The final showdown of the UFC Fight Night proved to be nail-biting
The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s inaugural fight event in Singapore, UFC Fight Night on Jan 4 at the Marina Bay Sands, culminated in the main event of Tarec Saffiedine vs. Lim Hyun Gyu.
Saffiedine, the Belgian Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, defeated Korean Lim Hyun Gyu, in the welterweight category. He now has 15 wins to his name.
Nicknamed the “Sponge” for his propensity to pick up different martial arts quickly, Saffiedine subdued “The Ace” (Lim) in five rounds.
Slow off the Blocks
The match started slow, with the opponents sizing each other up before attacking.
Round 1: Saffiedine starts on the outside while Lim remains in the centre. Saffiedine, who has a black belt in karate, throws a kick at Lim’s lead thigh and leg twice.
Lim manages to avoid the rest of Saffiedine’s attacks and scores a few shots with his right hand, though Saffiedine counters most of it. Saffiedine wins this round.
Round 2: Saffiedine starts jabbing his opponent quickly and attacking him in a flurry of kicks to the leg. Lim misses a flying knee, and a few shots. The momentum changes as Saffiedine starts taking Lim apart. Saffiedine wins this round.
Picking up Speed
Things started to further accelerate from the third round.
Round 3: Lim looks tired and he drops his arms. He almost slips after a kick from Saffiedine. As he gets on his feet, Saffiedine pushes him to the ground.
He barely manages to get out of it and takes a hard leg kick. A second kick takes him to the floor. Saffiedine punches him more from the top. The referee stands them both up; Lim favouring his hurt leg.
Saffiedine sees the weakness, kicks it again and he falls. Saffiedine celebrates briefly but the fight continues. Saffiedine wins this round.
Round 4: Things don’t look good for Lim though he comes out guns a-blazing. He can barely stand. Saffiedine hits him with a leaping knee and Lim goes down.
Lim is flailing to hold on to this round and is doing all he can to survive. Saffiedine manages a few shots before the round ends. Saffiedine wins this round.
Round 5: The final round, and the end is nigh. For Lim. Saffiedine continues to attack Lim’s leg and two hard kicks send him buckling.
Saffiedine almost feels bad for his opponent as he glances at the clock. Perhaps with a sudden burst of adrenaline, Lim chases his opponent and beats him down.
But the bell sounds. Lim wins this round, but Saffiedine wins the fight.
Clear Cut
At the post-fight press conference, Lim iced his battered and swollen face and said, “There was talk about stopping the fight in the fourth round. But my corner men kept me going and I tried my very best in the final round to come back.”
“I think I was a bit too nervous and eager to prove myself in the early rounds,” he admitted.
Saffiedine missed the press conference as he was being checked by the medical team. Nonetheless, he said that he is “ready to face Top 10” in the UFC.
All in all, it was a nail-biting and eventful melee, and a good debut for UFC.
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