Charles Oliveira’s first defense of his UFC lightweight title was one to remember.
The native of Brazil took on one of the sport’s toughest fighters in Dustin Poirier and defeated him in a wild bout at the main event of UFC 269 in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
The time of the stoppage was 1:02 of the third round as Oliveira (32-8) submitted Poirier (28-7) with a standing rear-naked choke, adding to his UFC submission record with his 14th.
The first round was a breathtaking affair, as Poirier landed the heaviest shots.But Olivera landed repeatedly both front kicks and knees to the torso. The effects of those kicks took hold in the second, as Oliveira tripped Poirier and ended up in top position, where he rained down heavy elbows over the course of several minutes.
Oliveira wasted little time sinking in the winning choke in the third to seal his 10th consecutive win.
“I’m world champion,” Oliveira said. “I’m the man. They talk, I do it.”
The evening’s other title fight ended in one of the most staggering upsets in mixed martial arts history.
Chicago’s Julianna Pena, who was as high as an -1100 underdog on some sportsbooks, defeated Amanda Nunes to win the UFC women’s bantamweight title. Pena (11-4) won via rear-naked choke submission at 3:26 of the second round.
South Florida’s Nunes (21-5), who brought a 12-fight win streak into the bout and held the title since July 2016, twice dropped Pena in the opening round. Pena persevered, though, and in the second round, she took the fight to Nunes and began landing big shots.
Nunes started loading up with heavy counters. But she gassed and Pena kept pouring it on. Pena dropped Nunes and almost instantly got into position for the rear-naked choke.
“I told you, don’t ever doubt me again,” Pena said. “Willpower, strength, and determination will take you places.”
Nunes still holds the featherweight title, which she won in December 2018.
–Field Level Media