Maheshate makes Flowers tap with foot in short-notice Road to UFC win
Maheshate secured a first-round submission victory against Darrius Flowers at a Road to the UFC event in Shanghai. The win marks a successful return for Maheshate, who had previously been cut from the UFC roster.
Why it matters
The event highlights the growth of MMA talent in the Asian market and the competitive nature of UFC roster management.
It would be hard for Maheshate to ask for a much better return to the UFC than the one he turned in Friday.
On only about a week's notice, Maheshate (12-5 MMA, 3-4 UFC) filled in for teammate Taiyilake Nueraji and submitted Darrius Flowers (13-9-1 MMA, 1-4 UFC) midway through the first round. Maheshate caught Flowers with an arm-in guillotine choke and forced him to tap using his foot.
The bout headlined the Road to the UFC event at Shanghai Oriental Sports Center in China. It was one of two UFC fights on the card following the Road to the UFC Season 5 semifinals at women's strawweight, flyweight, bantamweight and featherweight.
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