BY JAMES BRYDON
sportsnet.ca
Tyson Griffin made a successful UFC debut at featherweight Sunday to cap off the undercard of the UFC’s first ever event in Pittsburgh, which aired in its entirety on Facebook. Griffin rallied from a first round that was mostly dominated by his opponent Manny Gamburyan to win the next two rounds and earn a unanimous decision. All three judges scored it 29-28, even though one score was incorrectly read as 29-29 initially.
His fellow longtime lightweight Joe Stevenson wasn’t so fortunate in his first fight in the Octagon at 145 pounds. The former No. 1 contender in the UFC’s 155-pound division dropped a unanimous decision to former WEC fighter Javier Vazquez (30-27, 29-28, 29-28). While both fighters worked for multiple submissions in the first round, Stevenson was unable to mount the offence to score enough points in the judges’ eyes.
Joe Lauzon made short work of an overmatched Curt Warburton, securing submission of the night for his kimura at 1:58 of the first round, while Rich Attonito earned a one-sided decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-27) over a listless Daniel Roberts in a fight that was probably the least entertaining of the night.
The card began with two straight exciting first-round finishes. Michael Johnson opened the action and ended the night for Edward Faaloloto with a TKO at 4:42 of the first round, while Ricardo Lamas finished a back-and-forth opening frame with a stoppage of his own from strikes at 4:41.
But it was the third bout that was deemed both the night’s best and its most controversial. Young prospect Charles Oliveira returned to the winning circle by submitting Nik Lentz by rear naked choke, but only after an illegal knee to the head of Lentz while the latter's knee was still on the mat was completely missed by the referee and the fight was allowed to continue without a stoppage.
Lentz was definitely affected by the damaging blow -- which should have resulted in a temporary halting and possible no-contest or disqualification. Instead, Oliveira took advantage of his dazed opponent to gain position and ultimately take his back, sink in a choke a force a tap at 1:48 of the second round. The commission said it would review the bout.
It was a disappointing end to what had been a very close and eventful fight up to that point, with Oliveira taking a slight edge on the judges’ scorecards following a first round that featured creative striking and multiple submission attempts from both fighters.
