Few things can alter the trajectory of a fight in a split second like a slicing elbow that causes a nasty cut. And few such elbows have been delivered with the precision Miranda Maverick displayed in the opening round of her UFC 254 preliminary bout with Liana Jojua.
The duo were trading in the pocket during their flyweight fight when Maverick (8-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) landed a picture-perfect upward left elbow to the bridge of Jojua’s nose. Jojua (8-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC) gamely competed for the rest of the round as her face turned into a blood-soaked mess.
At the end of the round, Jojua’s corner did its best to close the cut, but it was a gnarly slice, and they were unable to stem the bleeding. The fight was waved off by the cageside doctor. Jojua, to her credit, wanted to continue and could be heard yelling “No, no, please no!” But it goes into the book as a TKO victory for Maverick.
Check it out (via Twitter):
This elbow landed CLEAN!
Miranda Maverick takes it by TKO doctor’s stoppage.
[ #UFC254 | #InAbuDhabi | @VisitAbuDhabi ] pic.twitter.com/FbxVIAN3HK— UFC (@ufc) October 24, 2020
We could have a real up-and-comer in Maverick, who previously made waves in Invicta FC, where she won a one-night “Phoenix Rising” tournament and also defeated UFC veteran Pearl Gonzalez her last time out. She was on point throughout her UFC debut against Jojua.
And what’s more, Maverick, who according to her Wikipedia page is working on her PhD in Industrial Psychology at Old Dominion, said she’s been doing her school work over on “Fight Island,” so she’s only begun to scratch the surface of her potential.
“I’ve been doing school work the whole time I’m here,” Maverick said. “Who knows what I’ll do when I’m done with school and don’t have 20 other things going on?”
If UFC 254 is any indication, she has a bright future indeed.
Buena impresión de @fearthemaverick con @danawhite
#UFC254 pic.twitter.com/2CCSVqd9o2
— ufcespanol (@UFCEspanol) October 24, 2020
UPDATE: Here’s the gruesome aftermath of Maverick’s work.
Liana Jojua’s nose was not broken by Miranda Maverick’s elbow, but the cut required stitches, according to @danawhite
#UFC254 pic.twitter.com/EGtD9dRjF7
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) October 24, 2020
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