There’s blowing weight, and then there’s how Saimon Oliveira came into his UFC Rio fight with Luan Lacerda.
Coming in a full eight pounds over the bantamweight limit, Oliveira forced a 144lb catchweight, basically making the bout a featherweight affair. Fined 50% of his purse, Oliveira was required to weigh no more than 155lbs on the night of the fight, a mark he fortunately hit.
The night’s opening fight went to the ground early, and Oliveira was soon showing his power advantage, escaping one position, then getting up, reversing along the fence and landing a takedown care of a body lock. Lacerda escaped out, with the pair trading knees in close thereafter. Later in the round, going to the ground again, it was Lacerda taking the back and getting a body triangle in place. He went hunting for a rear-naked choke, but couldn’t force the tap. Instead, he fired off a few punches, transitioned to mount, and took the back again just before the horn.
Lacerda was on top early in the second, working some shots to the body while Oliveira tried to tie things up, throw something up off his back, or just find space. He succeeded at none of the above, and instead Lacerda again took the back. One hook went in, then another, as Lacerda flattened Oliveira out. Lacerda soon had a body lock in place, with a full two minutes on the clock. Oliveira, however, reversed the position, and on top began dropping elbows to the delight of the crowd at the Farmasi Arena.
Just went it seemed like Oliveira was in control, however, Luan Lacerda locked up an arm-bar. It was deep, and Oliveira was forced to submit! He could be seen favoring the limb after the ref called the fight.
Official Result: Luan Lacerda def. Saimon Oliveira by submission (arm-bar), Round 2, 3:55
