Las Vegas, NV — Middleweight Brad Tavares was a little taken aback when he heard the scores read following his UFC 264 fight with Omari Akhmedov.
“It was a tough fight. I would have gave him the first round just ’cause I couldn’t get established,” Tavares told media outlets including Cageside Press following the bout. “The takedowns, I feel like I stuffed them pretty well, got back up.”
Despite that, Tavares felt as if he had won the second and third rounds, he continued. “So to hear ‘split decision,’ I was shocked. It made me feel a little better when I was seeing Joe [Rogan]’s face, and Joe was also kind of shocked, like ‘huh?'”
“I thought for sure i was about to get ripped off, but they got it right, so can’t complain, I’m happy,” Tavares finished.
The win was the Hawaiian’s second straight, in his twentieth outing inside the octagon. He’s also tied now for second place in wins in the 185lb division, with Anderson Silva, and sits just behind Michael Bisping. Tavares has 14 wins, Bisping sits at 16.
“It’s awesome to be tied for something with the GOAT of the division, and also Michael Bisping, I think I’m a win behind him,” Tavares said backstage on Saturday. “So I’ll definitely pass him. It feels good to be up there with guys who helped build this division, who helped build the UFC. To be right up there with them, I’m very humbled by it.”
Watch the full UFC 264 post-fight press scrum with Brad Tavares above.
