The Octagon roared back to life in mainland China after nearly eight years away, and it wasted no time producing drama. At UFC Shanghai, fans tuning in at 3 a.m. ET for the prelims saw history unfold. The curtain-raiser between Uran Satybaldiev of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan’s Diyar Nurgozhay ended with a finish that left jaws on the floor.

For a fighter still seeking his first UFC win, Satybaldiev delivered in emphatic fashion. A powerful right hand dropped Nurgozhay just ninety seconds in, and from there the Kyrgyz fighter went to work on the mat. He flirted with a kimura, but when that slipped away, he transitioned into something much rarer, a textbook Ezekiel choke. The simplest way to describe it would be to imagine a rear-naked choke, but you’re facing the opponent instead.

Nurgo

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