Joel Alvarez and Elf Brenner at the UFC Abu Dhabi weigh-in. Photo credit: Youtube/UFC
Lightweights Joel Alvarez and Elf Brenner kicked off the UFC Abu Dhabi card at the Etihad Area on Saturday, broadcast live on broadcast network ABC.
Alvarez came into the bout coming off a win over Mark Diakies, while Brenner was looking to bounce back after a loss to Miktibek Olorubayi.
Alvarez was sharp from the beginning, controlling the pace of the fight and picking his strikes well as Brenner tried to launch an offensive attack. The Spaniard kept his cool, displaying some excellent takedown defense while landing a variety of strikes.
Joel Alvarez, who has 17 wins by submission, secured a deep D’Arce choke near the end of the round, but Brenner showed true grit and held on for nearly 30 seconds before the bell rang.
After 10 minutes of the lightweight bout, Alvarez looked to be in the lead, but wasn’t content with a decision victory, as he landed a series of ferocious combinations, followed by a series of knees that took Brenner down and effectively ended the bout.
Following his TKO win, Alvarez called out King Greene and declared he would challenge him to another lightweight bout in Abu Dhabi in October.
“No takedowns, no submissions, just boxing,” Alvarez exclaimed in his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier about a potential matchup with Green.
Brenner started his UFC career well (3-0) before suffering two straight losses, and while the Brazilian lightweight boxer continues to show passion and determination with every fight, he will need to fix a few areas if he is to achieve another victory.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Joel Alvarez defeats Elf Brenner by TKO, Round 3, 3:36
