UFC 251: fortune favours ‘King of Kung Fu’ Muslim Salikhov on Fight Island, now he looks to the top 10
- Salikhov gets split decision over Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos on prelims in Abu Dhabi
- Ahead now – hopefully – waits a clash with a top-15 ranked welterweight for the Dagestan native
It was about as close as a fight could ever be but Muslim “The King of Kung Fu” Salikhov wasn’t left worrying. The judges had it at 30-27, 28-29, 29-28 and the Dagestani’s arm was raised after his welterweight clash with Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos on the preliminaries of UFC 251.
“I had controlled the fight,” was Salikhov’s appraisal.
There was no highlight reel knockout but they did not disappoint the purists as they prowled around the centre of the cage, looking to pick each other apart, or to landing one of the spinning kicks that have added to both fighter’s fame over the years.
The pair began with caution, feeling each out and trying to find their range. It took until halfway through the first round before the first spinning kick came – from Salikhov – but it was Zaleski who landed the blow that mattered, in the shadow of the bell.
A huge leading right Zaleski from rocked the Russian and he looked in a spot of bother on his feet, before taking sanctuary on his stool. The word from the Brazilian’s corner was that their charge had already “seen everything he has got.”