Lightweight Manoel Sousa had made stops on Bellator MMA, the PFL, and LFA before landing on the Contender Series last year; on Saturday at UFC Vegas 114, he made his UFC debut opposite Bolaji Oki.
Oki was 2-2 in the company, looking to rebound from a loss to Mason Jones. Sousa’s only loss had come to the formidable Archie Colgan.
The fight opened with feints from Sousa as he steadily walked Oki down. Oki landed a couple of solid outside leg kicks early, but the momentum quickly shifted when Sousa dropped him hard with a massive right hand. Oddly, Sousa opted to chase a kimura and held onto it even as Oki stood up, which allowed Oki to scramble into top position. From there, Oki landed several hammerfists and controlled the position until Sousa worked his way back to his feet. Sousa did manage to land a sharp elbow in the clinch, but Oki dictated the position, peppering him with knees to the body. It was a strong start from Sousa, but the decision to hunt the submission gave Oki the chance to regain momentum and get his offense going.
In the second round, Oki caught Sousa coming in as he loaded up and clipped him clean. Sousa began whiffing on big overhands and even shot a few blind takedowns as he struggled to close the distance. The pace started to wear on him, and he looked noticeably slower while having trouble finding his range. His best moments came during quick blitzes, but Oki defended them well. Sousa tried to mix in body shots as the round progressed, though he was often countered in the process. In the final minute, Sousa called Oki forward and managed to buckle him with a sharp left hook just before the bell.
Heading into round three, the fight was still up for grabs. Oki came out sharp, working behind his jab and mixing in leg kicks. Sousa, meanwhile, relied more on looping hooks and heavier kicks to the legs. As the round wore on, Sousa abandoned his shot selection and began swinging for the fences. The pace ramped up in the final minute as the fight turned into a full-on brawl. Oki started backing up while Sousa pressed forward, ripping hooks to the body and jabbing his way inside. Oki briefly regained momentum with a multi-punch combination, but Sousa immediately responded by pouring on relentless pressure. Trapping Oki against the cage, Sousa uncorked a brutal right hand that put him to sleep, sealing a dramatic comeback knockout.
Official Result: Manoel Sousa def. Bolaji Oki by knockout (right hand), Round 3, 4:14
