UFC on FOX 13 results: Joe Riggs' injury gives Ben Saunders quick win

Ben Saunders

PHOENIX – Joe Riggs’ UFC comeback was over almost immediately after it began, as the MMA veteran injured himself on an early takedown attempt and tapped out to Ben Saunders.

Riggs (40-15 MMA, 5-4 UFC) had just elevated Saunders (18-6-2 MMA, 6-3 UFC) into the air and slammed him to the mat when he submitted at the 0:57 mark of the first round.

The welterweight fight was part of today’s UFC on FOX 13 event at U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix. It aired on FOX Sports 1 prior to the FOX-televised main card.

Saunders said he was setting up an oma plata when the tapout came and gave his respect to Riggs, who returned to the octagon after an eight-year absence.

Riggs was scheduled to fight Paulo Thiago at UFC Fight Night 51 in Sept. but was forced to withdraw after he nearly died due to an accident self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was later rebooked for UFC on FOX 13 for a bout in front of his hometown in Phoenix.

http://mmajunkie.com/2014/07/joe-riggs-out-of-ufc-fight-night-51-after-injury-from-accidental-shooting

Saunders picked up his second straight win since returning to the UFC in August with a first-round submission of Chris Heatherly via omaplata. It was Riggs first loss in four years and followed a winning turn on the first and only season of “Bellator MMA: Fight Master.”

Up-to-the-minute UFC on FOX 13 results include:

For more on UFC on FOX 13, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

(MMAjunkie’s Matt Erickson contributed to this story from on-site in Phoenix.)