UFC 309: Two Fights Silently Stole the Show
Underrated Prelims Opened UFC 309 in Style
The prelims of UFC 309 started relatively quietly, but the final two fights delivered excitement and violence that is usually reserved for main card fights.
The first of these two fights was the welterweight bout between Orion Cosce and Mike Mathetha. Cosce was the clear favorite, but Mathetha put on a phenomenal performance. Mathetha put Cosce down in the first round and bloodied his face, but Cosce's wrestling was just too stifling. In the second round, he took Mathetha down again, and this time he transitioned to a rear-naked choke that forced the tap.
A Bantamweight slugfest
The second standout prelim was the bantamweight fight between Tony Gravely and Johnny Munoz Jr. Both fighters came to fight, but it was Gravely who landed the more telling blow. In the second round, he dropped Munoz with a hard left hook and followed up with a flurry of ground and pound that forced the referee to step in.
Both of these fights were excellent examples of the depth of talent in the UFC. Cosce and Mathetha put on a high-level grappling match, while Gravely and Munoz delivered an old-fashioned slugfest. These fights may not have been on the main card, but they were just as exciting and memorable.
Other Notable Fights
- In the main event, Aljamain Sterling retained his bantamweight title with a dominant win over TJ Dillashaw. Sterling used his wrestling to control Dillashaw for most of the fight, and he eventually finished him with a rear-naked choke in the second round.
- In the co-main event, Sean O'Malley defeated Raulian Paiva in a featherweight bout. O'Malley used his superior striking to overwhelm Paiva, and he eventually knocked him out in the first round.
- In other fights on the card, Jailton Almeida submitted Shamil Abdurakhimov in the first round, and Erin Blanchfield defeated Molly McCann in the second round.
