Taiyilake Nueraji exited UFC Shanghai with a significant triumph on Saturday, although the win carried a shade of controversy.
Nueraji quickly brought Crosbie down to the mat in the initial round. He kept up his dominance, delivering a series of strikes and elbows to Crosbie. Shortly after the midway point of the round, Nueraji rose, aiming to unleash further attacks. As Crosbie tried to stand, Nueraji executed a knee strike that hit Crosbie, who was still deemed a grounded opponent.
Referee Marc Goddard quickly halted the bout and permitted Crosbie time to recover as he had sustained a cut just beneath his left eye. Ultimately, Crosbie decided to proceed with the match, resulting in a deduction of two points from Nueraji before the fight resumed.
Nevertheless, the point deduction had little impact ultimately as Nueraji promptly brought Crosbie back down to the mat and concluded the bout with a barrage of ground strikes.
Official Result: Taiyilake Nueraji defeated Kiefer Crosbie via TKO (strikes) at 3:33 of Round 1.
Check Out Highlights From Taiyilake Nueraji vs. Kiefer Crosbie at UFC Shanghai:
