CHICAGO – He didn’t get a stoppage, however for Goiti Yamauchi, his PFL debut win was every part he wished.
Yamauchi, a long-time Bellator contender, made his PFL debut this Friday, defeating Neiman Gracie in a rematch as a part of the opening bouts of the welterweight season at 2024 PFL 3. Yamauchi (29-6) beat Gracie (12-5) by unanimous choice, incomes him three factors within the season.
Some might even see the win as not the best-case situation, given {that a} end would’ve awarded Yamauchi extra factors, but it surely was excellent for Yamauchi.
“Wow, it was actually good to be again,” Yamauchi mentioned in his post-fight interview. “It is a battle that I wanted, the type of win that was actually good for me, and to be again within the cage and get this win after this severe damage. I couldn’t have requested for a greater end result tonight, and I’m actually pleased.”
This was Yamauchi’s first battle since struggling that wild knee damage in his TKO loss to Michael Web page in March 2023. It was one of the vital weird and worst accidents seen in MMA that 12 months.
Trying to make it to the 2024 PFL welterweight ultimate to get an opportunity to turn out to be champion and win the $1 million prize, Yamauchi’s predominant focus is successful, but in addition staying injury-free within the course of. That’s why he’s very pleased along with his displaying towards Gracie.
“You must take a brand new strategy and a brand new technique as a result of it’s all about being wholesome until the tip of the match,” Yamauchi defined. “In fact, we wished the six factors, but it surely’s exhausting to cope with this new factor within the PFL. Generally you get a harder opponent or somebody who’s exhausting to complete, like Neiman. Neiman is so exhausting to complete. No person however me has completed him. Neiman is a tricky man, and it’s exhausting to complete him, however thank God I may get the win.”
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