A rather surprising middleweight main event topped UFC Vegas 76 on Saturday, with Sean Strickland facing the unranked Abus Magomedov.
The popular belief was that a victory for Strickland would put him back in the mix for a title shot against Israel Adesanya, especially should the winner of Robert Whittaker vs. Dricus Du Plessis next week come out of the fight with significant damage.
For Magomedov, this fight was low-risk, high-reward.
The first round was a bit of stalemate, with Strickland showcasing his defensive striking skills, while Magomedov had the edge in the output and volume department, leading him to win the round in all likelihood.
The Xtreme Couture product came out of his corner firing on all cylinders to start the second frame, landing at will while the Magomedov covered up in the corner for longer than he would’ve liked to. Strickland would go on to systematically break down his opponent, draining Magomedov of his will to win en route to a violent TKO finish on the ground in the waning seconds of the round.
Strickland’s message was clear following perhaps his most impressive performance under the UFC banner to date.
“I want the title,” Strickland said.
Abus Magomedov will go back to the drawing board as he looks to improve his skills following a defeat at the hands of Sean Strickland in the biggest fight of his career thus far.
Official Result: Sean Strickland def. Abus Magomedov by TKO, Round 2, 4:20
