NORMAN PARKE DOMINATED Reza Madadi to emerge victorious from the co-main event at UFC Fight Night 76.
Parke won all three rounds against the Swedish wrestler to take the win on scores of 30-27 across the board, securing the bragging rights after a war of words between the pair sparked some tension at yesterday’s weigh-ins.
It was another win for the Irish contingent on the night, following earlier triumphs for Aisling Daly and Neil Seery.
The victory was also Parke’s first since the UFC’s visit to Dublin last year as the man from Antrim ended a two-fight losing streak to bring his record in the octagon to 5-1-2.
In the first round, Parke successfully defended several takedown attempts from Madadi — who displayed obvious signs of ring rust having not fought in two-and-a-half years — and the Bushmills native used his superior striking to edge ahead.
The second round played out in a similar manner. Madadi gestured to suggest that Parke’s strikes weren’t causing him any damage, but they were accumulating points on the judges’ scorecards nevertheless.
Parke’s conditioning came to the fore in the third and final round as Madadi looked exhausted. The former Ultimate Fighter winner capped off his dominance with a takedown late on to leave no doubt in the minds of the judges.
