Tony Ferguson and Lando Vannata put on an unexpected thriller in Sioux Falls before the lightweight contender sunk in a D'arce choke to seal the match.
Check out the play-by-play below
Ferguson busy with short angles and uppercuts early, also landing a body kick. Vannata wallops Ferguson with a spinning elbow, causing him to stumble backwards upon impact. Vannata holds his ground on a Ferguson flurry and plugs him with a heavy right cross, again wobbling Ferguson briefly. Ferguson responds with a spinning back elbow of his own that partially lands.
Ferguson notches down his aggression and starts slicing in jabs from outside. Four consecutive jabs land for Ferguson as Vannata's hands are dangerously low. Clean front kick to the body from Vannata but Ferguson answers with a hard left and a stiff right cross. Vannata shoots a takedown and Ferguson stuffs it, then plugs him with a right cross. Vannata delivers a brutal head kick out of nowhere, and Ferguson reels across the cage and goes down. Vannata pounces but Ferguson rolls into a leg lock. Vannata patiently works his way out and ends up on top. 10-9 Vannata.
R2: Snapping jabs from Ferguson to start the second. Two front kicks to the body and a clean jab upstairs from Ferguson. Vannata ducks a punch and comes up just short with another big head kick. Ferguson answers with a kick to the body. Ferguson clips him with a Superman punch off the cage wall and Vannata eats it like a champ.
Counter knee to the body from Ferguson, who threatens with a guillotine from the front headlock, then a deep D'arce choke. Vannata fights it off valiantly but eventually succumbs.
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