Every British prospect faces the same question on their climb up the UFC ladder. Without widespread wrestling instruction in the U.K. can the Brit fighters defend the takedown? John Hathaway, 23, wowed the promotion and many fans with four straight wins to open his UFC career. But one thing was missing, a fight against someone his size with good takedown and submission skills. Hathaway got that test today at UFC 120 and failed against Mike Pyle. The Las Vegas-based fighter took Hathaway down in each round and controlled him on the ground cruising to a unanimous decision victory, 30-27 on all cards.
Hathaway's striking looked mechanical from the opening seconds. As the threat of takedown loomed, Hathaway wasn't willing to close the distance and let his hands go.
Behind a right hand that landed often and some good body punches, Pyle was relentless in working for the takedown.
Pyle was at his best in the second round. He got the fight to the ground in the second with two and half minutes left in the round. Pyle immediately got side control where he was able to step over and lock on something similar to a mounted triangle while he laid on his side.
Hathaway's left arm and head were trapped. Pyle stayed patient and wailed away, throwing 71 right hands and elbows to the Brit's forehead in just over two minutes. He landed a good 80 percent of those shots. Hathaway survived the round but the damage was evident. Walking back to his corner, he was sporting a huge welt above his right eye.
There wasn't much fight left in Hathaway to close the fight. Pyle scored another takedown with just over three minutes left and cruised home.
Experience counts in MMA. Pyle (21-7-1, 3-2 UFC) has been at it for 13 years. When Pyle was debuting against Quinton Jackson back in 1999, Hathaway was a 10-year-old just beginning some martial arts classes. Hathaway (14-1, 4-1 UFC) now has to bring some elite wreslters to the U.K. or travel abroad to close that hole in his game.
Pyle has a win early in his career over Jon Fitch, but this is by far his biggest victory. In what could've been breakthrough fights in the past against Jake Shields, Rory Markham, Matt Horwich and Jake Ellenberger, he always appeared to crumble under the pressure. Pyle delivered tonight in front of a hostile crowd in London and did it as a plus-350 underdog. The win probably earned him at least another year's worth of fights with the promotion and some more big names for his resume.
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