Josh Emmett is a legit threat at featherweight.
UFC Featherweight Ricardo Lamas was set to face Jose Aldo at UFC 218. But when Aldo answered the call to step in for a rematch with division champ Max Holloway, Lamas was left without a dance partner… until Josh Emmett stepped in to face him in the co-main event of UFC on FOX 26 on Saturday night.
Emmett achieved a frightening first round knockout, and was more than happy to divulge the secrets of his approach at the post-fight press conference.
“We’ve been breaking down Lamas’ style and I’ve had two teammates and a coach that have fought him, so that really played well into my favor as well. I was hoping to lure him into my game, and that’s like an all-out brawl where I can roll and land punches or if I could drag him in, coming in I could catch him with that check hook.
“He threw the leg kick, he was trying to beat up my shins — it seems like everyone is trying to do that now since the (Jeremy) Stephens and (Gilbert) Melendez fight — so I ate that to throw an overhand right and just came back with that check hook and found the chin.”
To his credit, Lamas seemed to be doing an excellent job of not getting drawn in to a brawl. His movements looked clean and efficient compared to Emmett’s. But the advantage of throwing hard is that sometimes you only need to land one.
In fact, the knockout was so severe that Emmett said it dampened his own rush of excitement:
“It’s a little tough to watch. Afterwards I was really excited that I got the win of course, but then when I see him down there still, and you know, he’s got a wife and kids,” he said. “You know, his family is here so I wish that on nobody. I can’t really celebrate too much when I see something like that.”
Emmett missed weight for this fight, and along with sacrificing a portion of his purse, the failure also cost him any chance at a performance bonus. Appreciative of the opportunity afforded him by Lamas, Emmet seemed open to the proposition of a rematch.
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