The short-notice replacement missed weight for the fight, but perhaps the bigger news was that Caceres had cut his distinctive hair. Well, maybe not, but the real news was that UFC Vegas 8 opened with a four-fight run of submissions, including a slick one by Caceres.

Early in the first Caceres was loose and seemed to graze his opponent with a head kick, slightly hurting Springer. Springer was staying conventional, throwing a lot of kicks highlighted with a low leg kick to Caceres’ lead leg. Springer got a bit wild throwing looping hooks and Caceres began landing as he was coming forward. Springer then shot for a takedown but Caceres sprawled and took the back, finishing with the rear-naked choke.

GOOD NIGHT 😴@BruceLeeroyGlow needed less than a round to end the night.

We're live on @ESPN & #ESPNPlus pic.twitter.com/FkQua3xJC0

— UFC (@ufc) August 29, 2020

Four fights, four submissions to start the card, with pretty much all of them in the running for a potential Performance of the Night bonus.

Official Result: Alex Caceres def. Austin Springer by Submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 3:38

The post UFC Vegas 8 Results: Submission-Fest Continues, Alex Caceres Forces Tap From Austin Springer appeared first on Cageside Press.

Every fighter has their go-to moves, especially specialists within certain martial arts disciplines. Their own signature styles that can lead to spectacular finishes. Whether it’s a scary-good rear-naked choke that fighters just can’t seem to avoid once going to the ground or crazy power in a straight left hand that has dropped even granite-chinned fighters with ease, each fighter has a particular finishing move or sequence. Moves that have stuck in fan’s minds and come to define and describe their careers within the cage.

This week we will take a look at some fighters with only a few (5 or less) fights in the UFC, rather than those fighters that are long time UFC veterans with a bunch of finishes with the promotion. 

Aleksandar Rakic (12-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC)

Total Number of Pro MMA Finishes: 10

Via KO/TKO: 9

Via Submission: 1

Total Number of UFC Finishes: 2

Via KO/TKO: 2

(Jimi Manuwa, Devin Clark)

Via Submission: 0

Aleksandar Rakic has been in the UFC for just over three short years. And in that time, he has made a huge impact in the UFC’s light heavyweight division and has truly come into his own as a hot, rising prospect. Rakic has a professional win finishing rate of 83%.

Both of Rakic’s finishes in the UFC thus far can be described with one word: Spectacular.

And Rakic’s fight against Devin Clark in 2018, was just that, as the first round saw him getting dropped before coming back and catching his opponent with a beautiful spinning back fist.

Rakic’s finish of Jimi Manuwa last June was with an incredibly brutal, long, whipping head-kick and it happened faster than most fans could have ever imagined. He returns this weekend in the main event of UFC Vegas 8, opposite Anthony Smith.

Aleksandar Rakic (-200) finishes Jimi Manuwa (+160) in the very first round via devastating head kick 😳pic.twitter.com/7JFhQKbvF0

— Action Combat (@ActionFights) June 1, 2019

The post Finishing the Fight: UFC Vegas 8 appeared first on Cageside Press.

The UFC is back at the Apex this Saturday. The event is headlined by Anthony Smith going against Aleksandar Rakić. At this time currently, you can’t have a UFC card without multiple pullouts. Giga Chikadze was supposed to take on Alex Caceres, but Giga had to pull out after testing positive for COVID-19. Caceres was then supposed to fight Kevin Croom, but for unknown reasons, Croom will not be fighting. Now, Caceres will be fighting newcomer Austin Springer.

Austin Springer
5’8″
Featherweight
33-years-old
Vancouver, Washington, US
Gracie Barra Portland
12-3
7 KO/TKOs
2 Submissions

How will Springer fare in the UFC:

Springer is a decent signing on short notice, especially since he already has a win against Giga Chikadze, who was originally fighting Caceres. Springer is a much better wrestler than he is a striker. On the feet, he has some power, he throws good hooks, and goes to the body well. He’s just a little too slow on the feet and gets sluggish as the fight goes on. He’s a better wrestler with solid top control and has good ground-and-pound. It was shown in his fight with Giga: he made smooth transitions and got the RNC in the final round. I’m not completely sold on whether or not he’s a good enough wrestler as the fighters he’s taking down are low-level, even an unexperienced Giga Chikadze. Even when he gets fights to the mat, he usually has to escape his way out of a submission of some sort.

How he matches up with Caceres:

On paper, Springer does match up well with Caceres. In the 22 UFC fights Caceres has had, only five of those opponents haven’t been able to take him down. Do I think Springer can take Caceres down? I do. But do I think he can keep the fight on the mat or keep taking down Caceres? I don’t. On the feet, the movement and kicks of Caceres should frustrate Springer. It’s hard to trust Caceres as he looks different every time he steps into the cage. With that said, Springer is a guy the veteran should beat without question.

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