Bruno Pucci Bounces Back With Quick TKO Victory

IMG_8217

Highlights: Bruno Pucci vs Jimmy Yabo

Left, right, left, right, left, right, DOWN! 😲TV: Check local listings for global broadcast | PPV: Official livestream at oneppv.com

Posted by ONE Championship on Friday, June 30, 2017

It was a clear cut striker versus grappler matchup on paper, as Filipino knockout artist Jimmy “The Silencer” Yabo met two-time BJJ No-Gi world champion Bruno Pucci in a featherweight contest at ONE: LIGHT OF A NATION, which took place on Friday, 30 June, at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar.

There was quite a buzz surrounding the contest, but it was the man known as “Puccibull” who had his way. He wasted no time in securing a ground and pound finish in less than half a round.

The pair opened up tentatively — Yabo, unsure whether to engage with full commitment due to the threat of the takedown; and Pucci, not wanting to fall victim to his opponent’s knockout power.

When the moment was right, the BJJ expert looked for the takedown, and although his initial shot was not enough to take things to the mat, he continued to press forward and ultimately secured it on the fence. As soon as “The Silencer” was on his back, it was one-way traffic. He was in Pucci’s world. 

IMG_8183.jpg

Although the Brazilian’s submission game is rightfully feared, he went to work with his heavy strikes, and that opened up opportunities to pass to side control, and eventually, the mount. The intensity of the attack become more and more ferocious as Pucci, a warrior out of the famed Evolve MMA, sensed the finish. 

Referee Yuji Shimada had seen enough, and jumped in to halt proceedings at 2:12 of the opening frame, saving Yabo from any further punishment.

Pucci moves to 5-2 now, and recovers from an eight-second knockout to Nuerdebieke Bahetihan back in September. This was the Brazilian’s first TKO victory, and all five of his wins have been inside the distance. If he can keep bringing this grappling pedigree to bear inside the cage, he could be a threat to any competitor in the featherweight division. 

Yabo moves to an even 5-5 (1 No Contest), and will need to correct his mistakes in order to remain competitive in such a stacked weight class.

More in News

Japanese kickboxing superstar Kana
Yodlekpet Or Atchariya Puengluang Baanramba ONE Friday Fights 85 15
Yodlekpet ONE Friday Fights 85
Submission grappling stars Cole Abate and Dante Leon
Oumar Kane Marcus Almeida ONE Fight Night 13 104
Reinier de Ridder Anatoly Malykhin ONE 166 39
Mayssa Bastos Danielle Kelly ONE Fight Night 24 39
Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong Masaaki Noiri ONE 167 85
Danny Kingad Yuya Wakamatsu ONE 165 8
ONE Championship MMA fighters Christian Lee and Alibeg Rasulov
Rodtang Jitmuangnon Denis Puric ONE 167 101
Yodlekpet Or Atchariya Komawut FA Group ONE Friday Fights 68 46