Hard-hitting middleweights Punahele Soriano and Dustin Stoltzfus kicked off Saturday’s UFC Austin main card, with both fighters badly in need of a win.
Hawaii’s Soriano was just 1-3 in his last four, while Stoltzfus, fighting out of Germany, had a similarly bleak 1-4 record through five fights. Both men were looking to return to the win column, with Stoltzfus falling to Abus Magomedov last time out.
The first round found Punahele Soriano having early success landing some hard combinations in the pocket and countering well with the left hand. Stoltzfus attempted three takedowns and Soriano was able to stuff them two of them; he ended up back on his feet quickly on the successful third attempt. Dustin Stoltzfus was able to catch Soriano at the end of the round with a right hand after a dangerous opening frame.
Following the first round both fighters had seemed to settle into the fight a little more slowing things down. Stoltzfus was doing a good job of landing kicks and using his jab in the second. Soriano was over-committing to the left hand and seemed to have slowed down quite a bit from the pace in the first. Stoltzfus was able to capitalize and level change to find his fourth takedown of the fight, which led to him taking the back of Soriano. Dustin Stoltzfus was able to find the rear naked choke for a second round finish over Punahele Soriano in a fun fight while it lasted.
Dustin Stoltzfus said after the fight that “I knew I was the better grappler and I also knew he was strong, so I did not know how I was going to muscle him and take him down but it ended up working out.”
Official Result: Dustin Stoltzfus def. Punahele Soriano by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 4:10
