UFC Vegas 103: Five Things We Learned

UFC Vegas 103: Five Things We Learned

UFC Vegas 103 was a low-quality fight night event. Still, fights went down at the UFC Apex. That leaves us with lessons about the fighters that competed. Here are five things we learned at UFC Vegas 103.

Manel Kape Continues To Impress

In the UFC Vegas 103 main event, Manel Kape earned a round-three knockout over Asu Almabayev. The victory is another impressive performance that pushes him closer to a title fight.

Kape dominated this fight from start to finish. He was the fighter pressing forward to land strikes. When Almabayev was backed up against the fence, Kape let his hands go. In those moments, he landed efficiently because of his speed. Meanwhile, Almabayev was hesitant to throw and was looking to land takedowns. However, Kape showed great takedown defense and kept the fight standing.

Eventually, Kape’s forward pressure and boxing combinations became too much for Almabayev to handle and the fight was stopped in the third round.

This fight continues Kape’s UFC hot streak. In his most recent performance, he had his best outing in the UFC when he finished Bruno Silva. Now, he adds another finish to his resume. That makes him 6-1 in his last seven fights. It is unclear who will challenge Alexandre Pantoja for the flyweight title next, but Kape’s recent run will have him in consideration.

Nasrat Haqparast Adds To his Win Streak

At UFC Vegas 102, Nasrat Haqparast picked up a split-decision win over Esteban Ribovics. The victory marked his fifth consecutive win.

This bout could have been scored for either fight. The massive moments of success came in the first round for Haqparast and the third round for Ribovics. In the early moments, Haqparast did a great job of countering Ribovics during his aggressive striking approach. That was also paired with a solid amount of volume. In the final round, the momentum swung towards Ribovics. The Argentinian landed a massive knee that did a ton of damage. Plus, he landed a head kick that visibly hurt Haqparast in the closing second.

This fight eventually came down to the second round. That was a competitive round. Both fighters landed quality shots during high-paced exchanges. It is fair to give the round to either fighter. The judges awarded it to Haqparast.

Haqparast has quietly put together a five-fight win streak to extend his UFC record to 10-4. This win over a highly touted prospect should put him in a position to get a big opportunity.

Sam Patterson Wins The Prospect Showdown

UFC Vegas 103 highlighted a prospect showdown between welterweights Sam Patterson and Danny Barlow. Patterson is the fighter leaving with the hype after securing a first-round knockout.

Barlow was very aggressive the moment this fight started. It was clear that his game plan was to push Patterson to the fence and connect with his left hand. That was working to an extent. He did not land the knockout shot he was looking for, however. Instead, Patterson clipped Barlow with a clean counter and landed precise follow-up shots to end the fight.

This win moved Patterson to 3-0 in the welterweight division while adding a respectable name to his resume. This type of performance helps a young prospect pick up some serious momentum.

Mario Pinto Gets A Highlight Reel KO In His Debut

At UFC Vegas 103, Mario Pinto landed a highlight reel knockout against Austen Lane. The Dana White’s Contender Series signee made a massive statement in his debut.

This bout was fairly close before Pinto landed the knockout. Pinto was having more success, but at one point, Lane dropped Pinto. It certainly was not a walk in the park for the debutant.

Ultimately, Pinto landed a left hook followed by a right overhand that put Lane out cold. It was a sensational way to top off a solid fight.

Pinto’s overall ceiling is still hard to grasp. That is largely because of the current state of the heavyweight division. That said, he is a prospect worth keeping an eye on.

Ramazonbek Temirov Proves He Is Legit

In the UFC Vegas 103 prelim opener, Ramazonbek Temirov earned a decision win over Charles Johnson. The victory proved Temirov is a high-level fighter worth competing in the UFC flyweight rankings.

Temirov looked impressive in the first two rounds of this fight. In the opening round, he walked Johnson down with big strikes. This was done while avoiding taking big strikes in return. In the second round, Temirov fought off the back foot and landed counter. It was two opposite rounds, but he looked impressive with both styles.

In the third round, Temirov slowed down and Johnson picked up the pace. Although, Temirov landed a few strikes while mixing in some grappling throughout the round. That helped limit Johnson’s aggressiveness. Still, Temirov dropped the round, but his success in the first two rounds allowed him to win the fight.

This performance proved that Temirov has the skills to defeat ranked flyweights. In the future, his cardio could be a serious concern, but it will not stop him from being a quality UFC fighter.

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