After more than three years away from the cage, Tyson Pedro successfully returned earlier today, stopping Ike Villanueva inside the first round.
Despite the break, which was caused due to complications with an ACL injury, Pedro came into this contest as the biggest favourite on the card. It was time for Pedro to dust off the cobwebs.
An inadvertent knee to the groin from Pedro which came after a solid left, just pended the inevitable, as Pedro on the restart found success with heavy leg kicks. With Villanueva hobbling, Pedro dropped him against the cage and followed up with heavy punches to get the stoppage.
The time came officially at 4:55 of the first round as Pedro moves to 8-3. All eight wins have occurred inside the first round.
Post-fight Pedro expressed how emotionally taxing the last few years have been.
“It’s surreal at the moment man. I just need a second to take it all in, as there’s a lot going on” Pedro told Daniel Cormier in his post-fight interview.
“I can’t even put into words how hard it’s been. Four long years.
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“This is the proudest I can say I’ve been of myself in a long time.”
“If you’ve seen some of my last fights, they were rushed. It was bit amateurish. One thing that’s happened is my mentality has gotten way better. I’m way more patient.”
The event took place at the UFC Apex Centre in Las Vegas and was headlined by a women’s strawweight bout with Jéssica Andrade submitting Amanda Lemos in the first round.
Full Results:
- Jéssica Andrade def. Amanda Lemos via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke), Rd 1, 3:13
- Claudio Puelles def. Clay Guida via Submission (Kneebar), Rd 1, 3:01
- Maycee Barber def. Montana De La Rosa via Decision (Unanimous)
- Charles Jourdain def. Lando Vannata via Submission (Guillotine Choke), Rd 1, 2:32
- Marc-André Barriault def. Jordan Wright via Submission (Mounted Guillotine Choke), Rd 1, 2:36
- Sergey Khandozhko def. Dwight Grant via TKO (Strikes), Rd 2, 4:15
- Tyson Pedro def. Ike Villanueva via KTO (Strikes), Rd 1, 4:55
- Aoriqileng def. Cameron Else via TKO (Strikes), Rd 1, 2:48
- Preston Parsons def. Evan Elder via Decision (Unanimous)
- Philipe Lins def. Marcin Prachnio via Decision (Unanimous)
- Mike Jackson def. Dean Barry via Disqualification (Eye Gouge), Rd 1, 3:52
