It didn’t take long for Derek Brunson’s powerful hands to put away Daniel Kelly in the UFC Auckland co-headliner.
In the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Hunt, Derek Brunson absolutely crushedDaniel Kelly in under two minutes to get himself back in the win column. The middleweight contender had been on a two-fight losing skid heading into this one, but he emphatically stopped “Judo” Dan at Spark Arena in Auckland, New Zealand.
Brunson started the fight with a kick on Kelly’s lead leg, with had a big brace around the knee. There really wasn’t much action in the opening minute to note. Just as Fox Sports 1 commentator John Gooden said that Brunson had a more “patient approach” to his fight strategy, he uncorked a humongous left hand that crumpled Kelly. Hammerfists to the side of the head forced referee John Sharp to intervene and call the fight off.
Official result: Derek Brunson def. Daniel Kelly by KO (punches) at 1:16 of round 1
That was a violent finish. Brunson’s last five victories have all been by KO or TKO. As for Kelly, the 39-year-old’s winning streak ends at four. This is the second loss of his MMA career, with both coming by knockout to southpaws.
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