Gina Mazany’s grappling wore down Rachael Ostovich on Saturday at UFC on ESPN 18, but it was her striking that finished the job.
Mazany (7-4 MMA, 2-4 UFC) scored a steady stream of takedowns on Ostovich (4-6 MMA, 1-3 UFC) for the majority of the fight, getting ahead on the scorecards. She wasn’t content with a decision, though, and landed a pair of nasty body kicks in the final minute of the fight to get the third-round TKO.
Powerful shots to the body earns @GinaDangerAK the 3rd round finish!
📺 #UFCVegas15 live on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/yvpY2kBSVt
— UFC (@ufc) November 29, 2020
The women’s flyweight bout was part of the UFC on ESPN 18 preliminary card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It aired on ESPN2/ESPN+.
Mazany used a lot of movement early in the fight, but was met with counters coming in. She quickly shot in for a takedown, and managed to take Ostovich’s back within the first minute of the fight. She threatened from there, but Ostovich kept composed and got back to the feet. They exchanged strikes for the next few minutes before Mazany tied the fight up against the fence. She broke free, and Ostovich found some late success countering Mazany’s punches.
Mazany took the distance away from Ostovich early in the second, using trips from the clinch to put Ostovich on the mat. Some scrambles ensued, and Mazany got into position for a north-south choke. Ostovich used her flexibility to flip over onto Mazany’s back, but she could not keep control. She couldn’t keep the fight on the feet for long, either, because Mazany went right back to her takedowns and worked over Ostovich to put herself way ahead in the fight.
With all the momentum in her favor through 10 minutes, Mazany did not let up in the final round. She pressured Ostovich with knees and elbows from inside the clinch, then scored a big takedown with less than three minutes remaining. Mazany battered Ostovich from on top, and was able to take the back again. Ostovich survived the onslaught and got back up to her feet, but was met with a brutal body kick that folded her. Ostovich somehow survived and got back up, then took another one that made her collapse, ending the fight in brutal fashion at the 4:10 mark of Round 3.
With the win, Mazany made a successful debut in the women’s flyweight division. Ostovich, meanwhile, has lost her past three.
“I’m 1-0 at 125,” Mazany said in her post-fight interview with Paul Felder. “I intend on getting better and better.”
Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 18 results include:
- Gina Mazany def. Rachael Ostovich via TKO (body kicks) – Round 3, 4:10
- Su Mudaerji def. Malcolm Gordon via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 0:44
- Nate Maness def. Luke Sanders via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:29
