'She's out'… Unbeaten prospect put to sleep by 10/1 underdog in stunning UFC Macau upset
Today at 08:38 AM
Disaster struck for Wang Cong as she suffered the first defeat of her career on Saturday at UFC Macau.
The popular prospect was 6-0 heading into her meeting with Brazilian Gabriella Fernandes in China this weekend, and was a massive 10/1 favourite to continue her winning run. After an awkward face-off at yesterday’s weigh-ins, the pair squared off in a main card clash on a night of vicious stoppages.
And after a first round which went Wang Cong’s way across the board, Fernandes showed off her kickboxing prowess by dropping the home fighter. And she then moved into grappling as she immediately took the back, and went for a rear naked choke which rendered her rival unconscious.
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Gabriella Fernandes chokes Wang Cong unconscious in UFC Macau upset
Wang Cong got off to a great start on Saturday, using her striking well to set up a solid first round against a Fernandes who needed a few minutes to dust off the cobwebs. By the start of the second, the home fighter was up on all three scorecards.
But in the second, the tide began to shift and things became more difficult for Wang Cong. She was floored with a perfectly timed right hand, and also brought down on the end of a headkick that set up Fernandes perfectly to take it to the ground.
Within seconds, in one of the speediest turnovers of her career, Fernandes managed to take the back and lock in a rear naked choke. Wang Cong refused to tap, meaning referee Marc Goddard had to stop the contest as commentator John Gooden declared “She’s out!”
Gabriella Fernandes opens up about losing family members in emotional post-fight interview
Following the result, Fernandes seemed uncharacteristically emotional during her post-fight interview with Michael Bisping. She revealed that she had lost two close family members during the last few months, and had spent the best part of a year living in her gym.
“I’ve been living for ten months in a gym just focusing on fighting,” she explained via a translator. “I lost my father two weeks before my last fight and I lost my fight and I just lost my sister, I was not told until today and I could not see her.
“My sister told me that they didn’t want me to pull out of the fight, and that’s why they told me just before the fight. Both of my hands are hurting, my foot is hurting. Listen, I came here as an underdog, I came all the way to China and look at me now!”
Wang Cong had tried to intimidate Gabriella Fernandes with bizarre ‘Joker’ weigh-in
The build-up to the fight saw a bizarre moment at their final weigh-in on Friday. Wang Cong has become infamous for dressing up in face paint like DC comic book villain ‘The Joker’, and it was no different this time around.
The Chinese boxer appeared to ramble at her opponent, who likely couldn’t understand what was being said as they faced off. Then, Wang Cong imitated throwing a coin and made gun signs at her rival, who stood across, confused.
They eventually shook hands, but their entire face-off was an awkward affair that got people talking in social media. Almost every comment under the clip, which was viewed tens of thousands of times, appeared to back Wang Cong to win, which didn’t end up materialising.
