LAS VEGAS, NV – APRIL 27: Brazil’s Jonata Diniz punches Austin Lane in a heavyweight bout at the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on April 27, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada ( RL). (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Contender Series alum Austin Lane, perhaps best known as Greg Hardy’s opponent at DWCS, returned for his third visit to the Octagon on Saturday, defeating debutant Jonata Lane at UFC Vegas 91. I played against Dinis.
Lane competed in the Contender Series twice, four years apart, before earning a UFC contract. His first two matches were both against Justin Tafa, but the original matchup was stopped early due to an eye attack (Lane was knocked out in the rematch).
As for Diniz, the kickboxing champion started the night undefeated at 6-0 in MMA.
Lane had a significant size advantage in this match, visually dwarfing the kickboxer. About a minute in, Lane moved out of guard, trying to create space for some ground and pound. Dinis lay on his back and seemed lost, just wrecked in the center of the cage and clinging to the lane, unable to shrimp or scramble to the fence.
Meanwhile, Austin Lane passed into half guard. Although he had control of his wrists, Diniz was only able to get back to the fence just a little bit in that sequence. A stronger wrestler or BJJ artist might have ended the match at that point, but Lane instead pushed Dinis to the top. Lane moved to mount in the final seconds and was open with ground and pound, but was unable to let go of Diniz, allowing the bout to go to the second round.
Lane used his jab early in the second round and drove Diniz to the fence, where Diniz finally got a little open. Lane got a takedown but ended up sitting in guard, and Diniz showed no interest in fighting on the ground, cutting at Lane’s legs until the former football player got back to his feet. Lane slowed down significantly and Dinis found an opening for an uppercut. The left followed, then the right. The final left hook knocked Lane down! After getting dominated on the mat in round 1, Jonata Dinis made a comeback in round 2!
Official Results: Jonata Diniz def. Austin Lane Knockout, Round 2, 2:12
