UFC featherweight Morgan Charriere stole the show on the UFC Nashville main card.
Clarksville, TN native Nate Landwehr got a big spotlight as he fought just about an hour from his home at UFC Nashville. But unfortunately for the featherweight star, it was his opponent who made a huge statement inside the Octagon.
Morgan Charriere and Landwehr squared off in a highly-anticipated bout at UFC Nashville on Saturday. The two featherweight knockout artists treated fans to a firefight for as long as it lasted.
But it was the fight’s finishing sequence that’s getting the most attention.
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Morgan Charriere overwhelms Nate Landwehr with 16-punch combo at UFC Nashville
Charriere had early success against Landwehr’s forward-pushing pressure, utilizing his range and timing to land some big shots on his opponent. Landwehr ended Round 1 with a nasty gash on his face after taking a series of huge punches from Charriere.
But Landwehr bounced back nicely in Round 2, outpacing Charriere on the feet. Landwehr landed 43 significant strikes to Charriere’s 33, and the Tennessee hometown favorite seemed on the cusp of ending the night with a victory.
But Charriere fought like a man possessed as Round 3 kicked off. As the two moved to the center of the Octagon, Charriere threw a 16-punch combination, pressuring Landwehr against the fence before knocking down his rival just under a half-minute into the round.
On the judges’ scorecards, two of the judges scored it 19-19 between Landwehr and Charriere entering Round 3, making Charriere’s late approach all-the-more impressive. But Charriere isn’t a stranger to wild exchanges inside the Octagon, earning three post-fight performance bonuses during his UFC tenure.
As for Landwehr, he’s lost three of his last four fights after the defeat to Charriere. Meanwhile, Charriere returned at UFC Nashville after a unanimous decision loss to Nathaniel Wood in March.
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UFC Nashville featured many rising stars and highlight-reel finishes
Charriere and Landwehr spoiled UFC Nashville patrons to a ‘Fight of the Night’ contender, but they weren’t the only ones who made statements on Saturday.
UFC strawweight prospect Fatima Kline kicked off the prelims with a head-kick knockout of Melissa Martinez. Kline turned 25 on Saturday and finished her birthday on an extremely high note.
Heavyweight Valter Walker earned his third-straight win by heel hook over Kennedy Nzechukwu to extend his current streak. Valter is the brother of UFC light heavyweight knockout artist Johnny Walker.
Light heavyweight Tuco Tokkos overcame a near-knockout and a shoulder dislocation to strangle Junior Tafa with an arm-triangle choke. Vitor Petrino made the most of his heavyweight debut with a slick submission over Austen Lane.