‘Korean Superboy’ Choi Doo-ho (32, Team Mad) recorded a draw in his comeback match.
On the 5th (Korean time), Choi Doo-ho drew with Kyle Nelson (31, Canada) in a featherweight match at UFC Fight Night 218 held at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, USA. Until the third round, one of the three referees gave Choi Doo-ho’s hand 29-27, but the other two scored it 28-28, and the final draw was declared.
Choi Doo-ho stood in the cage again about 3 years and 2 months after the fight with Charles Jourdain at ‘UFC Fight Night 165’ in Busan in December 2019. After a period of hiatus due to injuries and military service, he aimed for a new leap forward through this comeback match.
Choi Doo-ho, who passed the weigh-in event on the 4th, put pressure on Nelson in the main game on the 5th with a calm operation in the early round. He attacked the opponent’s lower body with quick low kicks and accumulated points step by step.
However, he also faced a crisis right away. Nelson, a former wrestler, blocked Choi Doo-ho’s kick through close combat. Surprisingly, Choi Doo-ho was lifted up and put on the floor, and in this situation, a rear naked choke attack was attempted. Choi Doo-ho seemed to be on the defensive for a moment due to Nelson’s wrestling, but he effectively blocked it and finished the first round. 안전놀이터
His biggest crisis came in the second round. Nelson’s fist pierced his face, causing him to stagger for a moment. As if taking a chance, Nelson even attempted a knee kick and pushed Choi Doo-ho. However, Choi Doo-ho did not allow a final blow and counterattacked again with a lower body attack.
Even in the third round, the two fighters repeated similar fights. Nelson succeeded in taking down again through wrestling, but Choi Doo-ho defended effectively as in the first round and continued to the top position.
However, in this situation, he received a fatal ‘headbutting’ verdict. During the contest, Doo-Ho Choi’s head touched Nelson’s, and the referee gave Choi Doo-Ho a deduction for head butting. Choi Doo-ho, who lost the point in an instant, tried to gain the upper hand through a strike battle in the remaining time, but time was too short.
It was a disadvantageous phase, but defeat was avoided. The referee’s decision was a final draw. Choi Doo-ho won three consecutive defeats after defeating Thiago Tavares via KO in July 2016. The chain of his losing streak could not be broken in his comeback this time.
Meanwhile, Jung Da-un (30, Korean Top Team), who competed in the light heavyweight division following Doo-ho Choi, faced Devin Clark (32, USA) and was defeated by unanimous decision.