UFC 180 results: Henry Briones rallies to choke out Guido Cannetti in second

MEXICO CITY – For about six minutes Henry Briones played the role of a heavy bag on which Guido Cannetti could hone his already considerable kicking skill.

Then, with one right hand uppercut, Briones (16-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC) announced that he was not only still in the fight, but also still quite dangerous, as Cannetti (6-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) would learn just a few seconds later when he was forced to submit to a rear-naked choke at 1:44 of Round 2.

The bantamweight bout was part of the preliminary card of today’s UFC 180 event at Mexico City Arena. It streamed on UFC Fight Pass ahead of additional prelims on FOX Sports 1 and the main card on pay-per-view.

The first round was all Cannetti, as he battered the body of Briones with kicks and knees, at times doubling his opponent over with crushing shots to the liver. Briones was clearly hurt at several points in the round, but try as he might, Cannetti just couldn’t put him away.

At the start of the second, Cannetti looked to pick up exactly where he’d left off in the first, but in so doing he might have gotten a little careless, which is when a perfectly timed uppercut from Briones bounced off the side of his head, sending him plummeting to the floor.

Briones pounced on the wounded Cannetti right away, peppering him with punches from the top until Cannetti attempted to roll out of danger, exposing his back and allowing Briones to sink the choke. As soon as Briones wrapped his forearm around Cannetti’s throat, the tap followed without delay.

Briones has now gone seven fights without a loss. Cannetti loses for the first time since 2010.

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(MMAjunkie’s John Morgan contributed to this report on site in Mexico City.)