A matchup of key flyweight contenders on Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 30 card went the way of Askar Askarov against Alexandre Pantoja.
After three closely contested rounds in which neither man could build a definitive advantage, Askarov (12-0-1 MMA, 2-0-1 UFC) picked up the unanimous decision win Pantoja (22-5 MMA, 6-3 UFC), earning 29-28 scorecards across the board.
The flyweight bout opened up the main card at UFC on ESPN+ 30 at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. It streamed on ESPN+.
The first round was a fireworks show for grappling fans as it took less than 30 seconds for the pair to lock up. Pantoja went for the first submission with a guillotine choke, then an armbar, but Askarov was privy to all of it and escaped. He managed to control Pantoja for a good amount of time with clinch work against the fence. Pantoja eventually found a way to reverse course and take Askarov’s back, where he stayed for the rest of the round.
The second round picked up where things left off. The few moments of striking were simply avenues for the fighters to grapple with one another. Askarov was relentless in his pursuit of the takedowns, but Pantoja did well to scramble and not get locked own into any dangerous positions. The Brazilian had to spend most of the round keeping Askarov off him, but there weren’t any major moments of damage or a near-finish.
After an exhausting pace through 10 minutes, both men were fatigued going into the third round, which they started with a hug. Pantoja had the first big moment when he hit Askarov with a shot that put him on his butt. Pantoja dove on top, but struggled to muster the energy to do follow-up damage. Askarov got back up to his feet after not long, and that kickstarted the most prolonged striking exchanges of the fight. It was relatively even in that area, which closed out a tight fight.
Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 13 results include:
- Askar Askarov def. Alexandre Pantoja via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Roman Dolidze def. Khadis Ibragimov via TKO (knee, punches) – Round 1, 4:15
- Grant Dawson def. Nad Narimani via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-27)
- Joel Alvarez def. Joe Duffy via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 2:25
- Brett Johns def. Montel Jackson via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Amir Albazi def. Malcolm Gordon via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 4:42
- Arman Tsarukyan def. Davi Ramos via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Serghei Spivac def. Carlos Felipe via majority decision (28-28, 29-27, 29-27)
