Maiquel "Big Rig" Falcao had a successful, if somewhat plodding, UFC debut against Gerald Harris.
The opening round started with both fighters doing a lot of circling and very little throwing of hands. Neither fighter wanted to get the action started. Harris jumped in with jabs but couldn't quite find the range.
Once Falcao decided to let loose with his hands, the party really got started.
He dropped Harris with his first meaningful combination of the fight and followed him down en route to unleashing some vicious ground-n-pound. They scrambled a bit on the mat with Falcao taking his back and locking in a choke. Harris showed heart and grit in surviving to the end of the round.
Falcao may have held the choke a bit long but Harris had survived for another two rounds of destruction.
As soon as the second round started Falcao landed a big straight right and it was back down to the floor they went. He quickly took his back once again and worked for another rear naked choke. He never could fully sink it in and Harris escaped back to his feet.
Falcao landed a big head kick later in the round and it was clear Harris was tired. He shot in for a lazy takedown but couldn't complete it. Falcao worked a great sprawl the entire 15 minutes.
The third round was forgettable to say the least. "Big Rig" had to know he was way ahead on the scorecards and he decided not to risk it by coasting to the end of the fight. Harris never let loose with anything in the final frame and when the scores came in they read 29-27, 29-28 and 29-28 in favor of the debuting Falcao.
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