LAS VEGAS, NV – NOVEMBER 9: (RL) Damon Blackshear punches Cody Stamann in a bantamweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on November 9, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
On Saturday, as part of the preliminary card for UFC Vegas 100, two bantamweights with their backs to the wall faced off against Cody Stamann and Damon Blackshear.
Both fighters were on a two-fight skid, with Stamann appearing in the final fight of his UFC contract.
The key question in this matchup was how Blackshear would utilize the advantages of his 4-inch height and 7.5-inch reach. Emerging as a moderate -260 betting favorite, he was expected to make the most of them.
The first round started with both fighters spending the first two minutes feeling out the fight. Blackshear tried to take advantage of his length with kicks, and Stamann tried to use forward blitzes to close the distance. Both fighters were attempting to apply forward pressure, but used different weapons to counter that pressure. Staman focused on a counter left hook, but Blackshear punished Staman’s electric shock with a knee.
When Blackshear successfully drove Stamann into the fence, he used a flying knee followed by a hand to ground Stamann. Staman was shaken up and went for a takedown, but during the scramble Blackshear found a mounted guillotine. Staman successfully survived the guillotine attempt, but Blackshear was not content to maintain the mount and instead grappled towards Staman’s back. He ended up with a rear naked choke, forcing a tap near the end of the round.
This spectacular first round finish is just what the doctor ordered for Damon Blackshear, who would be fighting for his job tonight. That’s almost certainly the case with Stamann, who is 0-3 with losses to Blackshear, Douglas Silva de Andrade and Taylor Lapilas, and his tenure may be coming to an end. do not have.
Official result: Damon Blackshear def. Cody Stamann submission (rear naked choke), round 1, 4:19
