On this day in 2022, the UFC 276 pay-per-view opened with one of the most brutal submission finishes in recent memory.
MMA’s leading promotion recently wrapped up International Fight Week in Las Vegas, a celebration that concluded with Ilia Topuria knocking out Charles Oliveira in the UFC 317 main event.
The festivities to end June marked the 13th edition of International Fight Week. But not many have been more memorable than the 10th celebration in 2022.
That saw T-Mobile Arena host UFC 276, where Alex Pereira knocked out Sean Strickland to earn his shot at Israel Adesanya and Alexander Volkanovski delivered one of the all-time best title fight performances to close out his trilogy with Max Holloway.
And the memorable action on that night kicked off from the very first fight, when fans were left grimacing…
Julija Stoliarenko was ‘too polite’ in MMA fights before brutally injuring UFC 276
Before the likes of Dricus du Plessis, Ian Garry, and Maycee Barber made the walk on the preliminary card, UFC 276 began with a women’s bantamweight clash between Julija Stoliarenko and Jessica-Rose Clark.
One year before Stoliarenko submitted Molly McCann in London, the Lithuanian used her jiu-jitsu skills to force a quick tap from Clark.
But it wasn’t quick enough.
After locking in an armbar in the opening minute, Stoliarenko left her Australian rival frantically tapping out. A slow intervention from the referee gave Stoliarenko enough time to dislocate Clark’s elbow in gruesome fashion.
Post-fight, the 32-year-old explained the brutal ending — which caught her some flak — by admitting she had been “too polite” in previous fights, meaning she wasn’t going to show any mercy at UFC 276.
“I already had troubles with submissions in jiu-jitsu fights and MMA fights where I do it too politely so through that time, I always just snap it through all one movement. This is our game, we should do that stuff.”
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Jessica-Rose Clark criticized Julija Stoliarenko for holding onto UFC 276 submission
Clark addressed her supporters following the result in a video posted to Instagram after being discharged from hospital.
The Australian revealed she would need surgery to repair the damage, which she suggested was down to Stoliarenko not letting go of the hold after she had tapped out.
“She did a really good job of continuing to armbar me after I tapped,” Clark said.
“But that’s fine, it is what it is. … I felt great. I still cried the entire time I was at the hospital, but I feel alright.
“I am understandably heartbroken, but I did everything right this camp.”
Clark returned 10 months later, lasting until round three before being submitted via rear-naked choke by Tainara Lisboa at UFC Charlotte.
After exiting the promotion, the 37-year-old has since won back-to-back Muay Thai bouts and most recently made a successful debut under Mike Perry’s Dirty Boxing banner.