UFC on FOX 9 results, photos: Alp Ozkilic grinds past Darren Uyenoyama

SACRAMENTO – Darren Uyenoyama wanted to introduce Alp Ozkilic to the UFC by putting him on his back, but Ozkilic had other ideas.

Ozkilic repeatedly stuffed 11 of Uyenoyama’s 13 takedown attempts, landed two takedowns of his own to do work on top and landed more power shots on his way to a win in his UFC debut.

The flyweight bout opened up the preliminary card of today’s UFC on FOX 9 event at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento. It streamed on MMAjunkie ahead of additional prelims on FOX Sports 1 and a main card on FOX.

Ozkilic kicked early as the two tried to get their range figured out, and Ozkilic landed a strong left when Uyenoyama tried to get inside. But moments later, after Ozkilic fended off a takedown briefly, it was Uyenoyama who got the fight to the ground. Ozkilic briefly had an armbar attempt from his back, but Uyenoyama dropped him back down. Ozkilic was able to turn the tables and had Uyenoyama on his back, but midway through, the fight went back to the middle. A trip takedown for Ozkilic looked good, but it was right into Uyenoyama’s guard. Ozkilic tried to posture up for elbows and punches, then went back to the feet for the last 20 seconds.

On the ground in the second, Uyenoyama looked for an armbar from his back, but Ozkilic did enough to chase him back to the feet. It didn’t stay there long, and back on the ground, Ozkilic tried to get busy with strikes after a warning from referee Mike Beltran to get active. With two minutes left, they were stood up, and Ozkilic landed a good right uppercut. Uyenoyama wanted another takedown with a minute left, but was stuffed once again by the UFC newcomer.

A solid right hand landed for Ozkilic early in the third, and when Uyenoyama clinched him up seconds later, Ozkilic fired off punches to the body before dropping Uyenoyama down. Uyenoyama tried to get something going from his guard, but Ozkilic, sending potential danger, went back to the feet. Ozkilic landed a solid right moments later, then followed up with a combo led by an uppercut. Any time Uyenoyama put Ozkilic in any kind of threatening position from his back, the Turk stood back up.

Ultimately, Ozkilic took home a split decision with scores of 30-27 and 29-28, while Uyenoyama picked up a potentially questionable 29-28 score of his own.

“I didn’t deliver the performance I wanted, but it was my first fight in the UFC so I’m happy with the win,” Ozkilic said. “It felt better than I thought being in the cage. I had visualized this moment a lot and I was prepared. I thought I won every round and was surprised it was a split decision.”

Ozkilic (9-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) won for the fourth straight time and will finish the calendar year with a 3-0 mark. Uyenoyama (8-5 MMA, 2-2 UFC) now has dropped back-to-back fights after an April knockout loss to Joseph Benavidez.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on FOX 9 results include:

• Alp Ozkilic def. Darren Uyenoyama via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)

For complete coverage of UFC on FOX 9, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.

John Morgan and Steven Marrocco contributed to this report on-site in Sacramento.