UFC Vegas 11 video: Tyson Nam scores second straight stoppage win

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

For the second time in three months, Tyson Nam used his right hand to stop his opponent in a highlight-reel performance at UFC Vegas 11 on Saturday night.

Nam put Jerome Rivera down with his preferred punch just 34 seconds into the second round of their preliminary-card opener, utilizing the same setup that netted him his first octagon win in June.

Check out the finish.

Rivera spent much of the first round trying to dodge Nam’s hammer, and he utilized leg kicks to keep distance. A few times, Nam was able to crack him with shots to the solar plexus and head, but he managed to stay away from danger.

Nam didn’t stop looking for openings, though, and when Rivera threw a leg kick, he pounced. Unlike a previous knockout of Zarrukh Adashev in June, he needed to finish things off with a few more shots. But it wasn’t long before ref Chris Tognoni intervened.

Afterward, Nam took a shot at a previously scheduled opponent while setting his sights high in the bantamweight division.

“I really want to fight Joseph Benavidez,” Nam said. “Matt Schnell couldn’t make weight on 10 weeks’ notice, and I don’t think if we schedule it again, he’ll be able to make weight. Joe B, he’s a legend. We share a common opponent, and we’re almost the same age, so that would feel great to fight him.”

That common opponent is Sergio Pettis, who beat Benavidez and Nam via decision. Benavidez has said he wants to fight and win once more after a fourth failed bid for the flyweight title. Perhaps Nam can convince Benavidez to fight at 135 pounds, his longtime weight class in the now-defunct WEC.

Nam has now picked up back-to-back wins after setbacks against Pettis and Kai Kara-France, while Contender Series vet Rivera stumbles in his debut.