Alden Coria vs. Stewart Nicoll represented the lone flyweight fight on Saturday’s UFC Oklahoma City card at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK.
Australia’s Nicoll was desperately in need of a win after starting his UFC run at 0-3; Coria was on the opposite trajectory and was 2-0 in the company to date.
To kick off the first round, Coria was on the hunt early, walking Nicoll down behind two clean uppercuts. Forced to move off the cage, Nicoll circled away from Coria’s power while mixing in the first level change of the fight. It was a quality shot that briefly brought Coria to the mat, but the young striker’s athleticism proved crucial as he quickly worked his way back to his feet. It wasn’t long before Nicoll returned to his grappling, however, as the Australian flyweight secured two more takedowns before the horn, capping off a tightly contested opening five minutes.
Coria was back on the gas in round two, pressuring Nicoll from the opening bell. The fight was briefly halted just 30 seconds into the round after Coria landed a groin strike. Nicoll recovered quickly and resumed the action, finding success on the feet with a high volume of low kicks. Coria soon answered with several clean shots along the cage, though the fight returned to the grappling exchanges with around two minutes remaining. The two continued trading dominant positions, but it was Nicoll who punctuated the round with a slam.
Round three began much like the previous two, with Coria applying steady pressure and outworking Nicoll on the feet. It appeared the favorite had Nicoll compromised but surprisingly let off the gas, allowing Nicoll to secure another takedown. This time, however, Coria showcased his submission game, threatening with multiple front chokes as he worked his way back to his feet. As the fight came to a close, Coria remained in control, cruising to a unanimous decision victory.
With his third straight UFC victory, Alden Coria has solidified his place among the promotion’s top prospects. The 4oz. Fight Club flyweight improves to 13-3 as a professional and appears destined for a step up in competition next time out.
For Stewart Nicoll, however, the outlook is far less encouraging, as he suffers his fourth consecutive UFC defeat.
Official Result: Alden Coria def. Stewart Nicoll via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
