Tanner Boser’s return to the light heavyweight division did not go as planned earlier tonight (Sat., April 15, 2023) at UFC Kansas City live on ESPN and ESPN+ from inside T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, as the former heavyweight was overwhelmed by a ferocious Ion Cutelaba first-round TKO (punches).
Boser looked light on his feet in the early going, but it was Cutelaba who was controlling the distance. It left Boser open to a nasty right hand that buckled him. Cutelaba followed up with a barrage of punches that kept Boser pinned along the cage and eventually forced the referee’s hand.
Check out the final moments below courtesy of UFC/ESPN:
HULK SMASH #UFCKansasCity pic.twitter.com/io3sTjOhmH
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) April 16, 2023
Cutelaba, 29, had lost three straight coming into this main card fight so it was important that he produced a memorable performance. “Hulk” usually comes out smashing, but Cutelaba took his time in this one and it paid off big time. Maybe it’s a sign of things to come from the talented Moldovan finisher.
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