Featherweight Isaac Thomson made his promotional debut at UFC Vegas 112, taking on Joanderson Brito as a short-notice replacement.
It was a tough first step in the promotion for Thomson, who was replacing Melsik Baghdasaryan in the fight.
Brito opened the fight by pressing forward, but was immediately met by Thomson’s kicking game. When Brito threw a kick of his own, Thomson caught it and fired a straight right that dropped him. Brito was quick to recover, using the cage to work back to his feet, though Thomson stayed draped over his back in the clinch. Thomson briefly attempted to jump on the back but lost position, giving up his own back while standing. Brito capitalized by lifting and slamming Thomson, only for Thomson to explode back to his feet and score a takedown of his own. Brito immediately scrambled up and answered with a suplex. Neither fighter accepted bottom position, resulting in a constant battle for control throughout the round. The frame ended with Brito on top, likely swaying the judges in his favor.
Round two began at range, but the space didn’t last long. Thomson timed a clean takedown, though he overcommitted and allowed Brito to scramble back to his feet. When Thomson let his kicks go, they were effective, and he appeared to have the edge in the striking exchanges thanks to a clear speed advantage. However, Thomson continued to force takedowns, nearly paying for it when Brito threatened a D’Arce choke. Thomson managed to roll free and briefly took Brito’s back, but was quickly shaken off. In moments when Thomson found success, he made the fight harder on himself by trying to out-muscle Brito. Brito used steady cage control to slow the action, eventually dragging Thomson down and locking in a body triangle as the round closed—leaving Thomson in a tough spot heading into the third.
Brito came out aggressively in the final round, walking Thomson down and throwing heavy right hands. Thomson often found himself backed against the cage but moved well defensively. After Thomson appealed for an eye poke that the referee didn’t see, Brito increased the pressure and secured another takedown attempt. Thomson stayed upright long enough to land elbows to the temple, but Brito continued working until he forced Thomson to a knee. Thomson used a kimura grip to prevent a worse position and worked back to his feet, but remained pinned to the fence. Brito controlled Thomson from the hips for much of the round, and while Thomson proved difficult to keep down, he struggled badly to disengage from the cage control.
Joanderson Brito def. Isaac Thomson (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
