Both fighters were solid on paper entering Saturday night, but there wasn’t a ton of tape to really look back at. It left fight fans a little in the dark, which added a bit of mystery to Nakamura’s clash with Szalay. The scene was set for one featherweight to stand out and walk away with Road To UFC honors.
It looked like it was going to be Szalay in the early going. The karate-style striker commanded the center of the Octagon and dictated the pace of the fight. Szalay threw a ton more punches than Nakamura over the first 10 minutes of action and it put Nakamura’s back against the wall entering the third and final frame. Either he’d be wiped out or he’d find a way to pull victory from Szalay’s grip.
Luckily for Nakamura, the MMA gods felt like seeing a comeback win. With about 80 seconds left in the round Nakamura unloaded a perfectly-timed left knee inside that connected flush and sent Szalay crashing to the canvas. Nakamura moved in for more offense as the referee dove in to stop the fight. It was an incredible way for Nakamura to win the featherweight finale and walk away with a guaranteed $25,000 post-fight bonus.
Check out the video highlights below:
