Ben Nguyen was supposed to fight Joseph Benavidez at UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Hunt in Auckland, New Zealand, but Benavidez withdrew due to injury and was replaced by Tim Elliott, who is only a few months removed from a spirited performance against champion Demetrious Johnson. While Benavidez is higher ranked than Elliott, Nguyen still had a big opportunity to get a win over a top-10 ranked opponent, and did he ever make a statement.
Nguyen needed less than a minute to submit Elliott. After an early head kick stunned Elliott, Nguyen turned Tim’s head-and-arm throw into full backmount and an eventual rear-naked choke finish. It’s a massive victory for Nguyen and a devastating one for Elliott, who really was dominated for the whole of the 49 seconds the fight lasted.
You can see in the finish by watching the video at the top of the page. (Note: Video is subject to geoblocking outside the United States)
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