Middleweights Edmen Shahbazyan and Andre Muniz faced off at UFC 320, part of the Las Vegas-based event’s preliminary card.
Shahbazyan entered at 3-1 across his last four fights, his most recent win a decision over Andre Petroski. Muniz found himself on the opposite trajectory, 1-3 in his own last four.
It’s been an up-and-down journey in the UFC, to say the least, but the 27-year-old Shahbazyan, winner of his last two outings, was looking to finally get a run going. Meanwhile, the Brazilian Muniz was trying to gain back the momentum he once had from when he went 5-0 in his first five UFC bouts.
ROUND 1: Muniz got his kicking game going right away, using the open stance matchup to throw headkicks and lead leg kicks. Shahbazyan stuffed Muniz’s first takedown attempt and landed a left hook once they got back into open space. Muniz was clearly looking to clinch, but Shahbazyan was doing a good job of staying on his feet. A nice switch combination by Muniz landed and pushed Edmen back to the fence. A nice flurry up top from the Brazilian opened up Shahbazyan’s hips for a takedown. Shahbazyan used a switch to get back to his feet and immediately landed a left hook that stunned Muniz. Smelling blood, the 27-year-old pounced on a compromised Muniz and used elbows from top position to force Mark Smith to put a stop to the fight in the dying seconds of the round.
After going through a roller coaster during the last four years, juggling wins and losses, Edmen Shahbazyan is now on his first three-fight heater since winning his first four UFC fights more than half a decade ago. Is “The Golden Boy” finally putting is all together?
Official Result: Edmen Shahbazyan def. Andre Muniz by TKO, Round 1, 4:58
