LAS VEGAS – Levan Chokheli met the media Saturday after his win over Leon Shahbazyan at UFC Fight Night 279.
Chokheli (15-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) came right after Shahbazyan (12-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC) on the prelims at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. He landed an early leg kick that hurt Shahbazyan, then a combo, then body shots to put him away. The quick finish came with former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili working his corner.
Chokheli's finish came in just 23 seconds in his UFC debut. The Bellator vet was a 4-1 betting favorite against Shahbazyan, the older brother of longtime UFC fighter Edmen Shahbazyan, in their welterweight fight. And maybe the 23 seconds wasn't planned, but the delivery method sure was, he said.
"I was working on this combination the last couple weeks. That's what I was doing. You saw my knockout, right? This calf kick, 1-2 and overhand to the body – that's what I was working for," Chokheli told MMA Junkie and other reporters at his post-fight news conference.
"… I'm Georgian. My wrestling is good, but I would rather stay on the feet and throw my hands. But in the future, the welterweight division is the toughest one. There are a lot of good jiu-jitsu guys and good wrestlers. When I face them, it will be time to show you my wrestling skills and my jiu-jitsu skills. But today was today. What I did was the game plan – nothing else."
Chokheli (15-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) came right after Shahbazyan (12-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC) on the prelims at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. He landed an early leg kick that hurt Shahbazyan, then a combo, then body shots to put him away. The quick finish came with former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili working his corner.
Chokheli's finish came in just 23 seconds in his UFC debut. The Bellator vet was a 4-1 betting favorite against Shahbazyan, the older brother of longtime UFC fighter Edmen Shahbazyan, in their welterweight fight. And maybe the 23 seconds wasn't planned, but the delivery method sure was, he said.
"I was working on this combination the last couple weeks. That's what I was doing. You saw my knockout, right? This calf kick, 1-2 and overhand to the body – that's what I was working for," Chokheli told MMA Junkie and other reporters at his post-fight news conference.
"… I'm Georgian. My wrestling is good, but I would rather stay on the feet and throw my hands. But in the future, the welterweight division is the toughest one. There are a lot of good jiu-jitsu guys and good wrestlers. When I face them, it will be time to show you my wrestling skills and my jiu-jitsu skills. But today was today. What I did was the game plan – nothing else."
2 months ago
