This weekend, Mario Bautista submitted Vinicius Oliveira at the first UFC Fight Night at the Apex. At the end of the second round, the American, favorite according to the rankings, got the job done, finding the finish late in Round 2.
To secure the submission, Bautista delivered a brilliant sequence, chaining a crucifix, a kimura, then taking the back before locking in a clean submission finish within seconds.
Throughout the fight, we didn’t see much striking. Instead, it was a series of cage-control sequences designed to wear Vinicius Oliveira down. The strategy worked quickly, as the Brazilian ended the first round exhausted, barely able to sit down on his stool between rounds.
With this masterclass, the American positions himself as an important name in the UFC bantamweight division. But the question now shifts to Oliveira’s future. During fight week, the Brazilian admitted he had struggled with the weight cut, opening the door to a move up to the higher weight class.
After such a disappointing performance, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him make that change in his next fight in order to protect his health. A situation that should continue to push the UFC to rethink its system around weight cutting.
Leave a Reply