Closing out the preliminary card at UFC 301 was Welsh bantamweight-turned-featherweight Jack Shore, looking to make it two straight wins at 145lbs opposite Joanderson Brito. Joanderson entered the bout on a hot streak, having won four in a row, all inside the distance.
To start the fight, Brito came out landing some heavy calf kicks, immediately cornering his opponent against the cage. Shore utilized lateral movement and popped out a couple of punch combinations attempting to avoid the leg kicks. But it was only successful momentarily, as another leg kick that Shore attempted to check caused him to lose his footing and the two men quickly ended up in the clinch against the cage.
Midway through the round, Joanderson was driving Shore against the cage before disengaging and swinging a couple of hooks and again landing with that venomous leg kick. Shore initiated the clinch to slow his opponent down, before moving him against the cage. Brito was able to reverse the position, to which Shore replied with an unsuccessful takedown attempt. With half a minute left in the round, Shore was looking for a body lock takedown as both men continued to grapple for control in the clinch till the close of the opening round.
Brito began the second round exactly like the one before it, extremely aggressively, moving in a throwing a thudding calf kick, among other strikes. Joanderson struck right into the clinch and utilized a body lock to briefly takedown his opponent before Shore popped right back up. Seconds later, and the two were in space engaging. Brito was spamming the low calf kick visibly eating up that leg and Shore was continuing to look to get his hands going before the two again collided and clinched against the cage.
Shore’s lead leg was bleeding heavily as he was grappling and again defending the takedown against the cage with two minutes left to go in the round. With 1:25 seconds left in the second Shore’s shin was pressed against the cage, right in front of the commentary booth. Shore’s shin was mangled and gushing blood against the chain link. The ref stepped in and decided to have the cage side physician look at the wound. After inspecting the gash, the ringside physician would opt to stop the fight.
Later in the broadcast, UFC officials would clarify that concern over a possible broken leg had led to the doctor’s decision to wave off the bout.
Official Result: Joanderson Brito def. Jack Shore by TKO (doctor stoppage), Round 2, 1:25
