UFC London wasn’t the greatest card on paper but those usually tend to be the events that deliver the most entertainment value.
With only four ranked fighters on the entire card, there wasn’t much in the way of high-profile names involved when the Octagon returned to London but those who attended the event at the O2 Arena did not leave disappointed.
Fans saw huge upsets of hyped favourites, some success for UK talent and several early finishes.
And while the middle of the show saw three consecutive first-round stoppages, we were treated to not one but two buzzer-beaters.
Left it late…😳 https://t.co/IBFYF3ghyx
— JOE (@JOE_co_uk) March 17, 2018
Scottish fighter Paul Craig earned the latest submission in a three-round fight in UFC history when he threw his legs up for a desperation triangle with 10 seconds remaining in his clash with the debuting Magomed Ankalaev, who was on his way to a win, and drew the tap with one second left.
It was the kind of drama that you hardly ever see in the Octagon but, remarkably, we got another example of it just three fights later.
Birmingham welterweight Leon Edwards kept his win streak alive by convincing referee Rich Mitchell to call a halt to his fight with Peter Sobotta just before the final buzzer in the main card opener.
⏱ 4:59 on the clock in the final round…
…@Leon_edwardsmma gets the stoppage! 🙌
Every. Second. Counts! 😅#UFCLondon pic.twitter.com/IzlgP9lvWK
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) March 17, 2018
While Craig utilised a gorgeous triangle to get the job done, it was Edwards’ methodical ground and pound that wore Sobotta down.
‘Rocky’ now hasn’t tasted defeat since 2015 and he will move up the rankings when they are updated early next week.
And Edwards wasted no time in calling out his fellow countryman, Darren Till, for a main event clash in Liverpool on May 27.
On Friday, the UFC announced that they would be moving their scheduled show in Dublin to Merseyside and confirmed that Liverpool’s own Till would headline the card.
"Liverpool vs Birmingham. Let's go! Easy work." 👊@Leon_edwardsmma calls out fellow Brit @darrentill2 moments after his #UFCLondon win.
The Gorilla is having none of it! pic.twitter.com/DCIv0SLHGk
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) March 17, 2018
An opponent has yet to be named for the undefeated ‘Gorilla’ but Edwards can’t be blamed for seizing the opportunity to try to make an all-British main event a reality this summer.
