UFC 208 Results: Reis Takes Down Sasaki in Decisive Win
Wilson Reis once again showcased his ground-game in a decisive victory over Yuta “Ulka” Sasaki at UFC 208. His second win since his scrapped bout with flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson should put Reis at the front of the queue for a title-shot at 125.
Momentarily slated for a title shot at UFC 201 last summer, Wilson Reis is one of a few top-tier flyweights yet to fall to current champion Demetrious Johnson. His opponent on the UFC 208 prelims, Yuta “Ulka” Sasaki, hasn’t either, and is likely a bit further away from a bout with “Mighty Mouse”.
Sasaki is one of the biggest underdogs on the entire UFC 208 card, and a win over a contender like Reis shoots him higher up the flyweight rankings than most divisions in the promotion. That’s a tough task for the 5-foot-10-inch flyweight, especially competing for just the second time at 125-pounds. UFC 208 also marks the first time Sasaki is fighting on American soil. He needs his best in Brooklyn to move to 2-0 at flyweight in the UFC.
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Reis is currently the fifth-ranked 125er in the promotion, and another win gives him as much of an argument for a title-shot as any. He’s gone 4-1 since moving down from bantamweight in 2013 and won his last two fights coming into Saturday night. Given he’s already had one title shot taken away, two wins following the change should be more than enough for a Johnson-Reis title-bout.
Of course, that depends on when Johnson comes back, and who he faces in his 2017 debut. For now, all Reis and Sasaki can control is what happens in the Octagon at UFC 208.
It was Reis who took control early, in a frantic fight in the opening minutes. Wild strikes and aggressive trash-talk from Sasaki resulted in some of the most exciting moments of the card thus far. Sasaki seemed to be finding his range, but Reis would eventually earn a couple of takedowns in the first round. His second, with two minutes left in the round, gave him controlling position for the remainder of the opening five minutes.
It was more of the same, with a different look, in the second round. Whether Reis or Sasaki attempted to get the fight to the ground, Reis was the one to take advantage. His superiority on the ground was evident throughout the bout, and he came close to proving it with another
His superiority on the ground was evident throughout the bout, and he came close to proving it with another submission win in the final minutes of the second round a couple of times. But Sasaki battled and went into the final round needing a finish to secure a win.
And Sasaki almost did just that. After taking down Sasaki a couple of times in the third round, Reis got caught, and Sasaki took his back with about a minute remaining in the fight. Working for a rear-naked-choke, Reis’ defence stood strong, and the fourth consecutive fight of the night went to a decision.
Reis finished the fight with six takedowns on seven attempts and won via unanimous decision (29-28×3). The win puts him next in line for a title-shot at flyweight and will put champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson on notice for a future bout in 2017. It wasn’t an absolute loss for Sasaki, who looked competitive with a top-five 125-pound fighter in the UFC. Good things can be expected from these two fighters in the future in a division needing fresh contenders.
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