Randy Brown and Brian Battle at UFC 310 ceremonial weigh-in Credit: Gabriel Gonzalez/Cageside Press
On Saturday, welterweights Randy Brown and Brian Battle began the televised prelims for UFC 310.
At least it should have been a welterweight fight. However, because TUF winner Battle was four pounds underweight, Brown indicated that the promotion (and the competition committee) would get serious and start imposing 50% fines.
In the first round, Brown started a heated pushback battle with a lightning jab. Battle attempted a takedown around the 3 minute mark but was unsuccessful. The fight moved forward, but Brown seemed to have a significant speed advantage. Battle tried to clinch against the cage, but Brown cleverly reversed him with a trip. After the first five minutes, Brown, who was losing the bet, had the upper hand in the contest.
Brown started the second round with a leg kick from the outside, but Battle turned the tide with a big blow in the clinch mid-frame. Battle then drove Brown into the fence and landed a knee to the body in the clinch. After the second round, the game could have been scored one point at a time.
In the third round, Brown began firing hard hooks to Battle’s body and head. Battle pushed the fight back to the clinch, but was reversed again and briefly taken down by Brown. With two minutes left, the two men exchanged in the middle and Brown surprised Battle with a solid right hand. The match then went into a clinch, with both fighters taking turns pushing each other against the fence.
After 15 minutes of heated competition, the match was left to the judges’ scorecards. Mike Bell scored Brown, and the other two judges on Cage decided that Brian Battle had done enough to earn a decision win. Fans in attendance did not agree with this decision and began booing Brian Battle during his post-match interview with Joe Rogan. This led Battle to wonder who the “sick, twisted perverts” in Las Vegas were really booing. But Battle apologized for not taking the weigh-in, saying it was due to his quick response.
“Who are you booing?”
Brian Battle’s subsequent message #UFC310 I will win 😅 pic.twitter.com/J3uL6IWRnG
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 8, 2024
Battle has extended his win streak to five straight and will likely move up to the UFC 170-pound division next week.
Official result: Brian Battle def. Randy Brown split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
