UFC 262 Prelims Fighters to Watch: Giagos, Wright, and Muniz Impress

Although the fight card was not overly stacked, the prelims featured an armbar that led to a broken arm, a submission worthy of $75k, “The Beverly Hills Ninja” returning with a vengeance, and more. As the dust now settles from this unpredictable UFC event, three winners from the UFC 262 prelims stood out with their dominating finishes!

Christos Giagos Starts the UFC 262 Prelims With a D’Arce Choke Worth $75k

Christos Giagos had a long journey before recently finding success in the UFC. Giagos originally signed with the UFC in 2014 when he lost two of three fights. Unfortunately, the UFC decided to part ways with Giagos until he gained more experience. Giagos continued to work hard and ultimately found himself resigned to the UFC in 2018. He started off his second UFC tenure with a submission loss to current UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira. Since losing to Oliveira, Giagos had won three out of four fights before fighting on the UFC 262 prelims.

Luckily for Giagos, he started the UFC 262 prelims with a beautiful D’arce choke that left Sean Soriano unconscious. Not only was this Giagos’s fourth win in six fights, but his submission was worthy of $75,000 from the UFC as a performance bonus. Giagos made the most of this opportunity with a superb display of well-rounded skills. He now finds himself with two straight wins as he takes the next step towards being a ranked lightweight. The 31-year old has a long way to go in this shark-infested division, but it will not be the first time this savage has faced adversity.

Jordan Wright Bounces Back From His First Loss

Jordan “The Beverly Hills Ninja” Wright has one of the best nicknames in the UFC. Wright backs his nickname up with unbelievable striking that has led to his 12-1 record. Before joining the UFC last year, Wright was 10-0 with nine first-round finishes. Wright rode that momentum into his UFC debut after being signed in 2020. He finished Ike Villanueva in the first-round by KO and proved that he belonged in the UFC. Unfortunately, Wright lost his second UFC fight by KO against the always dangerous Joaquin Buckley. The Beverly Hills Ninja was forced to go back to the drawing board and make adjustments before returning on Saturday night.

Wright not only got the win, but he came out and put the entire division on notice. He was aggressive as soon as the fight started and managed to put Jamie Pickett down quickly. Once Wright knocked him down, he ensured Pickett would not get back up by finishing him with brutal ground and pound. Wright could have easily won a performance bonus, but the fight card was filled with mind-blowing performances. It will be interesting to see how Wright progresses as he gains experience and climb the UFC middleweight rankings.

Andre Muniz Ends the UFC 262 Prelims by Snapping Jacare’s Arm

The UFC 262 prelims ended with the latest addition to this year’s collection of visibly broken bones. Before discussing the gruesome injury, we must discuss how Andre Muniz got her. Muniz bounced around the regional scene before fighting on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2018. Before fighting on DWCS, Muniz had built up a 16-4 record with fifteen wins by finish. Muniz was able to get the win on DWCS by unanimous decision but ultimately was not signed by the UFC.

He took off a year to improve and returned to DWCS in 2019. Muniz made the most of this second opportunity with a first-round finish to earn his UFC contract. Since being signed by the UFC, Muniz had won both of his fights going into the UFC 262 prelims.

Muniz received a step up in competition with a matchup against grappling legend Jacare Souza. They were going back-and-forth until Muniz found himself in a position to go for an armbar late in the first round. Muniz locked in the submission and gave Souza the opportunity to tap. Unfortunately, Souza did not tap and Muniz was forced to snap his arm. Needless to say, this was another performance that could have easily won a performance bonus. Although Muniz did not get the $75k bonus, he was able to display his skills on a massive platform once again. Muniz now finds himself one step closer to fighting for the UFC middleweight championship.

What did you think of the UFC 262 prelims card? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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