UFC Rotterdam Preliminary Card Results: Rustam Khabilov Outlasts Chris Wade

It’s fight day here at LowKick MMA, and today (Sun., May 8, 2016) the UFC will make their Netherlands debut with UFC Fight Night 87 from the Ahoy Rotterdam in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Before hometown slugger Alistair Overeem takes on Andrei Arlovski in the main event, the preliminary cards will kick off the action with seven bouts.

Rustam Khabilov took on Chris Wade in the featured preliminary bout at lightweight. Khabilov came out strong early with some solid low kicks, transitioning to a body lock takedown attempt that Wade defended well. Wade snapped a left, but Khabilov got a grinding takedown to take his back on the ground. Khabilov worked some ground and pound to finish a strong opening round. In the second, Wade landed this huge head kick to drop Khabilov, who somehow recovered miraculously to take Wade’s back again:

HOLY HEAD KICK from @CWadeMMA!! #UFCRotterdam https://t.co/uIQAO2T45M

— UFC (@ufc) May 8, 2016

Wade survived to land in Khabilov’s guard but was in danger of a triangle choke. He escaped and the fight went back to the feet where Khabilov landed some decent punches and a takedown to close the round out strong. In the final round, Khabilov stalked a tiring Wade to throw him with a suplex and take his back yet again. He unloaded heavy body shots and ground Wade down with another suplex to win an impressive unanimous decision.

Magnus Cedenblad vs. Garreth McLellan took place in the preliminary card ‘co-main event,’ and the action started with some light trading followed by a head kick from the stalking Cedenblad. He then landed a huge counter that knocked McLellan down. An eye poke halted the action, and Cedenblad continued stalking McLellan towards the fence on the restart. McLellan came out throwing kicks at the start of round two, but Cedenblad nailed him with a big one of his own, rocking McLellan and opening the path for him to swarm and finish the fight by TKO.

Check out the kick that lead to the ending sequence right here:

#ThatKickTho #UFCRotterdam https://t.co/8birNKRHJI

— UFC (@ufc) May 8, 2016

Jon Tuck took on late replacement Josh Emmett at lightweight. Emmett surprised a bit with a high level of movement, using it to land his right hand. Tuck aded a hard shot early, but seemed to have little pep in his step as he ate several big shots. Emmett pressed forward with some strong combinations in the second, and Tuck fought back with some quick punches of his own. Emmett kept his pace and volume high, jumping in and out of the pocket to score with a left hook and jab. Emmett landed more crisp combos in the third followed by a big right. The tide soon turned, however, as Emmett appeared to break his left ring finger on a wheel kick by Tuck, opening the way for him to batter Emmett with a huge knee and a torrent of body kicks. He was nearly finished but survived, winning a split decision for a successful UFC debut.

Yan Cabral met Swede Reza Medadi to start the FOX Sports 1 prelims. Cabral pushed a relentless pace early on, anding a big knee on Medadi to go for repeated takedowns against the fence. He finally got one with a single leg against with under a minute left in the opening frame. Mounting Medadi, he transitioned to his back to look for a rear-naked choke that failed to materialize as the bell sounded. Medadi came back strong in the second, most likely earning the edge with his stand-up skills. In the telling third round, Medadi landed two massive right hands to start the frame. Piling on the pressure, he rocked Cabral with a huge uppercut and swarmed, earning the stoppage.

In the final Fight Pass preliminary bout, former flyweight title contender Kyoji Horiguchi took on Neil Seery, rocking him with a huge left hand early on. Seery fought back with a big right, but Horiguchi seemed to lock up the first with some top control on the mat. Horiguchi made it even tougher on Seery in the second, opening up a big cut over his right eye. Horiguchi landed another huge left followed by a combo in the third, but couldnt stop the ultra-tough Seery. Still, the Japanese veteran took home a clear-cut unanimous decision.

Welterweights Leon Edwards and Dom Waters squared off in the next bout, with Edwards snapping some crisp punches as Waters sought numerous takedowns. Edwards held the edge with his stand-up advantage, but Waters scored a huge suplex towards the end of the second round. Waters landed a big shot in the third, but Edwards fought back with punches and a huge knee to the body to earn the decision 30-27 on all three scorecards.

In the first bout on the Fight Pass preliminary card, flyweight Ulka Sasaki got the event started right by submitting Willie Gates with a rear-naked choke in the second round.

Preliminary Card (FOX Sports 1 at 12 p.m. ET):
Rustam Khabilov def. Chris Wade via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Magnus Cedenblad def. Garreth McLellan via R2 TKO (kick and punches, 0:47)
Josh Emmett def. Jon Tuck via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Yan Cabral def. Reza Madadi via R3 TKO (punches)

Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass at 10:30 a.m. ET):
Kyoji Horiguchi def. Neil Seery via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
Leon Edwards def. Dominic Waters via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Ulka Sasaki def. Willie Gates via R2 submission (rear-naked choke, 3:30)