Featherweights Nate Landwehr and Doo-Ho Choi kicked off the UFC 310 main card on Saturday, a match-up that had fans hoping for an explosive 15 minutes or less.
Choi was enshrined in the UFC Hall of Fame thanks to his 2016 classic with Cub Swanson, though he career had been derailed to some extent due to mandatory military service in his native South Korea, not to mention the coronavirus pandemic. Still, Choi’s name had an excitement factor attached to it, as did Landwehr’s.
It was Choi who landed the first significant strike of the fight, sneaking through Landwehr’s guard with an uppercut. An overhand right followed, and another blow sent Landwehr reeling, off-balance. Another uppercut would land, as well as some leg kicks and a jab, all within the first minute. Choi was certainly putting the pressure on, Landwehr already bloodied. A third uppercut snapped Landwehr’s head back.
Just under two minutes in, a clinch saw Choi threaten to take the back, with Nate Landwehr on his knees. Choi slowly, methodically worked to get hooks in, but was high up and had to be careful not to fall over the top. Landwehr, however, wound up seated with Choi behind him – at least until he broke free a moment later.
Life on the feet proved to be no reprieve, however. Choi ripped the body, and chopped at Landwehr’s lead leg. Landwehr managed to make a rare connection with his right hand, only for Doo-Ho Choi to answer with a combination. There appeared to be far more toys in the South Korean’s toybox.
Round two saw Nate Landwehr in dire circumstances once more. Out-gunned on the feet and outmatched on the mat, by the middle of the frame, he had Choi on his back. As was the case in the first frame, Landwehr was thoroughly outmatched in every department, leading to a must-win situation in the third.
Landwehr, knowing that, came out swinging to start round three. Choi fired back, and had to be careful not to end up drawn into a firefight. Clearly cognizant of the danger, he grabbed a leg, and soon had a takedown, sitting in side control. Locking up a crucifix, Choi began to drop elbows. Landwehr, exhausted after two grueling rounds already, didn’t seem to have the explosiveness required to escape. That, in fact, is where the fight would finish for Nate Landwehr. A few more elbows, and the ref decided that enough was enough. That’s two big wins in 2024 for “The Korean Superboy” Doo-Ho Choi.
Official Result: Doo-Ho Choi def. Nate Landwehr by TKO (elbows), Round 3, 3:21
