Results
Road To UFC Results & Scorecards | Season 2 Finals
Official Results And Scorecards From Road To UFC Season 2 Finale, Live From Las Vegas
The journey to the Road to UFC Season 2 Finals has taken some detours, but the end of the road is now in sight, and this evening in Las Vegas, three of the four pairs of finalists made their way into the Octagon to battle for a chance to compete in the UFC going forward.
Three of last year’s four winners have gone on to register impressive victories in their promotional debuts, with JeongYeong Lee following up his featherweight tournament triumph in February with a unanimous decision win over Blake Bilder earlier in the evening at the UFC APEX.
Saturday night, three competitors punched their tickets to the UFC roster in impressive fashion, and we’ve got the details on how things played out and who will be joining the UFC ranks for you below.
Road To UFC Official Results
- Rongzhu defeats Shin Haraguchi by submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:06
- Yizha defeats Kaiwen by submission (armbar) at 3:03 of Round 1
- Rei Tsuruya defeats Jiniushiyue by TKO (strikes) at 4:59 of Round 1
Kevin Chang Discusses Road To UFC Season Finale
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Kevin Chang Discusses Road To UFC Season Finale
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Flyweight Final: Rei Tsuruya defeats Jiniushiyue by TKO (strikes) at 4:59 of Round 1
Rei Tsuruya showed a ton of promise in his first two bouts in the tournament, and it was more of the same in the finals, as the 21-year-old collected a stoppage win over Jiniushiyue in the final second of the opening round.
The first half of the fight saw the two youngsters looking to assert themselves, with Tsuruya working well from in the clinch and Jiniushiyue backing him off with a clean left hand. But a stumble gave Tsuruya the opportunity to get around the hips and drag Jiniushiyue to the canvas, and from there, the Japanese fighter dominated.
After threatening with a series of unconventional submission attempts, Tsuruya flattened Jiniushiyue out and pounded out the finish. Now 9-0 as a professional, the ascending prospect will join countryman Tatsuro Taira as promising Japanese flyweights on the UFC roster.
Rei Tsuruya Post-Fight Interview | Road To UFC Season 2 Finals
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Rei Tsuruya Post-Fight Interview | Road To UFC Season 2 Finals
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Great work from the youngest fighter in the field.
Featherweight Final: Yizha defeats Kaiwen by submission (armbar) at 3:03 of Round 1
After landing on the wrong side of a split decision verdict in last season’s finale, Yizha made sure to take it out of the judges’ hands, submitting his friend Kaiwen to claim a UFC contract.
The frequent training partners spent the opening moments of the fight trading at range, with Yizha flashing improved hands despite being known for his grappling acumen. They clinched along the cage midway through the fight, with Kaiwen initiating a takedown, and it proved to be costly, as Yizha instantly attacked an armbar from bottom, shifting belly-down to secure the finish.
Yizha Post-Fight Interview | Road To UFC Season 2 Finals
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Yizha Post-Fight Interview | Road To UFC Season 2 Finals
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The veteran made it to the finals last season, losing a competitive fight to JeongYeong Lee, but he bounced back impressively this season, registering the biggest victory of his career on Saturday night to punch his ticket to the UFC roster.
Lightweight Final: Rongzhu defeats Shin Haraguchi by submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:06
Rongzhu is headed back to the UFC.
A little shy of two years after his last appearance inside the Octagon, the now 23-year-old Chinese competitor waltzed into the APEX on Saturday night and out-worked Shin Haraguchi to win the Road to UFC lightweight tournament. The more the fight progressed, the more Rongzhu was able to stifle the takedown attempts of his Japanese opponent and land heavy shots in return.
The pressure, punishment and fatigue finally caught up to Haraguchi early in the third, and Rongzhu took full advantage, finishing him with a rear-naked choke in the center of the Octagon to reclaim his place on the UFC roster.
Rongzhu Post-Fight Interview | Road To UFC Season 2 Finals
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Rongzhu Post-Fight Interview | Road To UFC Season 2 Finals
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With the win, Rongzhu moves to 25-5 for his career; a staggering record for a 23-year-old fighter poised to begin his second stint on the biggest stage in the sport.
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