A.J. Fletcher played spoiler earlier tonight (Sat., Feb. 18, 2023) at UFC Vegas 69 live on ESPN+ from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, when “Ghost” captured a second-round submission finish (guillotine choke) over Octagon newcomer Themba Gorimbo.
Gorimbo was able to use his gigantic 10-inch reach advantage in the early going to land some good shots, but Fletcher quickly closed the gap. After a reversal off his back Fletcher was able to gain top control and land some hard elbows on Gorimbo. The UFC newcomer survived to see the second round, but when he shot in for a takedown early in the frame Fletcher locked up the guillotine choke and spoiled his UFC debut.
Check out the final moments above courtesy of UFC/ESPN.
Fletcher, 26, finally captures his first Octagon victory after coming up short in his previous two outings. The welterweight prospect is not the tallest fighter in the division, but he’s proven to be as powerful as any of his competitors and clearly has a knack for finishing fights. It will be interesting to see what Fletcher can do from here after breathing new life into his UFC career.
For complete UFC Vegas 69 results and coverage click here.