UFC 261, the first mega-card of 2021, kicked off at 6:00 pm ET with a plentiful early prelims showcase on UFC Fight Pass. The quartet of bouts featured several Ultimate Fighting Championship debutantes, a trio of Chinese prospects, and a Legacy Fighting Alliance veteran. MixedMartialArts will be dropping complete play-by-play in this space as each bout comes to a conclusion. The latest results are as follows.
Carnelossi scores TKO victory over Na in a wild opener to UFC 261
Madness ensued to open the fight. Both women seemingly stunned the other within the first 15 seconds, and the live crowd roared like it was a main event scrap. Na Liang would eventually score two takedowns in the round, which seemed to her benefits after neither woman seemed interested in defense when the fight was standing. The Chinese debutante showcased her talented ground game on top and bottom midway through the round and looked to be deep on an armbar, but Ariane Carnelossi defended it and eventually got the top position. Landing some good shots of her own. An absolutely wild first round with little defense, loads of offense on the feet, and boatloads of scrambling on the ground.
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“Dragon Girl” took serious ground and pound damage late in the first and began the second round looking dazed and tired. A failed judo throw by Na led to more scrambling and the Brazilian ended up on top. Being in full guard didn’t matter, as she pounded away on her foe and scored the TKO finish with 1:28 left in round two. Exciting win for “Sorriso” after 19-months away from the sport. Na loses her UFC debut, but she was part of a crazy fight that will be remembered as the first UFC bout with fans back in attendance.
Molina pulls away late to score unanimous decision win over tough as nails UFC newbie AoriQileng
Another fight and another import from the UFC Academy in China. Much of the opening minute was a feeling out process between AoriQileng and Jeffrey Molina. Following a fun exchange that the UFC newbie got the best, AoriQileng scored points by getting a takedown. “El Jefe” was able to get the fight back to standing, however, his foe forced the fight into a continued clinch battle. A battle Molina obliged in. AoriQileng had a better first round in the Octagon than his academy colleague Na, in the previous fight.
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Less grappling between the two in the second round. Molina offered a more technical attack and worked off his jab, while his opponent chose to sling big power shots. Molina floored AoriQileng halfway through the round, but the UFC first-timer quickly rose back up and continued a high-pressure strategy. Competitive round with dueling strategies, however, Molina landed a right cross late that floored AoriQileng a second time.
More of the same in the third as it’s a battle of technique and pacing versus power and pressure. As the round wore on Molina started to pull away as he boxed up AoriQileng to the roaring crowd’s approval. By the end of the round, the Chinese fighter’s face showed the signs of a difficult five minutes for him. Yet he showed toughness, pushed forward, and even stunned Molina late in the round. A highly entertaining fight that Molina won by unanimous decision. In defeat, AoriQileng showed serious guts and left fans wanting more.
RongZhu’s loss to Vargas gives Chinese newcomers winless night
Former WLF lightweight champion RongZhu makes it three straight fights with a UFC Academy China alum making their Octagon debut. His 14 years older foe Kazula Vargas was the aggressor for much of the first half of the round, while his 21-year-old foe fought more measured. Maybe even tentative. RongZhu did solid work throughout, but the Mexican was the far more active fighter. A ho-hum round compared to the wild fury of the first two fights.
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RongZhu caught a kick and turned it into a takedown. However, while in the full guard of Vargas he fell into a guillotine choke that he had to endure for nearly a minute before he was able to escape. Vargas had a second attempt at a choke that also failed and seemed to tire him a bit. The pair alternated top position over a ground battle that lasted much of the second half of the round. Outside of the two chokes, there wasn’t much in terms of notable moments, but Vargas likely put another round in the bank.
The Octagon debutante seemed to find his stride in the third as Vargas slowed a great deal. Landing shots and combinations with some consistency. RongZhu even stopped in the center of the cage and brushed his shoulder off for added effect. The final round was the youngsters best, but it came too late as he lost via unanimous decision. Vargas earned his first win inside the Octagon after falling short in his two previous UFC outings.
Batgerel gets second straight Octagon KO with 50-second thrashing of Natividad
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This one did not last long. Danaa Batgerel and Kevin Natividad played the feel out game early, however “Quicksand” rushed in for a combination and the Mongolian had a nasty left hook waiting for him. Fifty seconds was all that was needed for Batgerel to get a second straight first round knockout. This one three times as fast as the previous one in March 2020. It’s a second straight loss in the Octagon for Natividad following a five-fight winning streak.
