Photo by Buda Mendes/Zuffa LLC
With the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) schedule currently frozen as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, the most recent Octagon action fight fans remember seeing is Charles Oliveira choking out Kevin Lee at UFC Brasilia one week ago.
It was the last UFC event to be held — albeit behind closed doors — and one that produced a memorable main event finish. The contest was held at 155 pounds as Oliveira put his six-fight win streak on the line against a resurgent “Motown Phenom.” After two back-and-forth rounds it was Oliveira who struck last and sunk in a tight guillotine choke. Lee eventually tapped only to regain consciousness and try to wrestle “do Bronx” from behind after the fight was over.
UFC color commentator Joe Rogan was not in attendance to call the action but had a hilarious reaction to the main event while watching it during his “Fight Companion” podcast. Rogan’s reaction to the UFC Brasilia headliner can be seen above.
“He tapped and he tried to go back to fighting,” Rogan said (transcription via BJPenn.com). “Dude, he tapped and he went back. Oh my God. Do you think he went to sleep and then came back? Do you think he put him to sleep? He tapped and then he went right back to wrestling.”
“It’s like he woke up and jumped on his back,” Rogan continued. “Oh my goodness. Wow, that’s crazy. He must have woke up. [Oliveira] must have choked him out, he must have choked him unconscious and [Lee] woke up thinking the fight was still going on. That’s crazy.”
Oliveira, 30, has now won seven-straight fights all by way of submission or knockout. The Brazilian veteran has continued to prove his worth at 155 pounds and now sits at No. 8 in the division. That may be good enough to land a future matchup with either Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, or Dan Hooker.
For more UFC Brasilia results and coverage click here.