Multiple bouts tonight feature nearly prohibitive betting lines,
and this is one of them. Undefeated Chechen finisher Susurkaev
(11-0, 2-0 UFC) has most of the bettors on his side as he pushes a
line around -800, but he will not be the most highly favored
athlete from that perspective tonight. Odds don’t fight, and Santos
(11-2, 1-1 UFC) will instead as he tries to stage quite an upset.
The middleweights will receive oversight from referee Gasper
Oliver, and they acknowledge him and one another with a fist
bump.
It is a cautious hand-fighting strategy from the two that starts
things off, with Susurkaev eventually offering out a front kick to
the midsection about 20 seconds in. Susurkaev sinks a low kick on
his intended target before dodging a few kicks, and he just misses
a head kick and celebrates his own handiwork. Santos moves in, so
Susurkaev greets him with a one-two and a body kick. Santos catches
it and dodges a spinning elbow, pawing out a right hand to force
Susurkaev to wipe his nose. Santos swats out with a jab and a
shovel uppercut, chopping at the front leg as well when Susurkaev
shrugs at him. Susurkaev lines up two right hands over the top, and
the Brazilian wears them well and checks a low kick to hurl a right
hand up top. Susurkaev keeps chewing up the front leg, which is
lumped up and beaten already.
Susurkaev switches stances to lull Santos in, and he comes up
hitting nothing when he spins with a back kick. He settles down and
hammers the front leg with a slapping kick, lunging after it with a
right hand. Santos pays him back with a one-two, and he gets popped
when standing around too long with a long, straight right hand.
Susurkaev ducks a punch to shoot in on the hips, but Santos shuts
him down and forces him to stand again. The middleweights trade
blows one after the other, seeing the reaction from one before
swinging back. As Santos lands a solid right hand, Susurkaev slips
and looks at his footing. Santos jabs and power punches have marked
up Susurkaev’s face, with a shiner developing around the right eye
and a shallow cut on the bridge of his nose. Santos flicks out his
jab, dodges a high kick and motions at it. Susurkaev spins with
something else upstairs, and Santos evades that as well and
showboats a little more as the horn sounds. Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Susurkaev
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Susurkaev
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Susurkaev

Fists are bumped, and Santos immediately follows it with his jab.
Santos found its home regularly towards the end of the first round,
and he is repeating the success and giving Susurkaev fits.
Susurkaev loads up with heavy power to get Santos to slow down, but
it is instead drawing a firefight out of the Brazilian. Susurkaev
slips a left hand around the guard, and Santos doubles up his jab
and puts a one-two after it. Susurkaev wades face-first into an
uppercut, and he sweeps the leg with a hard kick. Santos remains on
his feet and drills Susurkaev with an overhand right. Susurkaev
reels and fires one back. Santos partially checks a leg kick and
has hands to deal with shortly thereafter. Santos gets in the
pocket to trade, eating a right hand behind the hear and pushing
off with an uppercut. Santos strings several punches together,
catching his opponent at least once more twice in the midst of his
lengthy combos. Susurkaev punches and kicks him back, varying his
offense well to drive Santos back.
Susurkaev confidently presses forward, landing punches in bunches.
Santos is still very much in this one, throwing almost as often as
Susurkaev swings at him. Santos goes to the well a few times with
spins, never thumping Susurkaev with one but coming close. He
manages to grab hold of the Russian and bully him to the wall, and
when fans start booing, Susurkaev encourages them to get louder.
Santos decides against a level change and backs off, putting his
jab right back in Susurkaev’s face. Santos sways back to absorb a
right hand up top, and his blows bounce Susurkaev off the wall.
Susurkaev scores to get Santos’ attention, and Santos dings him
with an elbow. Susurkaev has a low kick checked and sets up an
elbow to stagger Santos. Susurkaev splits a cut open on the top of
Santos’ forehead, with blood leaking down his face right into his
eye. The horn sounds with hands and feet flying every which
way. Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Susurkaev
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Susurkaev
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Susurkaev

