Felice Herrig secured a submission win in her UFC debut against Lisa Ellis at The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned Finale on Friday in Las Vegas, but it wasn’t easy.
Herrig overcame early adversity and showed an improved ground game. Ellis quickly took Herrig down to start the fight. As Herrig stood, Ellis applied a guillotine choke. Herrig defended the submission attempt and took Ellis down. Ellis reversed the position. Herrig applied a triangle choke. She tried to transition to an armbar, but Ellis worked her way free.
The opening round was filled with transitions and submission attempts. “It was really close. I was gurgling,” said Herrig about the guillotine choke Ellis applied in the opening moments of the fight. “I was like, don’t’ go out. Don’t go out. She came out strong.”
In the second round, Ellis worked to get Herrig to the canvas, but Herrig gained top control. Ellis swept her, but Herrig quickly regained dominant position. Herrig advanced to the mount position, and Ellis gave up her back. She worked for an armbar, but Ellis defended. Herrig transitioned to a triangle choke. She went back to the armbar and extended the limb forcing Ellis to tap out.
“I just heard my corner say, ‘grab that arm.’ I was on my back. I grabbed it and threw my leg over and I spun around. I felt it slipping, but I kept cranking and cranking,” said Herrig about the submission win.
