As the first main event broadcast on the UFC’s new digital network, Saturday’s welterweight bout at UFC Fight Night 34 between former Strikeforce champion Tarec Saffiedine and divisional standout Hyun Gyu Lim was billed to deliver.
While the ultimately one-sided affair earned Fight of the Night honors in front of an eager Singapore crowd, Lim later revealed that he almost quit after the fourth round.
“At the end of the fourth round, there was some conversation to that effect,” said Lim during the post-fight press conference, as originally reported by Matt Erickson and John Morgan of MMA Junkie.
The news not only illustrates how dangerous and effective Saffiedine’s striking is—especially his devastating leg kicks—but how tough Lim is as well. Knowing the magnitude of this fight, he simply didn’t want to give up.
He told MMA Junkie:
“This was an absolute golden opportunity for me to be featured in a main event,” added Lim. “As part of the main event, I wanted to put on the best possible performance. That was my No. 1 goal, and probably the only goal I had. I feel I accomplished that goal.”
The South Korean certainly put on a good show. After getting dropped by continuous leg kicks late in the third round, the 28-year-old continued to push forward. The performance was a testament to the warrior mentality that every Octagon combatant needs to have.
“My corner gave me the confidence that I could keep going. I was pushing as though this was the last moment. I really wanted to continue and finish it.”
As far as Saffiedine is concerned, this victory should finally earn the respect of UFC fans who had their reservations about his championship potential.
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