Light heavyweight action on the UFC Vegas 120 preliminary card on Saturday found Diyar Nurgozhay taking on Bruno Lopes.
Both men had identical 1-2 records inside the octagon, but while Lopes was coming off back-to-back losses, Nurgozhay had picked up his first UFC win back in March.
The big boys met in the middle, with Nurgozhay taking an early lead on the feet behind a steady volume of low kicks. Lopes responded with just one significant shot in the opening minute, taking a more patient approach to the octagon. Things started to pick up around the three-minute mark, with Lopes finding his rhythm behind two crisp body kicks. Nurgozhay was more than willing to play the kicking game, continuing to pepper Lopes’ lead leg before attacking the body with a straight.
With around a minute left in the opening round, the fight was briefly stopped after Nurgozhay rushed in with an overhand and caught Lopes’ thumb in the eye. Once the action resumed, the two immediately turned up the heat. Nurgozhay caught Bruno Lopes with a massive shot that crumbled him, but Lopes somehow survived the first big moment. It wasn’t long before Nurgozhay was back on the hunt, eventually finding Lopes’ chin and putting him away with the TKO following a few more strikes.
Official Result: Diyar Nurgozhay def. Bruno Lopes by TKO (punches), Round 1, 4:59
