Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
“Contender Series” graduate, Sodiq Yusuff, returned to the Octagon at UFC 241 tonight (Sat. Aug. 17, 2019) inside Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., looking to keep his perfect (2-0) record with the promotion intact when he locked horns with fellow Featherweight, Gabriel Benitez, winner of two straight bouts. It was a great back-and-forth fight while it lasted, with Yusuff ultimately winning a battle of attrition to record a first round technical knockout win.
Benitez, who got a huge pop from the crowd, came out firing, but Yusuff was more than game, returning fire and making him pay for his aggressiveness. In fact, less than 30 seconds in and Benitez was already split open over his left eye. Yusuff continued to stalk Benitez, who tried to keep him at bay with solid low kicks. Benitez connected with a solid left jab, then another that wobbled Yusuff, who was able to recover quick. Benitez landed some solid left hands that appeared to hurt Yusuff, but then “Nigerian Sensation” countered with a violent right hand that dropped him like a sack of potatoes. He followed him to the canvas with several hammer fists and head bouncers, compelling referee Herb Dean to intervene and call a stop to the contest little more than four minutes after it began.
Benitez was more than game, but Yusuff looked fantastic under fire, finishing a super tough opponent and extending his UFC win streak to three straight.
Impressive!
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 241 fight card, starting with the Fight Pass “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET, before the pay-per-view (PPV) main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC 241: “Cormier vs. Miocic 2” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.