Kyle Prepolec and Drew Dober threw down in a fan-friendly firefight on Saturday night at UFC Vancouver, delivering exactly the kind of chaos the lightweight division is built on.
In front of an electric Canadian crowd, veteran scrapper Dober met a surging Prepolec determined to make a statement on home soil.
Dober (27-15) entered the fight riding the first true losing streak of his career, having dropped three straight to Renato Moicano, Jean Silva, and Manuel Torres. With his back firmly against the wall, the longtime lightweight veteran came into UFC Vancouver in desperate need of a win.
Prepolec (18-9) earned his way into the UFC on short notice, stepping in against Benoît Saint-Denis at UFC 315 in May. Though he was submitted in that debut, his willingness to step up, and the grit he showed in the fight, was enough to earn him a second opportunity, this time against one of the division’s most exciting veterans in Dober.
Round 1 – Prepolec opened with a clean jab, but it didn’t take long for Dober to fire back with heavy shots, immediately putting the Canadian on notice. Dober began ripping powerful left hands, momentarily stunning Prepolec before he found his footing and got his offense going.
While Prepolec worked with single shots, Dober responded with sharp combinations, repeatedly finishing with that dangerous left hand, clearly hunting for a knockout with every exchange.
The Canadian stuck to his game plan, eventually finding success with his own combinations, mixing inside leg kicks with crisp 1-2s up top.
A low blow from Dober briefly paused the action, but Prepolec waved off the timeout and continued.
Dober’s approach was clear, relentless pressure and power, but Prepolec remained composed, refusing to be overwhelmed despite the intensity.
Round 2 – Dober resumed his pressure with heavy strikes, but Prepolec answered with a sharp left hand that landed clean. The two began trading combinations back and forth, with Dober suffering a cut to his shin after a checked kick, resulting in noticeable bleeding.
Sensing momentum, Prepolec picked up the pace and began targeting the body with volume combinations. With just over two minutes remaining, he capped off a slick combo with a head kick that Dober absorbed without flinching.
Dober continued to fire constant 1-2s, but Prepolec timed a spinning backfist perfectly and connected. Moments later, he landed a heavy right hand that forced Dober to shoot for a takedown, but Prepolec denied it with ease.
The round closed in dramatic fashion as a clean shot dropped Dober, but the horn sounded before Prepolec could follow up.
Dober’s left shin was bleeding significantly as he returned to his corner.
Round 3 – Began with a quick show of sportsmanship as Dober reached for a hug, but Prepolec opted for a simple fist bump instead.
Dober wasted no time turning up the pressure, firing aggressively, but a brutal accidental groin shot immediately halted the action, dropping Prepolec to the canvas. He rose to his feet but understandably took his time recovering. Given the severity of the foul, the referee deducted a point from Dober before restarting the fight.
With Prepolec seeking payback and Dober likely needing a finish after the point deduction, both men went to war, but Dober landed the heavier artillery. He unleashed a furious barrage, capped by a devastating uppercut that forced the referee to step in and wave it off.
Massive TKO victory for Drew Dober.
Official Result: Drew Dober def. Kyle Prepolec via R3 TKO, 1:16
