What a debut! @RdosAnjosMMA found a new home at welterweight after his first win! #UFCSingapore pic.twitter.com/ez2RUI7SP3
— UFC (@ufc) June 17, 2017
On Saturday the UFC returned to Singapore with an exciting Fight Night event featuring a plethora of former champions and top contenders.
In the main event, former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm is set to do battle against former title challenger Bethe Correia.
Before the elite bantamweights square off, the UFC once again presented a full day’s worth of intriguing matches.
Former UFC Lightweight Champion Rafael dos Anjos made his welterweight debut in the first main card fight as he fought former Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Tarec Saffiedine.
Saffiedine threw a head kick to start the fight. Dos Anjos responded with a combination of his own. Dos Anjos went for a kick, but Saffiedine caught it and took him to the ground. While on the bottom, Dos Anjos went for a kimura lock but Saffiedine escaped. Dos Anjos eventually fought his way back to his feet. Both former champions then began fighting inside a clinch. Dos Anjos later landed a takedown. He went for another kimura, but Saffiedine escaped and got to his feet. Dos Anjos landed a flying knee while Saffiedine was up against the cage. The round ended with both fighters teeing off.
Both fighters started the middle round as the first round ended. Dos Anjos controlled the cage, but eventually, Saffiedine got his hands on Dos Anjos and got him up against the cage. Dos Anjos later got a headlock and began landing knees that appeared to be illegal, but the referee didn’t do anything. Saffiedine fought his way out of the position. Dos Anjos once again engaged in a clinch but couldn’t do much damage. The fighters separated and began to trade blows towards the end of the round. The round ended with the fighters in a clinch battle up against the cage.
Dos Anjos and Saffiedine traded kicks to start the final round. Both fighters traded punches and kicks for the first half of the round. Eventually, they once again began fighting in the clinch, but it didn’t last long. Dos Anjos landed multiple body kicks that appeared to slow Saffiedine down. At the end of the round, Saffiedine had Dos Anjos up against the cage, but the former UFC champion escaped.
Official Result:
Rafael dos Anjos def. Tarec Saffiedine by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
