"Round one opened with a sharp jab from Belgaroui, immediately setting the tone. Bekoev stayed right on it, pressuring early and forcing exchanges. Belgaroui mixed the jab with heavy kicks to the lead leg, doing well to manage distance, but Bekoev knew he couldn't give him space. He pushed forward aggressively, ate a few clean shots, and managed to tie Belgaroui up against the fence. Bekoev isolated a leg and scored a takedown, but Belgaroui quickly scrambled back to his feet."
"Bekoev began bleeding from the elbows Belgaroui landed to the side of his head, and as Bekoev shot in again, Belgaroui timed a clean knee up the middle. Even so, Bekoev managed to press him back to the cage, though Belgaroui circled out soon after. At range, Belgaroui picked Bekoev apart with his jab, long punches, and knees. Bekoev did secure a late takedown, but he absorbed a lot of damage throughout the round while landing little of his own."
Yousri Belgaroui made a promotional debut at UFC Vancouver against middleweight Azamat Bekoev. Belgaroui opened with a sharp jab and mixed heavy lead-leg kicks to manage distance while Bekoev pressured, forced exchanges, and secured a takedown before Belgaroui scrambled back to his feet. Belgaroui landed elbows that caused Bekoev to bleed and timed a clean knee as Bekoev shot again, then used his jab, long punches, and knees to pick Bekoev apart at range. In round two Bekoev adopted more composure, targeting legs and using the jab, but his wild overhands left openings for Belgaroui's counters. Belgaroui used leverage to defend single-leg shots and punished Bekoev with vicious elbows, and both men landed hard shots as fatigue set in.
Read at Cageside Press
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