*This content was translated by AI.
Yoo Soo-young (31)'s attempt to win three consecutive UFC games has been blocked by Korean fighter Elijah Smith (23, USA). He gained momentum by gaining an overwhelming grappling advantage in the first round, but he swallowed his regret by losing the submission after allowing him to hit in the second round.
Yoo Soo-young recorded a submission loss to Smith by a rear-naked choke at 1:04 of the second round in the undercard bantamweight game of "UFC Fight Night: Emmet vs. Bachet Horse" at Meta Apex in Las Vegas on the 15th (Korea Standard Time).
Yoo Soo-young, who has won two consecutive octagon games since winning ROAD TO UFC Season 3, has stopped her winning streak due to this defeat. On the other hand, Smith, whose grandmother is Korean and Shin Sung-in from DWCS, has emerged as a new bantamweight prospect by overpowering Yoo Soo-young.
The atmosphere was warm before the game. In the past, Yoo Soo-young appeared on Smith's podcast and had a deep conversation with her family about her Korean identity.
For this match, Yoo Soo-young had been fully prepared by conducting off-season training in the U.S. with "Stern Gun" Kim Dong-hyun and sparring with champion Merab Devalishvili.
But there was no mercy inside the octagon. Yoo Soo-young had the upper hand in the first round. When Smith opened the scoring with a sharp one-two combination, Yoo Soo-young immediately tried a takedown and countered. Although he also allowed his head to Smith's knee attack, Yoo Soo-young did not give in and took the upper position with a chain takedown. Yoo Soo-young had a clear advantage throughout the round, pressing Smith with a clinch and ground control.
The flow changed rapidly in the second round. Like the first round, Yoo Soo-young hit the center immediately after the start of the game, aiming for a takedown. However, Smith, who saw this through, blocked Yoo Soo-young's entry with a strong upper cut and hook counter. Smith, who found a way out of batting, brought down Yoo Soo-young with an elaborate combination.
Smith did not miss Yoo Soo-young, who collapsed, and poured out an explosive foundation, and when Yoo Soo-young gave up his back in the process of defending, he immediately ended the game with a rear-naked choke. Smith's clever game management, which inherited the talent of his father Gilbert Smith, a former UFC fighter, stood out.
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*This content was translated by AI.
