CHARLOTTE, N.C. – While it could’ve been first-time octagon jitters or the noticeable adrenaline dump in the second round, Takanori Gomi likely faltered in his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut due to a much more obvious reason: Kenny Florian’s remarkable standup game.
Florian edged the former PRIDE champion and solidified his standing as the UFC’s top lightweight not named B.J. Penn with a third-round submission victory on Wednesday.
The fight capped off UFC Fight Night 21, which aired live on Spike TV from Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, N.C., as a lead-in for the debut episode of “The Ultimate Fighter 11.”