The final bout of the UFC 130: "Rampage vs. Hamill" Facebook preliminaries was a surprising match-up between two late replacement lightweights Gleison Tibau and Rafaello Oliveira.
"Tractor" Oliveira took the fight on just one week's notice when Bart Palaszewski dropped out due to injury and he more than held his own in the first round.
Tibau is known for his massive frame and powerful takedowns and he showcased both in this fight. While Tibau was able to take Oliveira down, "Tractor" showcased an excellent defensive guard and the ability to get up off his back.
When Oliveira was on his way up in the midway point of the second round, Tibau clocked him with a beautiful short uppercut and then pounced with some nasty ground and pound that allowed him to take back mount and sink in a fight-ending rear naked choke.
This was a very impressive performance from the oversized Brazilian.
Tibau took the fight on just three week's notice in place of the injured Cody McKenzie, having to lose a reported 40 pounds just to make weight.
He showed no signs that the cut affected him tonight, and his improved striking was the deciding factor.
For Oliveira, he can't be too disappointed considering the level of opposition and the late notice that he took the fight. He'll be rewarded with another fight in the bloated UFC lightweight division in a likely "win or go home" match.
For Tibau, he likely won't be gaining much traction in the division with the win, instead, he'll keep the status quo. Since he's already in shape, maybe he'll still get a fight at the upcoming UFC 134 event in Brazil.
He's now won two in a row and four of five overall with his only loss being to top contender Jim Miller. Gleison seems poised for another run in the division.
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