The UFC 311 prelims featured a bizarre moment after the first round between light heavyweights Bogdan Guskov and Billy Elekana.
Billy Elekana took a short-notice fight against Top 15 light heavyweight, Bogdan Guskov, at UFC 311 on Saturday night. While Elekana made it past the midway point of the second round, Guskov came seconds away from earning a submission in the opening round of the fight.
Guskov, who was supposed to face Johnny Walker before Walker withdrew due to injury, was in some early trouble against the short-notice opponent Elekana early on. Elekana nearly sunk in a choke while controlling Guskov’s back in the opening minutes of the fight, but Guskov was able to work out of it and get back to his feet.
After getting the fight back to the ground, Guskov got a chance at redemption after his slow start, as he had Elekana in deep trouble with an attempted choke from his back. Elekana was about to tap as the first round ended, but made it to the horn, albeit tapping in front of the referee just seconds after the round’s conclusion.
It was a confusing moment for all involved, and the UFC broadcast team made things even more perplexing for the viewing audience in between rounds. Elekana’s late tap to Guskov’s choke was shown on the Intuit Dome halo-shaped big screen, and was answered by an overwhelming chorus of boos as the attending fans believed the fight should’ve been stopped.
UFC 311 prelims feature two taps in one fight
UFC broadcasters Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier questioned why the post-round highlight was shown on the jumbotron in the first place after causing massive boos and confusion. Luckily, Guskov would find the finish in the next few minutes of the fight after the controversial end to Round 1.
An exhausted Elekana dropped to one knee against the fence with just under two minutes left in Round 2, to which Guskov responded by landing several big punches to his chin. Guskov sealed the deal by getting a hold of Elekana’s neck with a guillotine choke as Elekana tapped for the second time in five minutes.
-Guskov won his third-straight fight after recent knockouts over Ryan Spann and Zac Pauga. His UFC 311 win was his first submission victory in almost seven years.
Bogdan Guskov tapped Billy Elekana twice at UFC 311
Elekana deserves plenty of credit for stepping up on days’ notice to face Guskov at UFC 311. His UFC debut came after stints in PFL and LFA.
Meanwhile, Guskov will get another top light heavyweight contender for his next matchup as he continues to rise the ranks of the division. He’s drastically improved since a submission loss to former UFC title challenger Volkan Oezdemir in Sept. 2023.
Follow along at Bloody Elbow for all the latest news and notes from UFC 311.
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