Alex Morono survives flying knee, busts Matthew Semelsberger up at UFC 277
The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to us tonight, July 30, 2022, for UFC 277, going down live from the American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas.
Headlining the event is a bantamweight championship rematch between current champion Julianna Pena (11-4) and former champion, no. 1 ranked Amanda Nunes (21-5).
Co-headlining the event is also a championship rematch, this one going down in the flyweight division between former champion, no. 1 ranked Brandon Moreno (19-6-2), who faces no. 2 ranked Kai Kara-France (24-9) for the interim title in the co-main event of the evening.
Our preliminary main event came in the welterweight division between dangerous strikers Alex Morono (21-7) and Matthew Semelsberger (10-3).
Morono comes into the bout on a three-fight win streak, having gone 7-2 in his last nine, while Semelsberger has won his last two-straight, picking up a 15-second KO, as well as a 16-second KO victory last year in 2021.
Continue reading to see how this 170 lb prelim main event went down:
Official Result: Alex Morono def. Matthew Semelsberger via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Morono tags Semelsberger with a check left hook and stuns him, but he doesn’t get reckless in search of the finish. Semelsberger lands some nice leg kicks throughout the first round, though Morono checks a lot of them as well while winning the boxing exchanges.
Semelsberger controls the center of the octagon by walking Morono down in the second, much like he did in the first, but continues to get tagged up. His left eye is nearly shut completely, things aren’t looking great for him going into the third.
It’s a wonder how the doctor is letting this fight continue.
Semelsberger comes out swinging in the third, and violently. After landing a couple hard shots, he drops Monono with a flying knee and it looks like the tide might turn. However, Morono is able to work his way up and continue busting Semelsberger’s eye up.
One thing is for sure, these are two of the toughest talents in the sport. Those punches Semelsberger ate that he couldn’t see coming, and that flying knee Morono ate from an incredibly powerful athlete, just wow.
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