In the main card opener of The Ultimate Fighter: Nations on Wednesday night, Dustin Poirier bested Akira Corassani in a wild, fast-paced affair. The fight lasted just longer than a round, but it had more action than most 15-minute bouts.
After a competitive first round where both guys landed some nice shots, Poirier came out with terrible intentions in the second frame and quickly dispatched his foe.
What we will remember about the fight
It was a barn-burner. The first round offered up nonstop excitement. It was competitive and entertaining. Both Corassani and Poirier looked good and delighted the Colisee Pepsi. The crowd rained down cheers from the opening bell to the closing moment.
What a first round between Poirier and Corassani! Man.
— Jeremy Botter (@jeremybotter) April 16, 2014
The event isn’t over, but I think both Poirier and Corassani will remember it as a lucrative fight, as I imagine bonuses are on their way.
What we learned about Poirier
In addition to remembering Poirier‘s awesome performance, we will also remember how he demonstrated the capacity to take damage, shake it off and persevere.
The win was his eighth in the featherweight division, which is a UFC record. That record is likely to be broken many times in the future, so we may not remember it long term, but it’s a nice accomplishment for now.
What we learned about Corassani
Corassani wasn’t supposed to win this fight, and he didn’t. But he did put Poirier in some tough spots, making it much closer than it was expected to be.
We should also acknowledge Corassani‘s efforts in making the match what it was. Poirier came to exchange, and Corassani indulged. This is what we sometimes call a “good loss,” and years from now, we’ll recall that this particular L on his record did not equate to a bad performance.
What’s next for Poirier
The win should put him close to, if not in position to fight for the title. It has to be a No. 1 contender’s bout or more for him next time out.
What’s next for Corassani
Though he didn’t look completely out of place on Wednesday night, Corassani is likely to see a drop-off in competition before he is reinserted into the mix alongside someone of Poirier‘s standing. That doesn’t mean he’ll fall off the map, just that his next matchup could reasonably feature an opponent ranked No. 11 to No. 15 or so.
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