Navajo Stirling says Ion Cutelaba didn’t quit after UFC finish

Navajo Stirling provided insight into his second-round finish of Ion Cutelaba at their recent UFC bout, crediting a devastating liver shot rather than a lack of heart from his opponent. While the sequence appeared as though Cutelaba quit after Stirling reversed a takedown and unleashed strikes, Stirling revealed the real culprit: a flush left knee to the body that preceded the final takedown.

Stirling explained that he landed the liver shot just before Cutelaba completed the takedown. After securing his grip, Cutelaba let out a loud gasp approximately two seconds into the takedown, his body went limp, and he lost control of the position. "I've got a lot of body shot finishes, so I know the delayed reaction that you get," Stirling said. The undefeated Kiwi noted that Cutelaba didn't surrender—his body simply stopped responding to the damage. "If I sink a left knee to your liver, you're not gonna be able to move."

Stirling, who improved to 10-0, will make a quick 40-day turnaround to face former UFC light heavyweight titleholder Jan Blachowicz at UFC Belgrade on August 1 in Serbia. He accepted the matchup on short notice after Blachowicz's original opponent was rebooked elsewhere.