Tom Aspinall Blitzes Marcin Tybura, Makes Successful Return at UFC Fight Night 224

Tom Aspinall didn’t miss a beat.

Almost a year to the day since he suffered a knee injury in a loss to Curtis Blaydes, Aspinall returned to form with a first-round technical knockout victory against Marcin Tybura in the UFC Fight Night 224 headliner at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday. The heavyweight bout was called off just 73 seconds after it began.

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“This is a whole new version of me. I’m not going to say that I’m back… I’m just different now than what I was last year,” Aspinall said. “My mind’s different. My body’s different. I’m going all the way.”

Aspinall didn’t give Tybura (24-8, 11-7 UFC) a chance to get going. The Englishman rattled his foe with a head kick at the outset of the fight, and then showcased his speed and mobility by making the Pole swing at air. Shortly thereafter, Aspinall (13-3, 6-1 UFC) stopped Tybura in his tracks with a step-in elbow before dropping him with a right hand. From there, the Team Kaobon standout unleashed approximately seven follow-up strikes on the ground before referee Marc Goddard waved off the fight.

Stoliarenko Armbars McCann

Julija Stoliarenko disappointed the English contingent on hand, as she submitted crowd favorite Molly McCann with an armbar in the flyweight co-main event. The 30-year-old Lithuanian used her signature maneuver to elicit a tapout at the 1:55 mark of Round 1. Ten of Stoliarenko’s 11 career triumphs have come via armbar.

The bout began at boxing range, but it became clear that McCann (13-6, 6-5 UFC) was struggling to connect cleanly against a taller, longer opponent. Stoliarenko (11-7-2, 2-5 UFC) shifted gears for a takedown, going straight to McCann’s back in the process. She then transitioned to an armbar, and it was only a matter of moments before Stoliarenko adjusted the hold and forced her adversary to call it quits.

Wood Wins Third Straight

Great Britain Top Team member Nathaniel Wood garnered a hard-fought unanimous verdict against Andre Fili in an entertaining featherweight tilt. All three judges saw the fight 29-28 in favor of “The Prospect,” who has been victorious in his last three promotional outings.

The bout’s first 10 minutes were filled with action. Fili sat his foe down with a straight left at the outset of the bout, but Wood recovered to rock the Team Alpha Male product with a powerful right hand. Wood then followed his man to the mat and teed off with punches and elbows — but a finish didn’t arrive.

Fili had his chance in the second stanza, when he buckled Wood during an exchange and followed up with a series of clinch knees that sent the Brit to the floor. Fili then moved to take the back, but he couldn’t find an opening for a submission. Round 3 was closely contested, with neither man willing to get reckless. Ultimately, Wood had the edge in volume and power, which gave him the nod on the scorecards.

Craig Elbows Stop Muniz

Longtime 205-pound competitor Paul Craig was successful in his first middleweight foray, as he defeated Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Andre Muniz by technical knockout. A barrage of elbows from mount ended the 185-pound contest 4:40 into Round 2. Muniz has been finished in back-to-back Octagon appearances.

It was a measured beginning, with both men relying on rear kicks as their primary means of offense. However, Muniz (23-6, 5-2 UFC) gained the edge with better punching combinations and a takedown near the end of the period. That success proved to be short-lived. Craig (17-6-1, 9-6-1 UFC) set the stage for the finish when he executed his second takedown of the second round. “Bearjew” then deftly scrambled out of a neck crank before threatening with a brabo choke. After releasing the hold, the Scot transitioned to mount and unleashed a series of unanswered elbows until referee Daniel Movahedi stepped in on Muniz’s behalf.

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Ziam Holds Off Herbert

Kill Cliff FC export Fares Ziam edged ex-Cage Warriors title holder Jai Herbert via unanimous decision in a relatively uneventful lightweight bout. All three judges submitted scorecards for the 26-year-old Frenchman: 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27. Ziam has been victorious in four of his last five Octagon appearances.

While both Ziam and Herbert entered the contest known for their striking abilities, both combatants elected to wrestle for much of the fight. That resulted in numerous clinch stalemates, with neither man able to impose his will. Ultimately, Ziam (14-4, 4-2 UFC) was able to distinguish himself by occasionally clipping Herbert (12-5-1, 2-4-1 UFC) with counters and thudding low kicks at range.

Murphy Wears Down Culibao

Manchester Top Team member Lerone Murphy pulled away for a unanimous decision win over ex-Diamondback Fighting Championship title holder Joshua Culibao in a featherweight matchup. Murphy received tallies of 30-26, 30-26 and 30-27 to earn his fifth consecutive victory within the Las Vegas-based promotion.

After a competitive start, Murphy (13-0-1, 5-0-1 UFC) gradually imposed his will down the stretch. He took Culibao’s back in the later stages of Round 2, and continued that momentum in the final frame, when he folded his adversary with a glancing kick to the liver. Murphy was dominant on the canvas from there, as he threatened with chokes and landed ground-and-pound until the horn. Culibao (11-2-1, 3-2-1 UFC) sees a three-fight winning streak snapped in defeat.

Marcos Edges Grant

Daniel Marcos remained undefeated, taking a somewhat contentious split decision against Engllish veteran Davey Grant. Two judges saw the bantamweight contest 29-28 in favor of Marcos (15-0, 2-0 UFC), while a third had it 29-28 for Grant (15-7, 6-6 UFC).

Marcos was effective behind a steady diet of low kicks throughout the contest, and he likely made an impact in the judges’ eyes by busting Grant’s nose open early on. Grant was undeterred, as he attacked with punches to the head, knees down the middle and a variety of kicks. Despite having an apparent edge in striking volume and variety, it was Marcos who got the nod.



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