Li ‘The Leech’ Jingliang comes unstuck against Australian UFC prospect in Perth’s fight of the night
Chinese fighter’s winning streak halted on same bill as Mandarin-speaking middleweight Israel Adesanya announces himself to the world
Chinese star Li “The Leech” Jingliang had to console himself with the Fight of the Night bonus at UFC 221 on Sunday after falling prey to the prodigious punching of Australian welterweight prospect Jake Matthews.
A cool US$50,000 is sure to ease some of the pain at least for Li who fell to 14-5 overall and had a 4-0 win streak broken by the beefed-up young Aussie who came out swinging in the first and even survived what appeared to be a nasty eye rake from the 29-year-old Chinese fighter when he was trying to escape his opponent’s clutches on the ground.
The packed Perth Arena bayed for Li’s blood after a few replays of the incident but Matthews (12-3) later brushed the incident off, more intent was the 23-year-old on a victory that might well have sounded a warning in the UFC’s talent -rich welterweight division.
“Sometimes in MMA you do whatever it takes,” said Matthews, who took a unanimous decision after the three rounds. “This fight was about bringing the enjoyment into it for once. All my fights I’ve gone in not to lose, rather than just going in and doing what I do, showcasing what I can do. The confidence was always there. I just needed to bring it out and show everyone I could do it.
“In training, it’s all there. Today, it still wasn’t quite 100 per cent, but about 70 per cent of what I can do, and hopefully I can bring more in next time. I want to heal up a little bit, take some time to enjoy life a little bit after back to back fights, and then get back in there toward the end of the year.
It was Li’s third UFC Fight of the Night bonus in a row and it sent the arena nuts, a mood that carried on through to the headline event when the roof was almost raised by number one-ranked Cuban middleweight Yoel Romero when he landed a left, and then a brutal uppercut at 1:48 of the third round to knock the lights out of the number two-ranked American Luke Rockhold.
The 40-year-old Romero was a late call-up to the card after title holder Robert Whittaker fell to sickness and injury and he weighed-in three pounds over the limit before the bout – meaning he couldn’t take home the interim belt on offer. But the way he danced and pranced and then pounded the 33-year-old Rockhold should ensure he gets a shot at the title.