Darrius Flowers missed weight ahead of UFC Vegas 115 for what would have been a lightweight fight with Lando Vannata.
Instead, their match-up proceeded at a catchweight.
A competitive first round between veteran Vannata and Flowers was punctuated by a massive slam takedown towards the end of the round. Vannata looked to defend with a guillotine, but was slammed down anyway. Vannata appeared to be hurt, with Flowers piling on top. Somehow, he survived, but was looking worse for the wear heading back to his stool.
Vannata’s right rib looked tender and red as he came out for the second, and this time when Flowers landed a takedown, he made sure to put the fight away. After landing a trip, Flowers piled on with ground strikes as Vannata covered up. That was enough to send the ref in, giving Flowers the TKO victory, giving Flowers his first victory under the UFC banner in his fourth attempt.
In no small way, that slam at the end of the opening round is what set up the finish, as Vannata never appeared to fully recover. Vannata has now dropped three straight, while Flowers gets a much-needed victory, though his weight miss may complicate matters.
Official Result: Darrius Flowers def. Lando Vannata by TKO (ground n’ pound), Round 2, 0:52
