UFC 144 Results: Tim Boetsch Completes Extraordinary Comeback

Down two rounds to none, Tim Boetsch defeated Yushin Okami with a technical knockout in their main card bout at UFC 144 in Japan.

Boetsch struck his Japanese opponent until he was no longer able to defend himself for the third-round win.

Okami established his jab early in the first round. He out-struck Boetsch and landed a mixture of effective strikes, rocking his opponent on more than one occasion. Boetsch attempted one takedown, but Okami defended it easily and earned the round, 10-9.

The second round had more of the same from Okami keeping the edge on the feet. A takedown halfway through the round gave Boetsch a brief opportunity for a guillotine choke, but Okami persevered. The round finished with Okami in full-mount and Boetsch with a bloody nose.

Things swiftly changed in the third round, however, as Boetsch landed a headkick that sent Okami backpedaling. Boetsch continued coming forward and threw punches in bunches, landing several uppercuts. Okami eventually fell to the ground and Boetsch finished him there.

The finish came at :54 of the third round.

“I knew nothing less than a knockout or finish would win that fight for me,” Boetsch said following the win. “He was beating me up for two rounds, but my heart was in it. I knew I could take him out.”

With the win, Boetsch improves to 15-4 and is undefeated since dropping down to the middleweight division from light heavyweight. Okami loses his second in a row, dropping his record to 26-7.

Follow @Erik_Fontanez on Twitter or e-mail Erik Fontanez.
For more UFC News and UFC Rumors, follow MMAWeekly.com on Twitter and Facebook.