UFC 302 News: Former Kickboxing Champ Has Hype Derailed in Prelim Fight

Roman Kopylov has handed Cesar Almeida his first professional MMA defeat at UFC 301 on June 1. It was a relatively competitive fight determined by Kopylov's ground control.

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Almeida worked Kopylov's body and legs early with thudding kicks, which reddened the Russian's midsection. Not long after, Kopylov changed levels, reminding Almeida of the takedown threat. The added element of takedowns created apprehension in Almeida, and Kopylov capitalised with a straight left down the pipe, nearly knocking him out cold in the first round.

Roman Kopylov drops Cesar Almeida pic.twitter.com/G1tan4IzAa

The Brazilian appeared to find his rhythm in round two, defending more takedowns but ultimately being controlled in the final minute. Round three was another bust for Almeida, who pushed the pace against a tired Kopylov but found himself on his back for the remainder of the round.

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Almeida fought and went 1-2 with Alex Pereira as a professional kickboxer, later becoming the WGP Kickboxing cruiserweight world champion. 'Cesinha' was 5-0 entering his UFC 302 bout, impressing viewers with a KO in his UFC debut in April. Commentators credited his loss to a lack of expertise on the ground, with Din Thomas comparing his legs in guard to that of a paraplegic.

Kopylov returns to the win column with this impressive victory.

MATHEW RIDDLE

Mathew is a UK-based combat sports journalist  and graphic designer. He joined MMAKO when it was first founded in 2023. Find his work on The Fight Fanatic & Heavy on UFC. He can be contacted on mr@thefightfanatic.com

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