UFC on ESPN 3: Maurice Greene shuts down Junior Albini, calls out Andrei Arlovski

MINNEAPOLIS – Maurice Greene beat Junior Albini with a first-round TKO Saturday night to open the preliminary card at UFC on ESPN 3 in Minneapolis.

Take a look inside the fight with Greene, who picked up a win in front of his home fans.

Result: Maurice Greene def. Junior Albini via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:38
Updated records: Greene (8-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC), Albini (14-6 MMA, 1-4 UFC)
Key stat: After winning his UFC debut, Brazil’s Albini has lost four straight fights, including three in a row by finish.

Greene on the fight’s key moment

“(The front kicks to the legs were) to keep the distance, and not let him get in close. … It was to keep the distance and keep him at bay, and every once in a while be a sniper. When I could strike and hit him, I’d hit him. Those paid dividends. I dropped him, he got back up, I stayed on it, I stayed patient, we dropped him again, and we finished the fight.”

Greene on fighting in front of his home fans

“All week, I felt kind of weird. I’ve never felt like this before a fight. I was super relaxed, calm. … (My coaches) all pretty much told me the same thing: ‘That’s called being prepared, Maurice. There’s not an if, and or but about what kind of performance you’re going to put on.”

Greene on what he wants next

“(Andrei) Arlovski is just a vet, man. I started my career in Chicago, Arlovski was in Chicago. He’s a former champ. He’s a tough guy. He’ll test my gangster in there. I don’t like easy fights, and I don’t think he’s an easy fight by any means. Everybody needs to beat a good veteran.”

To hear more from Greene, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.

For more on UFC on ESPN 3, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.