Yoo Joo-sang lost by decision to Michael Aswell Jr. in a UFC featherweight bout held in Los Angeles, United States.
Seeking a comeback victory in his return bout, he saw the decision go to Aswell Jr. after a closely contested three-round fight.
A takedown in the final round was also not enough to turn the fight around.
3-Line Summary
1. Yoo Joo-sang lost to Aswell Jr. by decision.
2. The judges’ scores were split between 28-29 and 29-28.
3. The advantage in Round 2 decided the final outcome.
A Split Decision Divided by Round 2
On the 20th in Korean time, Yoo Joo-sang faced American Michael Aswell Jr. at featherweight (65.8kg) in the second bout on the undercard of ‘Crypto.com UFC 331: Van vs. Pantoja 2,’ held at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, United States. The result was a split-decision loss. The scores were split 28-29, 29-28, and 28-29.
According to a report by Ilgan Sports, Yoo Joo-sang countered with strong calf kicks and jabs early in the fight. However, Aswell Jr.’s jab, after he established control of the center, landed on Yoo Joo-sang’s face, and the momentum shifted toward his opponent as he followed up with counters.
A split decision means that all three judges did not score the same rounds identically. In this fight as well, the evaluations of Rounds 1 and 3 were divided. However, all three judges recognized Aswell Jr.’s advantage in Round 2, which he won, and Aswell Jr. led in the total of the round-by-round scores. Regardless of the impression of a closely contested fight, giving up Round 2 ultimately determined the result.
Forward Pressure and a Takedown, but No Finishing Blow in Round 3
Beginning in Round 2, Yoo Joo-sang brought his jab back into play and increased his movement forward and backward. As the jab began to land, his rear-hand attacks also started connecting, while Aswell Jr. responded by throwing heavy punches. His opponent’s calf kicks targeted Yoo Joo-sang’s legs throughout the fight.
In the final Round 3, Yoo Joo-sang created a rough exchange through forward pressure. In the middle of the round, he completed a takedown and occupied the top position. However, he was unable to continue with clear attacks from there, and it did not lead to a moment that decisively secured the fight. That was also why the Round 3 scoring was divided, but a single takedown could not erase the momentum of the earlier rounds.
This loss came in Yoo Joo-sang’s return bout, held 11 months after his loss to Brazil’s Daniel Santos last October. Yoo Joo-sang’s UFC record became 1 win and 2 losses, while his overall mixed martial arts record was recorded as 9 wins and 2 losses. The most disappointing aspect of his return bout was that, despite creating opportunities to attack, he was unable to secure a round that would clearly remain on the scorecards.
References
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