Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweights Shawn Jordan and Ruslan Magomedov came to blows last night (Oct. 3, 2015) at UFC 192 inside Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
After some tough losses, Jordan hit his stride and finished three straight fights. If he managed to take out Magomedov, Jordan was certainly deserving of a big step up in competition for his next fight.
Magomedov is a fairly unique fighter. A heavyweight prospect without a ton of knockout power under the age of 30? That sounds like a combination of oxymorons, but the Dagestani fighter was looking to prove himself nonetheless.
He did just that.
Jordan wasted little time trying to walk his opponent down, but he had a hard time landing punches on the very mobile Magomedov. However, he was able to secure the clinch, which eventually allowed him to secure a takedown after a brief struggle.
Magomedov did a nice job preventing himself from being put flat on his back, and he worked his way up without allowing his opponent to land any significant strikes. Back on their feet, the Dagestani landed some nice kicks and punches on his pressuring opponent, who seemed uncomfortable with his foe's range.
It was a close round, but Magomedov definitely landed the better shots.
Jordan started the round by attempting to brawl, and his first attempt got him countered by about eight punches. His next try was more successful, as he landed a big overhand and secured double underhooks in the clinch.
However, Jordan -- who complained of a broken rib between rounds -- was not able to hold his opponent against the fence.
After defending a couple more takedown attempts, Magomedov was able to really display his high volume style. Mixing together kicks, punches, and movement, Magomedov out-worked his opponent at range.
While the first round was definitely close, Magomedov was likely up by two rounds.
Jordan opened the round with an explosion, firing off some big punches and ducking into a shot. However, a combination of fatigue, injury, and his opponent's strong takedown defense prevented the finish, and a few elbows and kicks punished his attempt.
This was an excellent performance by Magomedov, and it really demonstrated why he's one of the better and most unique prospects in the heavyweight division. Rather than relying on power shots, Magomedov uses his very technical striking to chip away and punish his opponents.
This is an abnormal style for a heavyweight, and a couple of factors make it possible. First and foremost, Magomedov's conditioning is excellent. He fought three rounds against a strong opponent and worked from the clinch quite a bit, but he maintained a high output those 15 minutes.
In addition, Magomedov's defense wrestling is quite good. Even when Jordan did manage to drag him to the mat, Magomedov remained composed and methodically worked back to his feet, which is definitely a credit to his training at American Kickboxing Academy.
After this win, Magomedov deserves a step up in competition. Perhaps a bout with Stefan Struve would make sense for both kickboxers.
Jordan may have a basic skill set, but he's proven his athleticism in past performance. Last night, "Savage" proved his toughness, as he gutted through some hard shots to keep working towards the victory.
It didn't come, but that kind of heart will keep Jordan in the UFC for some time and win him plenty of fights.
At the same time, Jordan's ceiling is quite clear. He can beat the fighters outside of the top 15 -- often in spectacular fashion -- but he fails in his opportunities to step up. In all likelihood, he'll fight someone like Victor Pesta in his next bout.
Last night, Ruslan Magomedov cruised to a victory over Shawn Jordan. Who should the Dagestani kickboxer fight next?
For complete UFC 192 "Cormier vs Gustafsson" results and play-by-play, click HERE!