Sean Strickland delivers brutal 2nd round knock out to end Abus Magomedov
UFC Vegas 76 took place inside UFC Apex, and the main event saw Sean Strickland scoring a spectacular technical knockout (TKO) win over Abus Magomedov in the second round. Grant Dawson defeated Damir Ismagulov by unanimous decision in the co-main event of the evening.
One more to cap off #UFCVegas76 👊@SStricklandMMA vs @OfficialAbus is LIVE now on @ESPN! pic.twitter.com/T1K9LpMP4O
— UFC (@ufc) July 2, 2023
Magomedov has only one fight in the multibillion-dollar organisation prior to July 1. The 32-year-old made fast work of Dustin Stoltzfus in his UFC debut, finishing him in only 19 seconds of the opening round. Strickland, on the other side, has just won a light heavyweight fight by majority decision against Nassourdine Imavov in January 2023. He had previously lost two consecutive matches to Alex Pereira and Jared Cannonier.
Don’t blink when @OfficialAbus steps into the Octagon! #UFCVegas76 pic.twitter.com/jbk1njFkfl
— UFC (@ufc) July 2, 2023
Magomedov’s UFC debut lasted only 19 seconds, so fight fans weren’t sure what to think of his main event attempt against Strickland. The middleweight prospect dominated the opening round, causing Strickland problems with forward kicks, leg kicks, and hard hooks. Strickland, on the other hand, stayed in the pocket and ate every shot. The second round was a different story, as Magomedov’s performance in the first five minutes had him exhausted and lethargic.
Viewer discretion advised any time @SStricklandMMA is in the building! #UFCVegas76 pic.twitter.com/prFzY5k5AM
— UFC (@ufc) July 2, 2023
Strickland plodded forward, hitting crisp blows that pushed the Russian back along the cage. Magomedov continued to breathe heavily and stare into his corner until Strickland ramped up the heat and landed a massive takedown. Strickland then used heavy ground-and-pound, forcing the referee to intervene. Strickland put in a strong performance, earning his first knockout victory since defeating Brendan Allen in 2020.
Touch em up 🤜🤛
It's time for YOUR main event on @ESPN! #UFCVegas76 pic.twitter.com/JSVCBkc93r
— UFC (@ufc) July 2, 2023
The victory was ‘Tarzan’s’ first TKO victory since November 2020. Following the event, some competitors and spectators rushed to Twitter to express their feelings about the fight. UFC featherweight Billy Quarantillo hailed Strickland’s boxing abilities, while filmmaker Will Harris expressed astonishment that ‘Tarzan’ scored a knockout in the battle. Boxing aristocracy Teddy Atlas chimed in, drawing analogies between Strickland vs. Magomedov and the legendary boxing match between Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns.
CLOSING THE SHOW IN ROUND TWO!!! 🤯@SStricklandMMA proving his experience tonight! #UFCVegas76 pic.twitter.com/5H0o6LSii1
— UFC (@ufc) July 2, 2023
“I want the title,” Strickland simply answered when asked what he plans to do next. Adesanya, 33, has multiple middleweight contenders, so Strickland may have to wait a little longer.
Strickland appreciated Magomedov’s rapid start, but then mocked him by calling his kicks “little Peter Pan kicks.” “At the end of the day, we’ve got five rounds of fun,” added Strickland. “I’m not slowing down, and I’m not stopping. You want to have a solid first round where you wrestle and throw some Peter Pan kicks, so bring it! We have two, three, four, and five!”
Ready for more 😤 #UFCVegas76 pic.twitter.com/qrmIGXMmqm
— UFC (@ufc) July 2, 2023
Official scores: Strickland (27-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) defeated Magomedov (25-5-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) by TKO at 4:20 of Round 2.