Latest news with #Pulyaev
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Andrey Pulyaev breaks down the comeback he needed against Nick Klein for first UFC win
LAS VEGAS – Andrey Pulyaev met the media Saturday after his second-round TKO win over Nick Klein at UFC on ESPN 71. Pulyaev (10-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) struggled in the first round against Klein (6-3 MMA, 0-2 UFC) at the UFC Apex. But in the second, he found an opening, landed a kick to the body, and quickly closed in to get the TKO. 'Even in the first round, I noticed my opponent started getting tired,' Pulyaev told MMA Junkie at his post-fight news conference. 'My cornermen said it's time to start using your legs. In the second round, when we stood up, I felt it – he's too relaxed. I knew it was my chance. Before that body kick, I noticed he raised his hands. I made some punches and that body kick, and after that I knew it was time to finish him.' Pulyaev, who is a protege of former Bellator champion Alexander Shlemenko, said going through some adversity was good in the first round. He was able to battle back in a way he fell short of in his UFC debut in March, a decision loss to Christian Leroy Duncan. 'It was good to prove to myself (against Klein), and now I know what I can do,' he said. Check out Pulyaev's post-fight news conference in the video above.
USA Today
7 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ESPN 71 video: Andrey Pulyaev folds Nick Klein for first win in promotion
Andrey Pulyaev's first win in the UFC didn't need the judges. Pulyaev (10-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC), like his opponent and fellow Dana White's Contender Series vet Nick Klein, stumbled in his UFC debut. However, at UFC on ESPN 71, Pulyaev returned to the win column with an impressive TKO stoppage of Klein (6-3 MMA, 0-2 UFC) at 1:31 of Round 2 in the middleweight preliminary bout. It wasn't smooth sailing to start for Pulyaev. In fact, Klein won the opening round on all three judges' cards behind an aggressive grappling approach. After the break between rounds, Pulyaev found space to let his strikes fly, and put together a finishing sequence started with a hard kick to the body. Check out video of the finish below (via X): The 27-year-old Pulyaev dropped a unanimous decision against Christian Leroy Duncan in his March debut, which snapped a five-fight winning streak that included his DWCS win over Liam Anderson last August. Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 71 results:
