By John Morgan
Josh Emmett (13-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) took a big challenge on short notice, stepping up to fight perennial contender Ricardo Lamas Ricardo Lamas (18-6 MMA, 9-4 UFC). The risk paid off.
The catchweight bout (Emmett missed the featherweight limit) was the co-main event of today’s UFC on FOX 26 event at Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It aired on FOX following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.
Emmett looked to pressure early, though Lamas countered with low kicks to keep his opponent at bay. Emmett certainly appeared the bigger man, though Lamas looked comfortable trading in the pocket, even as his opponent was finding range with his right hand. Lamas was relaxed on his feet, alternating angles with a variety of attacks, while Emmett answered with power in every shot. That paid off late in the round, when an Emmett counter left scored flush and left Lamas out cold on the canvas with 27 seconds left in the first round.
“I shocked the world – well, the world except my coaches, teammates, friends and family,” Emmett said after the win. “They know how hard I’ve worked to get to this point and none of them are surprised, but I certainly understand the magnitude of what just happened. That’s why I feel so bad about missing weight. All through wrestling in school, college and all my fights, I’ve never missed weight. It will never happen again and I apologize.
“The fight was fought at my pace. I was waiting to pick my shot. That is an exchange that I drill all the time, so it came natural but I had to find it first. I studied a lot of tape with my coaches and Urijah (Faber), and we tried to watch for patterns. My goal is to be the best in the world and I want to fight for the title. I know I may need another fight first but, I’m just saying, I have no problem with going to Hawaii if Max Holloway needs an opponent. Otherwise, I’ll fight anybody the UFC puts in front of me.”
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