Norwegian prospect Emil Meek turned a knockout win over Rousimar Palhares earlier this year into an opportunity to compete in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), making his Octagon debut last night (Sat., Dec. 10, 2016) at UFC 206 live on pay-per-view (PPV) from inside Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, against a returning Jordan Mein. Meek, who was forced to shave his beard before the bout, cashed in on arrival.
It was a back-and-forth beginning to the fight that offered plenty of action. Meek was landing more on the feet, but Mein dictated the pace of the action with a strong top game and shifty transitions. After one scramble on the ground, Meek came out wincing and grabbing at his rib. "Valhalla" would regroup and pressure Mein with solid ground-and-pound before threatening with an arm triangle choke. It was much of the same to end the bout as Meek controlled the action with his wrestling and outpointed a tired Mein to earn the unanimous decision win.
The full video highlights can be seen above courtesy of UFC.
With this win, Meek ultimately makes a name for himself in one of the toughest divisions in UFC. While it may take him two or three more wins to wiggle his way into the welterweight top 15, the Norwegian viking has already displayed a fan-friendly skill set that can get him a long way in 2017.
For complete UFC 206 results and coverage click here.