Kopylov defeats Fil-Am Punahele Soriano in UFC Fight Night

MANILA, Philippines – Russian fighter Roman Kopylov scored a standing technical knockout against Filipino-American Punahele Soriano in their middleweight bout in UFC Fight Night last Sunday, January 15, at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. 

In a virtual slugfest between the two middleweights, Kopylov’s punishing body kicks did a lot of damage. Coupled with a barrage of shots that staggered Soriano, the referee stopped the fight at the 3:19 mark of the second round.

Kopylov’s performance earned him “Performance of the Night” honors, and the fighter bolstered his record to 10-2-0. Soriano dropped to 9-3 and 3-3 in the UFC. Kopylov likewise evened his UFC record to 2-2.

It was a disappointing loss for Soriano, who fought in the main UFC card for the first time in his career. He was able to go toe-to-toe with the Russian and even hurt him. He attempted a takedown that Kopylov successfully defended in the first round.

However, the second round, the body shots absorbed by Soriano began to take its toll. 

All three fight judges — Tony Weeks, Chris Lee and Ron McCarthy — scored the first round 10-9 for Kopylov.

Meanwhile, Kopylov’s best friend Dan Ige, who also hails from Hawaii, scored a massive win with a second-round knockout of Damon Jackson in the co-main event. After Jackson waded in and mistakenly dropped his hands to protect him, Ige landed a jaw-dropping uppercut that decked the former for the win. 

Ige’s win halted a three-match losing streak while ending Jackson’s four-match win skein. 

Ige, who spoke to Philstar.com the other day in an exclusive interview, said he badly needed this win. “After three consecutive losses, some doubt creeps in. I need to get a win, convincing or via decision, as long as it is a win.”

The UFC’s first event of 2023 also Sean Strickland defeating Nassourdine Imavov via unanimous decision in the main event. Strickland was a late replacement for Kelvin Gastelum, who was injured six days prior to UFC Fight Night.

The UFC can be viewed in the Philippines on the Premier Sports Channel on Skycable and Cignal as well as on the TapGo streaming application.