UFC Argentina results: Ricardo Lamas earns third-round finish of Darren Elkins

Ricardo Lamas is 36 years old and has been a part of the featherweight division going all the way back the WEC days. And after nearly a decade in the company, he’s still a factor at 145 pounds.

Lest you had any doubt, “The Bully” reminded everyone on Saturday night, when he earned a stoppage victory over one of the sport’s toughest customers in Darren Elkins. The time of the TKO in UFC Argentina’s co-main event was 4:09 of the third round.

“I know him from back in the day we’ve trained together,” Lamas (19-7) said. “He’s an animal and a monster. My game plan was to be aggressively patient because I know he can always come back.”

Elkins had his best round in the first, which was a close affair, but a pair of late takedowns likely tiled the round in his favor.

But Lamas ended up turning the fight in his favor in the second. His efficient striking opened a gash around Elkins’ right eye, and nasty leg kicks started to take a toll, at one point causing Elkins to visibly wince and start limping.

Elkins is known for his ability to come back from big deficits, so Lamas wasn’t about to let up. He poured it on in the final round, landing huge ground elbows and finally a series of punches that caused referee Keith Petereson to wave things off.

It was Lamas’ seventh stoppage win in the UFC, putting him second in UFC featherweight history behind champion Max Holloway’s nine. He snapped a two-fight losing streak. Elkins (24-7) has now dropped two in a row after his fourth career stoppage loss.