JOSEPH DUFFY has been beaten for the first time in his UFC career after Dustin Poirier scored a unanumous decision win in Las Vegas.
Poirier inflicted a first defeat on Duffy since the Burtonport man signed up with the UFC last year.
In a rescheduled and bloody contest, after concussion ruled Duffy out of their planned meeting in Dublin in October, Poirier took the win after a 15-minute conflict.
Duffy went to war, though, and the swollen left eye was some scar to leave with. There remained enough about Duffy’s display to suggest that he’ll have plenty to offer on the big stages.
When the sums were totted, it was Poirier who was the 30-26 30-27 30-27 victor.
Poirier’s nose was gushing blood after being caught by a couple of Duffy jabs, but the American did more than enough to deserve his win.
A game-changer arrived late in the first round when Poirier caught Duffy with a ferocious elbow that shuddered even the chins of the crowd.
Much of the second round was spent on the octagon’s floor, rapidly filling with Poirier’s crimson stream.
But it was Poirier who was on top and he ground-and-pound Duffy, who took the volley of strikes with immense courage.
Duffy had appeared content in the opening round, but with each passing moment of the second it was edging further towards Poirier.
Duffy was grounded again in the third, but the Donegal man rallied and secured a kneebar, but Poirier managed to wrestle free.
By the time Duffy – who walked on to the tones of ‘Las Vegas in the Hills of Donegal’ – got hold of his man late in the contest in a triangle, it was a case of too little too late.
While Poirier’s record improves to 19-4, Duffy’s drops to 14-2 and a potential title shot remains some way in the distance.
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