UFC Fight Night 125 results: Alan Patrick smothers Damir Hadzovic over three rounds

[sigallery id=”iTEvB2xLbtT3CWXxKNUEXJ” title=”Patrick def. Hadzovic” type=”sigallery”]

Alan Patrick (15-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) picked up his third consecutive victory, whitewashing Damir Hadzovic (11-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC) over the course of 15 minutes.

The lightweight bout was part of the preliminary card of today’s UFC Fight Night 125 event at Mangueirinho Gymnasium in Belem, Para, Brazil. It aired on FS2 following an additional prelim on UFC Fight Pass and ahead of a main card on FS1.

It was a frantic start, with Patrick slipping on a kick and slipping a rushing knee from Hadzovic and pressing forward with a takedown. Hadzovic scrambled up to his feet, but Patrick worked to keep the action in the clinch, eventually scoring another takedown via single-leg. Hadzovic alertly rolled for an armbar, but Patrick postured and pulled the limb free before diving back down and delivering a few vicious ground-and-pound blows.

Hadzovic was able to clumb back to his feet, but is preference for knees allowed Patrick another takedown. Another followed, and Patrick rifled off left hands to the dome until the bell.

Patrick fired a few flashy kicks to open the second before pressing forward and again bringing the action to the canvas. As Hadzovic turned to his knees, Patrick worked to the back and looked for the choke. Hadzovic kept his chin tucked bit wasn’t able to pull free from the position. Patrick stayed firm on the back, remaining in complete control of the positioning and cruising to the bell.

With Hadzovic in obvious need of a finish, he looked to strike to open the third, landing with a few nasty kicks to the body. Unfortunately for him, Patrick again took the action to the canvas in the opening minute of the frame. Hadzovic defended well from his back but allowed several minutes to pass before finally crawling to his feet. Patrick wasted little time taking it back to the canvas and moving to the back, where he finished the fight, taking home a clearcut decision win with scores of 30-25, 30-27 and 30-27.

“I knew he was a tough guy in boxing, so I focused my camp on my grappling so I could take him down because I knew it was a weaker spot for him,” Patrick said after the win. “The weather here is very humid; I knew he would feel it, and it worked – in the second round he was already exhausted. Now my focus is a top-15 or top-10 opponent.”

Patrick has now earned three straight wins, all by decision. Hadzovic falls to 1-2 in his past three appearances.

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 125 results include:

• Alan Patrick def. Damir Hadzovic via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-27, 30-27)
• Polyana Viana def. Maia Stevenson via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:50
• Iuri Alcantara def. Joe Soto via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:06
• Deiveson Figueiredo def. Joseph Morales via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:34

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 125, check out the UFC Events section of the site.