Welsh MMA star Jack 'Tank' Shore took his record to a perfect 13 wins overnight on Wednesday with a second round submission victory over bantamweight prospect Aaron Phillips.
The 25-year-old from Abertillery was dominant from start to finish over his American opponent, opening the promotions midweek card in a fight which saw him enter as the biggest favourite of the night.
Shore has previously been described by UFC president Dana White as one of the hottest prospects to come out of the UK in recent years, and he wasted no time in dismantling Phillips, 31, with a series of technical grappling exchanges which left the Louisiana native baffled.
As fans have come to expect with Shore, it was another meticulous performance which saw the Welshman pick his opponent apart with hard knees and ground strikes, before taking the back finishing with a rear naked choke, a submission he has become known for over the last three years.
It prompted former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping to describe the up-and-coming Shore as "the real deal" during the in-fight commentary, even comparing him to former welterweight hall of fame star George St. Pierre.
He said: "When I watch this man fight he reminds me of a young George St. Pierre. He's so technical and is certainly Wales' best chance of having a future champion in the UFC. This guy is moving through the weight class and looked incredible."
The fight took place on 'Fight Island', or Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, where the UFC is currently hosting a string of international events during the coronavirus pandemic.
Later on in the evening, Swansea's John Phillips suffered a defeat by Sweden's Khamzat Chimaev in a one-sided match up which saw the former nightclub bouncer finish with a second round darce choke.
