Former Pancrase standout Takashi Sato made good on his Octagon debut earlier tonight (Sat., April 27, 2019) at UFC on ESPN+ 8 live on ESPN+ from inside BB&T Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, when he put a brutal stop to veteran Ben Saunders via second-round TKO (punches and elbows).
After a back-and-forth first round that saw both welterweights land clean punches, Sato was able to take over in the second. He landed a beautiful combination that ended with a left hand to Saunders’ chin, dropping ”Killa B” in his tracks. Sato pounced on top and landed heavy elbows and punches that opened Saunders up and forced the referee to step in. A bloodied Saunders tried to return to his feet but stumbled directly into the cage.
Check out the highlights above courtesy of UFC/ESPN.
With this performance, Sato makes a memorable Octagon debut against a dangerous veteran opponent with his back against the wall. The 28-year-old Japanese fighter certainly got off to a slow start tonight but he still showcased the finishing ability that scored him a big name overseas. It will be interesting to see what Sato can do his next time out without the Octagon jitters holding him back.
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