MANILA, Philippines — In his return to the UFC Octagon after more than a year’s absence, Mark Striegl gave a better account of himself in a featherweight match against Chas Skelly in UFC Fight Night: Walker versus Hill at the UFC Apex.
However, the 36-year-old American caught him with an elbow to the job that rocked Striegl then followed it up with a knee to the chin that dropped the Filipino in the second round.
Knee to the face was the beginning of the end ???? #UFCVegas48 pic.twitter.com/5ppc9oS5NI
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 19, 2022
Skelly swooped in to throw some strikes before the referee pulled him away at the 2:01 mark for the win.
Skelly, in what could possibly be his last fight in the UFC, broke the stalemate with Striegl as coming into the fight. They both sported identical 18-3-0 with one no contest record.
In the first round, Striegl began the fight with some leg kicks, after which the bigger Skelly backed him up with a strike.
The American was able to force him against the fence, but Striegl fended him off.
Even when taken down to the canvas, Skelly was unable to inflict a lot of damage.
Striegl began the second round with leg kicks once more, but Skelly quickly forced him back to the fence.
The Filipino was able to break the clinch, but in close quarters, Skelly was able to land that powerful elbow that clearly rocked the former.
In his first UFC fight in 2020 against Said Nurmagomedov, Striegl was similarly dropped to the canvas but this one by a left hook before the former rained down some hammer fists.
Striegl has three more bouts on his current UFC contract.