The 'Diamond' is back to his winning ways!
Last night (August 31, 2013) at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, two top Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweights, Dustin Poirier and Erik Koch, went to war at UFC 164 to get one step closer to a shot at the UFC Featherweight title.
The bout had been debated for years as both Poirier and Koch are two of the best young fighters in the division with essentially the same set of skills. Poirier focuses a bit more on boxing while Koch adds kicks into his arsenal, a product of training with Duke Rufus.
The first round saw Poirier light Koch up on the feet, landing crisp punches that had the Milwaukee-based fighter rocked. But when it hit the mat, Koch was able to lock in a tight triangle that put Poirier on the defensive. 'Diamond' was able to survive and fight on, but it was a reminder that even when an opponent is hurt, there's always a way to lose.
Poirier continued to press the action in the second round, punishing Koch on the feet and ground.
But it was the third when Koch started to come to life and threatened to finish Poirier on the mat. But it was just too little too late. Poirier was able to survive and took home a Unanimous Decision victory. The judges scored scored the bout 29-28, 29-27, and 29-27.
Check out MMAMania.com's coverage for all the UFC 164 fights here!