Mirko Cro Cop avenged his 2007 defeat to Gabriel Gonzaga with a third round comeback, stopping the Brazilian with elbows in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night main event in Krakow, Poland.
The Croatian heavyweight took a while to get going, but dropped his rival with a short hook before the final barrage halted it at 3.30 of the third round.
Indeed, Cro Cop – backed by waves of support at the Tauron Arena – barely threw a punch in the opening round as his Brazilian foe kept a high, tightly-strung guard and switched well from head to body.
Gonzaga’s success continued in round two as he kicked Cro Cop’s arms and even attempted crafty heel hook and kneebar in a sequence of scrambles. The crowd held their breath for their man. Was Cro Cop succumbing?
Suddenly in the third Mirko landed a shovelling punch which decked Gabriel on the entry. He didn’t let up. Already cut beside his right eye, the fans’ favourite roared back, slicing his rival’s face with elbows from top position. After a series of hurtful, unanswered salvoes, the action was over and the returning star earned his first UFC win since June, 2010.
There was less drama as light-heavyweight Jimi Manuwa took a unanimous decision – 30-27 (twice) and 29-28 – over Poland’s own Jan Blachowicz.
Suffering from a pre-fight meniscus injury, the Brit fought on regardless and traded single strikes in the early feeling out process. As the battle of jabs ensued, Manuwa secured a bodylock and landed damage to the former KSW titlist’s thighs with knees.
Credit to the Englishman who fought a tactically astute fight and got off his own shots. It wasn’t always action packed, but a barrage of Muay Thai strikes at the death – including a knee which snapped Blachowicz’s neck back – put it beyond doubt.
Welterweight Pawel Pawlak roused his home supporters by coming through a grueling wrestling match with Sheldon Westcott, taking it 29-28 on all cards.
The visiting Canadian made his intentions clear to rag-doll his challenger to the ground, but Pawlak showed variety on the feet – not to mention slick judo throws and creative ground and pound – to take a relatively assured decision.
England’s Leon Edwards made his mark in the same division too, stopping Seth Baczynski in only eight seconds with a laser-guided left hand that knocked the Polish-American senseless.
Sticking with the 170lbs scene, Sergio Moraes controlled the stand-up exchanges to get past Mikael Lebout, earning three scores of 29-28.
With women’s strawweight ruler Joanna Jedrzejczyk watching at cage-side, her own division opened up nicely with triumphs for Aleksandra Albu and Maryna Moroz. Albu, looking physically strong at the weight, had far too much on the feet for Izabela Badurek before sinking in a guillotine choke at 3:34 of round two.
Moroz, a devastating ground artist from Ukraine, grabbed her fifth first round armbar at 3.30 against heavily favoured Joanne Calderwood to the shock of onlookers.
A couple of featherweights, Yaotzin Meza and Taylor Lapilus pushed themselves up the rankings with unanimous decisions. Meza grabbed verdicts of 30-27 and 29-28 (twice) with crafty jiu-jitsu while Lapilus, bloodying up Rocky Lee and timing his raids perfectly, outstruck his adversary to take three scores of 30-27.
Scottish lightweight debutant Stevie Ray came in with fifteen days’ notice to dismantle the Pole, Marcin Bandel, with a heavy barrage from back mount at 1.35 of round two. Middleweight Bartosz Fabinski out-fought Garreth McClennan with three scores of 30-27 thanks to determined takedown attempts and constant activity. Elsewhere heavyweight Anthony Hamilton, training at Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA, outslugged Daniel Omielanczuk to win it 29-28 (twice) and 29-27.
By Alistair Hendrie/photo by Jorden Curran
