ARTEM Lobov picked up the biggest win of his UFC career, and celebrated with his friend and training partner, two-weight world champion Conor McGregor.
It was a big night for ‘The Russian Hammer’ Artem Lobov, as he delivered the best performance of his UFC career amid wild scenes at the SSE Arena in Belfast.
Lobov outpointed Japanese prospect Teruto Ishihara after three rounds that saw the pair go toe to toe throughout.
But while it was a competitive contest, Lobov held the upper hand in all three rounds, eventually running out a decision winner on all three of the judges’ scorecards.
Two judges gave Lobov all three rounds, with the other scoring it two to one in favour of The Russian Hammer, as he claimed the most significant – and impressive – win of his UFC career to date.
After the fight, an ecstatic Conor McGregor leapt from his seat at Octagonside and jumped over the cage wall and into the Octagon to embrace his teammate.
And when UFC commentator Dan Hardy interrupted the celebrations to try to get a word with the victor, Lobov grabbed the microphone and simply shouted: “THE HAMMER IS BACK!”
After the contest, he explained how much the win meant to him, saying: “The Irish fans, and the Russians, support me through thick and thin.
“Many of them supported me despite the losses and I owed them this one. I owed them a good fight.
“I wanted to put a cherry on the cake and get a knockout, but next time. I swear to God, next time I’m going to get that KO.
“I was surprised I didn’t knock him out. I caught him a few times and I felt his legs wobble, but he stayed in there. The Japanese are tough, they are samurais, so arigato.
“I’m confident going in there against anyone. You can put a tiger in there with me because Conor (McGregor) gives me that confidence from facing him for many, many years and I’m still here and I’m still pretty.
“Like I’ve said since day one, anyone, anytime, anyplace. I’ve been that way since day one and I’ll stay that way until the end.”
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