Paddy Pimblett wasn’t impressed with how Movsar Evloev’s undefeated run ended.
Alexander Volkanovski stopped Evloev with a flurry of strikes with six seconds left in the second round of the UFC 333 main event in Abu Dhabi. Watching it in a live reaction video, Pimblett felt Evloev gave in.
He’s hurt, he cut him there, he’s bleeding. It’s over, boom. Volk gets the finish. Evloev quit there, for me. Just rolled over.
When there’s five seconds left, you’ve got to keep moving so the fight stays on. You can’t start just covering up.
It was the first loss of Evloev’s career, dropping him to 20-1. All 10 of his UFC wins had come by decision, built on relentless wrestling, including victories over Lerone Murphy, Aljamain Sterling, Arnold Allen and Diego Lopes.
Pimblett called the stylistic problem before the opening bell.
Evloev’s route to victory is takedown and control, but it’s very hard to do that to Volkanovski, so he might be forced to strike with him and I think Volk’s a much better striker.
Evloev did go to his wrestling in the first round, but Volkanovski stayed out of trouble and pulled away in the second. Pimblett credited the champion’s feints.
It’s the feints with Volk. That’s why he’s landing, because of all the feints. Making him think he’s going to throw something all the time, so when he actually does throw, he doesn’t see it coming.
Evloev praised Volkanovski in his post-fight interview and has since broken his silence on the loss.
