UFC: Strickland's best performance yet

Tonight's UFC on ESPN match ups featured the return of Kevin Lee and Sean Strickland at the UFC Apex.

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The UFC has a lot of talent looking for their moment right now and tonight some of these warriors reminded fans that a new wave is coming. Guys like the welterweight prospect Michael Morales showed their progress in the game and that they're taking it serious. Morales put on a stellar performance in his 3rd fight in the UFC after round one not going exactly in his favor, he stepped it up in round two and put his combinations perfectly together. His boxing was much more intelligent and had an even more of a professional composure about him as he looked for the finish of Max Griffin. Max "Pain" has an iron chin and could not be KO'ed granting Michael the unanimous decision.

Long time fans and mma hardcores will remember the name Kevin Lee and for the most part we were curious to see how he's matured as a martial artist. Lee had his ups and downs when he used to be in the promotion a few years back. After having a fight or two in other promotions like Eagle FC he found himself back in the UFC tonight across another really game opponent in Rinat Fakhretdinov. Not much could be said about the fight accept that Lee got caught slippin' and his chin just didn't hold up when he got caught by a punch while not defending. His reflexes abandoned him tonight because it was a punch that was very avoidable. That was just the beginning of the end for Lee as he gets submitted when he falls to the floor via guillotine. For Rinat, getting a big name submission will probably mean good things soon as he gets one step closer to his dreams. Unfortunately in this game you have destroy another man's dream to achieve your own, looks like it's back to the drawing board for Lee after so much work being put into his comeback one could only speculate on where he takes his career next.

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In the co-main event Grant Dawson showed why he's ready for better opponents. His domination of Damir spoke volumes as he found his back and kept him there every chance he could. In his post octagon speech he said called Islam Makhachev the goat but that he's his replacement. Still he has a line of great fighters in his way and said it makes sense if his next opponent has either high popularity or high rank. Getting into the UFC's top 5 lightweight division might be the hardest group to get into but Dawson is on the doorstep ready to make the leap. Is it too soon for the talented blackbelt?

Sean Strickland has recalculated after some tough losses but comes back unfazed and puts his best performance yet over Abus Magomedov, a fighter everyone thought could be likely to upset him. Magomedov starts off very strong throwing lots of hard shots but pokes Sean in the eye in the middle of the round. Sean takes almost the whole five mins and seemed hesitant at first but gets back into the fight. His plan did not change at all, Sean kept that forward pressure throwing punches in the fast break and going around his gaurd at times overwhelming him.

Halfway into round two, Strickland has added up his punches and Abus was looking gassed while Sean not missing a beat. Magomedov was visibly tired and turned his back after getting hit, clear sings the fight would be over soon. That it did, Sean Strickland KO's Magomedov after never stopping the pressure and landing his hooks. One could say Abus was looking for a way out the way he seemed to not be able to continue. Given some more time Abus might have tapped to strikes. A successful night for the UFC. Strickland goes on to say he wants to be champion still, will we finally get the highly anticipated Izzy vs Strickland match? Something fans were teased before being dispatched by Adesañya's own rival, Alex Periera.