Lightweights Chris Padilla and Nasrat Haqparast collided as part of Saturday’s UFC Sacramento preliminary card.
Haqparast was a 15-fight veteran of the promotion, while Padilla had posted a 4-0-1 record through five fights inside the octagon.
The pair started the bout with an extended feeling out process, circling, testing range, firing kicks and the odd strike up top. A low-action affair especially when viewed next to some of the night’s earlier contests, none of which had suffered for lack of intensity or violence. The low output also made it a difficult round to score.
The second frame continued to be something of a slog. Padilla mixed in leg kicks, and Haqparast went to the body. Still, even when Padilla spammed a couple of kicks in quick succession, it wasn’t even to appease the Sacramento crowd. Padilla briefly put Haqparast on the fence, but Nasrat escaped within seconds. More boo-birds could be heard as another low-action round came to a close.
With the fight still very much up for grabs in round three, Haqparast briefly turned up the tempo, only for Padilla to turn things back around. Late in the round, the fight finally opened up however, with Padilla dropping Nasrat! Padilla got on top, dropping hammer fists, 12-6 elbows, and other ground n’ pound. Haqparast managed to survive and scramble to his feet, but there he wound up eating another elbow.
With time ticking away, Haqparast was in trouble. After lighting him up a bit, Padilla locked up a standing arm-triangle choke. With the choke in place Padilla threw Haqparast to the ground, holding on to the submission. As the horn sounded, it was clear Haqparast had gone out! A dull fight, but an absolutely wild finish.
Official Result: Chris Padilla def. Nasrat Haqparast by technical submission (standing arm-triangle), Round 3, 4:59
