Mauricio Ruffy earned his second consecutive win inside the Octagon in the main card opener of UFC 309, defeating James Llontop via unanimous decision.
The highly touted Brazilian still produced some highlight-reel moments but wasn't able to secure another show-stealing finish as a huge favorite against his late-notice replacement opponent.
Llontop missed weight ahead of the fight despite both men agreeing to a catchweight, but it didn't have the impact that many assumed it would. In the end, it was the Peruvian who got better as the fight went on, winning the third round with his constant pressure as Ruffy appeared to significantly slow down.
However, it was the toughness of Llontop that earned him the most plaudits after he ate some huge shots, including a devastating look-away uppercut that dropped him in the second round.
Ruffy never looked like losing the fight after landing significant damage in the first two frames en route scorecards of 29-28 across the board, but it was certainly a tougher outing than many expected following his incredible debut win over Jamie Mullarkey at UFC 301 this past May.
The Fighting Nerds standout called out Benoît Saint Denis as both Ruffy and his teammates continue to have massive campaigns in 2024.
Check out the moment that nearly closed the show in the second round below:
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