Swede Andreas Ståhl will step into the Octagon this Thursday night on the UFC Fight Night 80: VanZant vs. Namajunas card against Brazilian Santiago Ponzinibbio at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. MMAViking.com is live in Vegas to report on the event. Get your live updates here!
Live Results
Round 1 Stahl walks to the cage, stoic, and seemingly prepared to make his long-awaited return to the octagon. Ponzinibbio follows him into the arena, a vision of energy and intensity. The fighters are announced, then the cage door swings closed. The action begins, and the third man in the octagon is NSAC referee Herb Dean. Ponzinibbio immediately takes control of the center, and Stahl attempts to open up with a left-right combo, but uses it to disguise a takedown. Stahl eats a leg kick, then a right hand, and is pushed to the cage, covering up. Stahl secures a takedown after he recovers, but the time on the mat is short-lived. Ponzinibbio pushes forward, feeding Stahl jabs. Stahl throws an inside leg kick, then covers to avoid the onslaught thrown by Ponzinibbio. Stahl attempts a huge overhand right, then eats a jab by Ponzinibbio. Followed by another, then a leg kick. Ponzinibbio rips shots to the body, then begins teeing off. Stahl is absorbing heavy damage, but he throws a head kick and gets a brief respite for his effort. Ponzinibbio pushes the Swede once more to the cage, throwing volume, and Stahl is bloodied. Stahl attempts a head kick, but it fails. Ponzinibbio leaps forward and drops Stahl with a left hand. He finishes the Swede there with follow-up punches, earning Ponzinibbio a TKO victory at 4:25 seconds of the first round.
The ups and downs of fight night.
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