Source: mmajunkie.com
LAS VEGAS – Sure, it wasn’t the type of finish we all secretly wanted, but if you’re going to go the mat with Dustin Kimura, prepare to fend off a smorgasbord of submissions.
The high-energy promotional newcomer fired off multiple submission attempts before finally tapping out fellow bantamweight Chico Camus with a third-round rear-naked choke.
The bout was part of the preliminary card of Saturday’s UFC 156 event at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. It streamed on Facebook ahead of additional prelims on FX and a main card on pay-per-view.
Kimura, who’s never actually tapped out a fighter with a kimura, instead attempted nearly everything else. After he was dropped with a straight right in the first minute of the fight, he regrouped and looked sharp. Camus scored multiple takedowns throughout the fight, but Kimura was active off his back, swept his opponent and often took a dominant top position once on the canvas.
The end of the second round cut short his triangle choke and armbar attempts, but Kimura got his opening in the third round. When the Duke Roufus-trained Camus shot for a single-leg takedown, Kimura reversed it on the way down, took back mount, and then quickly secured a rear-naked choke.
The tap-out came at the 1:50 mark of the round.
“I was looking for a lot of submission, but he has really good defense,” the 23-year-old Hawaiian said. “The whole game plan was to take down such a great striker from such a great striking school.”
Kimura (10-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC), who said he was in disbelief when broadcaster Joe Rogan interviewed him post fight, now has nine stoppages in 10 career wins, including seven via submission. Camus (12-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC), meanwhile, snaps a four-fight win streak, which included a UFC-debut win over Dustin Pague in August.