Santos strides out of his corner loaded for bear, and he puts hands
on Susurkaev almost immediately. Susurkaev spins twice, landing
both times with them, and he rips an elbow as Santos meanders
towards him. Susurkaev takes a left hand he goes not like, so he
has to take a moment to blink it out and chop down with a low kick.
Santos takes a right hand on the chin without batting an eye, and
Susurkaev follows it with two more, a low kick and a level change.
Santos leans himself on the fencing to stay afloat, with Susurkaev
grabbing him from behind. Santos posts off the floor to adjust his
position, and he breaks out of the clinch only to take a flush
uppercut on the chin. Susurkaev is too close to score a head kick,
and he takes a flush right hand and shrugs at Santos like a Diaz
brother. Santos throws valiantly, and Susurkaev starts talking to
him, telling him to bring it on. When Santos is about to engage,
Susurkaev shoots for a takedown.
Susurkaev pushes Santos to the wall, with Santos clinging to a high
standing guillotine. Susurkaev works the body with his free right
hand while appearing overall unconcerned about the choke effort.
Santos leans back, but he still does not have the leverage he is
seeking to make it tight. Santos knees the body once or twice
before Susurkaev redoubles his effort in to get hold of a single.
He lifts Santos in the air and slams him down to his other leg,
where he begins to smack Santos in the back of the head while
Santos is scrambling. Santos works his way to the fencing, but he
leaves his neck exposed so he can work back up. Susurkaev snatches
up this opportunity in a hurry, wrapping a rear-naked choke up and
securing it under the chin. Santos turns over, looking for any way
to take off the leverage, but this is not the best plan.
The choke around his throat is disablingly tight, as Santos’
resistance quickly fade as his arms go limp. Oliver sees this and
needs to slap Susurkaev on the sides a few times to release the
submission.
It may have taken the unbeaten fighter
14-plus minutes to get the stoppage, but he keeps his 0 and hands
the Brazilian his first finish defeat.
The Official Result
Baisangur Susurkaev def. Djorden Santos R3 4:12 via Technical
Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Blake Grice is the referee. McConico follows a combination into the
clinch in an aggressive start. McConico lands some knees against
the fence before Susurkaev reverses the position. The combatants
trade short knees in close, but nothing too damaging. The crowd is
growing restless early after about a minute and a half of clinching
at the outset. Susurkaev has double underhooks, but McConico
reverses and lands an elbow over the top. Grice asks for work as
the middleweights finally seprate. The American lands an uppercut
as they break. A right gets through for Susurkaev. McConico spins
his man around with an inside low kick. McConico pushes Susurkaev
to the fence behind a punch and an elbow. The boos return as the
clinch battle continues, with McConico in control. Susurkaev turns
his man around and drags McConico to the mat. The American stands
and Susurkaev slams him down. McConico is back up agian, looking to
separate the hand, but it’s a mat return. Susurkaev stays busy with
knees to the thighs. Susurkaev tries a spinning elbow but a counter
shot lands from McConico in return. Susurkaev lands a front kick to
the body, and McConico answers with a pair of right hands before
the horn. Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 McConico Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 McConico Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 McConico

Susurkaev eats a combination from McConico early. Susurkaev answers
with an overhand right and a kick to the body. Susurkaev lands a
knee down the middle. A hard body kick form Susurkaev lands and he
follows with a leaping knee near the fence. Just when Susurkaev
seems to be gaining momentum, McConico stops him in his tracks with
a kick to the groin. The Russian crumbles to the canvas in pain as
a result of the foul. Susurkaev only takes a minute and he’s ready
to go. McConico with an inside leg kick, and Susurkaev responds
with a high kick. McConico leaps in and Susurkaev lands a counter
right. They clinch and Susurkaev with a hard knee to the body. They
trade punches and knees in close, and McConico defends a throw
nicely. Susurkaev shoves his foe into the fence and looks for a
single leg. McConico maintains his balance as Susurkaev pulls him
away form the fence. Susurkaev lets the leg go and pushes his man
back into the wire. McConico connects with a short elbow with his
back to the fence. Susurkaev sticks a couple right hands and a
front kick to the body. They tie up and McConico pushes the Russian
in to the cage. They separate and Susurkaev goes on the attack.
However, a nasty elbow from McConico prompts a smile from
Susurkaev. McConico is content to ride out the reset of the round
in the clinch. Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Susurkaev Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Susurkaev Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Susurkaev

Susurkaev opens with a two-punch combo. A high kick partially lands
for “Hunter.” Susurkaev probes with a front kick. Another right
gets through for Susurkaev, who is in pursuit of his opponent.
McConico lands a straight left. A punch lands low for Susurkaev and
time is called. McConico takes less than a minute to recover from
the shot. McConico has a head kick blocked. Susurkaev kicks the
body and the Russian appears to be getting loose, as he holds his
hands low and dodges a counter offering from McConico. Moments
later, Susurkaev catches McConico moving forward with a precision right
hand. McConico is done right there, and he stumbles and collapses
face first to the floor. No follow-up shots are
needed, as Susurkaev has his second UFC win in a three-month span.

Baisangur Susurkaev

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