Looking to recover from a loss in his UFC debut, Light Heavyweight Rafael Cavalcante met Igor Pokrajac at UFC Fight Night 32. After a dismal performance and KO loss to Thiago Silva in his UFC debut, Cavalcante rebounded with a first round TKO over Pokrajac. After an early flurry from Igor, he succumbed to the violent Muay Thai clinch of Cavalcante and tapped out beneath the flurry of strikes.
It was Pokrajac who brought pressure early in the fight. He came out winging punches at Cavalcante, who couldn’t get his rhythm off his back foot before Pokrajac clinched up. Igor wasn’t able to set up an offense with Cavalcante’s back against the cage. Feijao established a Muay Thai clinch. He sent a couple knees to the body through that pushed Pokrajac back. Holding the clinch, he sent a knee to the head as Igor covered up. Cavalcante released the clinch and unleashed a series of strikes as Pokrajac crumbled and the fight was stopped.
Rafael Cavalcante submits (strikes) Igor Pokrajac at 1:18 of round 1