Navajo Stirling stops Ion Cutelaba in UFC Vegas 119 co-main event
Octagon veteran Ion Cutelaba faced undefeated Navajo Stirling in Saturday's UFC Vegas 119 co-main event at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas.
Cutelaba made the walk to the octagon coming off a submission win over Oumar Sy in his last outing in March. He had won four of his last five fights and looked to build on the momentum. Stirling entered the fight having never tasted defeat in his nine-fight career.
Cutelaba moved forward and missed with a huge right hand. They clinched and worked for position along the cage. Cutelaba applied a guillotine choke. He pulled Stirling to the ground and mounted him. Stirling escaped and worked his way back to his feet but they remained in the clinch. Cutelaba tripped Stirling back to the ground but he quickly got to his feet and separated. Stirling connected with his right hand. Cutelaba pressed forward with punches but came up short. Midway through the round they were in the clinch along the cage. They changed positions a few times before Cutelaba tripped Stirling to the canvas. Stirling got to his feet but ate a short elbow. Stirling went to the body with a hard right hand. Cutelaba answered with a left hook. The round ended with the fighters in the clinch. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Cutelaba.
Cutelaba came out in the second using leg kicks. Cutelaba pressured Stirling. He connected with a right hand but Stirling responded with an elbow. Stirling stepped in the pocket with a left hook. He looked to get the fight to the ground. He secured a takedown but Cutelaba quickly got to this feet and applied a kimura. Stirling got his arm free but Cutelaba connected with punches as Stirling worked to stand. Cutelaba drug Stirling to the ground but Stirling immediate stood and separated. He connected with a right hand. Cutelaba changed levels and put Stirling on his back. Stirling gained top position and stood over Cutelaba and unloaded punches. Cutelaba was against the fence and not defending himself. The referee stepped in to stop it.
The official time of the TKO stoppage was on the 3:23 of the second round. With the win, Stirling remained undefeated and wants to return this fall.
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