Skilled MMA strikers Marcus McGhee and Gaston Bolaños faced off on the prelims of UFC Vegas 84 on Saturday.
The UFC decided to pit these bantamweights against each other after Bolaños won his promotional debut and McGhee won his first two UFC fights. Bolaños is a Peruvian kickboxer with a penchant for spinning elbow knockouts, having won with that specific strike three times in just seven professional MMA wins. McGhee came in with a more rounded skillset, but still with a tendency towards violent striking, which made many fans circle this bout as one to watch on the fight card. In the end, it was McGhee who got the best of the action.
Marcus McGhee came out southpaw against a switch-stance fighter in Bolaños . They felt each other out on the feet for a while, neither finding many shots, until McGhee took him down two minutes in. Bolaños bounced back up, but McGhee controlled him with both underhooks in the clinch. Yet when Marcus went for a mat return, Bolaños spun free. Bolanos came forward with kicks and punches but McGhee cracked him with a clean three-piece in the pocket. Gaston began to look hurt and frequently became unsteady when getting punches. McGhee took him down again, this time racking up several good ground strikes in the final minute of the round.
After a shaky end to the opening round, Gaston Bolaños came out aggressive in the second. His chin seemed to have recovered at first but he still was on the losing end of most striking exchanges, as McGhee was able to pick his spots well. When Marcus went first he landed, and when Bolaños went first McGhee was able to counter. With two minutes left in the round a tight left hook from Marcus McGhee dropped Bolaños face first. Gaston caught himself before he hit the canvas, but he then got swarmed. McGhee even threw a spinning wheel kick in attempt to finish the job, which landed partially before rocking Bolaños with one final punch that forced the referee to step in.
Marcus McGhee won his third straight UFC fight, and in impressive fashion. At 9-1 as a professional McGhee has won all nine of his fights by finish, and should see an increase in strength of opposition in his next fight in a stacked bantamweight division.
