UFC London 2022 LIVE results: Paddy Pimblett and Tom Aspinall secure statement wins
Re-live round-by-round updates from a monumental night for UK MMA
There must have been something in the air at the O2 Arena on Saturday night, where UFC London marked perhaps the most significant night in the history of UK mixed martial arts. Of the 12 bouts scheduled for the first edition of the event since 2019, 10 featured British fighters. Seven of those combatants were victorious in the English capital, with six winning via stoppage. Five of those finishes came in the first round, while the other was an early contender for knockout of the year.
In the main event on Saturday, Wigan heavyweight Tom Aspinall made a mockery of Alexander Volkov’s vast advantages in experience and height, submitting the Russian with a straight arm lock in the first round after exhibiting sharp skills in striking exchanges, too. Aspinall’s victory followed a co-main event that many had predicted would be fight of the night, and indeed the featherweight clash between Arnold Allen and Dan Hooker delivered in the brief period that it lasted. After a chaotic opening few phases, Ipswich fighter Allen announced himself to the world by securing a TKO victory over fan favourite Dan Hooker in the first round, forcing the referee to step in by melting the New Zealander with a fierce flurry of punches against the fence.
Allen’s win followed the people’s main event, which saw rising star Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett bewitch those present at the O2 Arena. After the 27-year-old’s captivating walkout, the atmosphere felt like that of a title fight. The Liverpudlian lightweight was knocked down by Rodrigo Vargas almost immediately, but he rallied to take down the Mexican and submit him with a rear naked choke later in the first round. Earlier in the night, Pimblett’s friend Molly McCann produced a knockout of the year contender with a spinning back elbow finish of Luana Carolina.
Re-live updates from the UFC London prelims and main card, below.
UFC London 2022 LIVE
Full report from tonight’s event:
Paddy Pimblett and Tom Aspinall star at UFC London on huge night for British MMA
Arnold Allen stormed past Dan Hooker and Molly McCann produced a knockout of the year contender
UFC London 2022 LIVE
White dismisses rumours that the UFC has already booked further UK events for later this year.
“That’s not true. To be honest with you... I’m not gonna be that honest with you actually.
“We absolutely, positively did not book any other events.”
He says, however, that they will move some things around in an effort to get back to the UK before the end of 2022.
UFC London 2022 LIVE
White: “They’d already done the bonuses, they were walking me through it, and I just said: ‘F*** it.’ They all deserve it. [The bonuses] are all $50,000.
“I do this every weekend, and I had the best time ever tonight.”
UFC London 2022 LIVE
White says Aspinall “made it look easy” against Volkov.
UFC London 2022 LIVE
UFC president Dana White says this was the “biggest gate ever in O2 history”, and the “biggest ever in Fight Night history”.
Every fighter who got a stoppage win received a bonus.
UFC London 2022 LIVE
Tom Aspinall def. Alexander Volkov via first-round submission (straight arm lock, 3:45)
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