Monster Energy congratulates Sean Strickland on defeating Abus Magomedov at UFC Fight Night Las Vegas 76
LAS VEGAS, July 3, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A brutal second-round stoppage! Monster Energy congratulates Sean Strickland on defeating Abus Magomedov at UFC Fight Night Vegas 76 on Saturday. In the night's Main Event fight contested in the Middleweight division, the 32-year-old from Corona, California, battled his opponent to a second-round TKO victory. The spectacular stoppage also earned Strickland the UFC's $50,000 Performance of the Night Bonus.
UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs. Magomedov was contested in front of a live crowd inside the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas. With a total of twelve fights on the card, the world-class fighting showcase was broadcast live on the ESPN+ platform.
Monster Energy's Strickland (27-5) came to Las Vegas after most recently defeating Nassourdine Imavov via a unanimous decision in January 2023. Strickland's opponent, Russian athlete Magomedov (25-5), was riding a three-fight victory streak after defeating Dustin Stoltzfus at UFC Fight Night 209 in September 2022.
The energy behind Saturday's headline fight in Las Vegas was explosive when the two fighters collided in the Octagon. The headliner opened with Magomedov bringing the pressure by firing fast kicks. But the fight took a dramatic turn only 30 seconds into Round 1 when Strickland suffered a harsh eye poke, causing an immediate stop for medical examination. As doctors assessed the damage to Strickland's eye, MMA enthusiasts voiced their frustration on Twitter, citing the recent wave of fights canceled due to eye pokes.
Much to the relief of fans, Strickland was adamant to resume the fight, even though he was seeing double due to the injury. Unsurprisingly, Magomedov ended up controlling the first round dealing massive damage with strikes and kicks.
The momentum changed dramatically in the second round as a resurgent Strickland returned fire. Walking Magomedov down in the Octagon, Strickland landed heavy combinations to assume control of the fight.
Sensing that his opponent was damaged, Strickland kept in close pursuit to seal the deal. After landing a heavy multi-punch combo to drop Magomedov, Strickland rained a barrage of brutal shots from above. With Magomedov on the ground defenseless, it was all over. At 4:20 minutes of Round 2, referee Mark Smith called a stop to the contest, pronouncing Strickland the winner by TKO.
The dominant win also netted Strickland the UFC's $50,000 Performance of the Night Bonus, marking his first UFC post-fight bonus since finishing Brendan Allen at UFC Vegas 14 in November 2020.
In his post-fight interview, Strickland admitted the eye injury forced him to consider forfeiting the bout: "It was pretty deep, you guys. There's a coward in me. There was a coward in me that said, 'Why don't we just stop this?' Then I heard you guys over them yelling for me, and I was like, 'We gotta do this!'"
Asked about plans for his next fight, Strickland said: "I want the title!" Watch for updates as the 185-pound division has officially been put on notice!
A professional MMA competitor since 2008, Strickland made his debut in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) at UFC 171 in 2014. Before signing to the UFC promotion, he earned the King of the Cage Middleweight Championship title in December 2012 and defended his belt three times.
Sean Strickland counts amongst Monster Energy's elite UFC athletes along with Kamaru Usman, Jon "Bones" Jones, Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone, Chris "The All American" Weidman, Rose Namajunas, Marlon Vera, Michael Chandler, Justin Gaethje, Jessica-Rose Clark, Valentina Shevchenko, Sean "Sugar" O'Malley, Brandon Moreno, Daniel Rodriguez, Alex Pereira, Punahele Soriano, Gilbert Burns, Giga "Ninja" Chikadze, Islam Makhachev, Johnny Walker, Beneil Dariush, Gaston Bolanos, Maycee "The Future" Barber, Brendan Allen, and Jalin Turner.
For more on Monster Energy's MMA athletes, visit http://www.monsterenergy.com. Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
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About Monster Energy
Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes, and musicians represent. More than a drink, it's the way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers, and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at http://www.monsterenergy.com.
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