to the clinch was buying him recovery time.
Punches are flying early in RD 3 🚀
[ #UFCVegas30 | LIVE on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/meKBhEHmgM
— UFC (@ufc) June 26, 2021
Eventually, Means would reverse, looking for a takedown to ride out the round. Dalby, however, stayed upright, and appeared to have found a second wind. The only problem was, he spent too much of the third round with his back to the fence. It might have been Dalby’s best round, thanks to the flurry in the early going, but it wasn’t enough — despite rocking Means in the dying seconds of the fight.
Official Result: Tim Means def. Nicolas Dalby by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
