Marc-Andre Barrio and Dustin Stoltzfus, UFC Edmonton ceremonial weigh-in credit: Jay Anderson/Cageside Press
Saturday’s main card at UFC Edmonton featured middleweights Marc-Andre Barrio and Dustin Stoltzfus.
Canada’s “Power Bar” Barrio was looking to erase losses to Chris Curtis and Joe Pifer, while Stoltzfus had lost his previous fight to Brunno Ferreira. An important battle of confidence for both men who have been on the wrong track lately with highlight reel stops.
Dustin landed a sweeping leg kick seconds into the round, spinning his opponent around and landing him on his butt. Seizing the moment, Stoltzfus jumped at his opponent’s neck as he desperately tried to escape, but Dustin caught his ankle. To the displeasure of the crowd, Stoltzfus gradually flattened Barrio to the canvas and moved into a modified riding position. At the midway point of the round, Barrio was able to get close to the waist and desperately slide towards the cage. Dustin used a modified Dulce choke to control his opponent and crush him as he tried to get back up. With Marc-Andre’s back turned, Dustin Putto began landing forearms, elbows, and short punches on his opponent. Dustin briefly went to full mount, but Vario kicked him off the cage and exploded off the canvas. Both players began swinging hard trying to catch the other in the transition phase. After a while, Barrio could no longer handle Dustin’s hand speed and started to clinch. Stoltzfus received a punch from Barrio and landed a short right hand. The blow instantly weakened Barrio and he fell to the canvas. Dustin followed his opponent to the ground, dribbling his head off the ground several times and raining extracurricular attacks before the referee stopped the exchange of blows.
“There’s nothing like a brawl in the corner of a barn,” Stoltzfus calmly reflected into the microphone during his postgame interview. Stoltzfus said with confidence that he believed in the power in his hands and knew that this could be the outcome of the fight. Dustin also apologized to the crowd for knocking out a local fighter.
Official Results: Dustin Stoltzfus def. Marc-Andre Barrio KO, Round 1, 4:28
