UFC 195 is in the books, and while everybody is talking about the epic five round affair between Carlos Condit and Robbie Lawler in the event headliner, the rest of the card did not disappoint.
As Joe Rogan aptly called it, Albert Tumenov vs Lorenz Larkin was the “sleeper fight.” Both guys are on the cusp of emerging as dark horse contenders in the welterweight division, and this matchup was destined to be a striking clinic and a spectacle for any fan of the standup.
Rogan also noted that Tumenov would likely have the boxing advantage, with Larkin holding the kicking advantage. Their respective advantages became increasingly apparent as the fight progressed, with “Da Monsoon” landing dozens of vicious leg kicks to Tumenov’s lead leg, forcing him to change stances several times throughout the fight.
Tumenov, Larkin Put on a Show
Larkin’s strategy was simple: decimate Tumenov’s lead leg (diminishing the Russian’s thunderous striking power), and use lateral movement to set up his pinpoint counter-striking.
Tumenov, on the other hand, used forward pressure and diverse boxing combinations, on several occasions setting up his right high kick, which he deftly hides behind his straight right. It was one of these combinations that ended Alan Jouban’s night early, sending him crashing face first into the canvas with authority. Tumenov has dangerous power, and had Larkin badly hurt on multiple occasions.
Lorenz Larkin used a broad variety of striking attacks that put on a show for the fans in Las Vegas, even landing consecutive spinning heel kicks to the upper calf of Tumenov. It was the creativity of Larkin’s striking arsenal that drew audible responses from the crowd, which was thoroughly engaged in the back-and-forth standup affair.
Albert Tumenov also landed a number of beautiful lead left hooks to the body of Larkin before going back upstairs with more hooks and lead uppercuts. By the second half of the third round, both fighters left it all in the cage and went after the finish. Larkin definitely has a flashier style, but it was “Einstein” who has a more well-rounded game. Larkin is fun and exciting to watch, but he will most likely hit a wall in the upper echelon of the welterweight division, mostly due to the holes in his wrestling and his ground game.
Albert Tumenov emerged victorious with a split decision win over Lorenz “da Monsoon” Larkin. At only 24 years of age, and with a well-rounded game and dangerous KO power in both hands and feet, the sky is the limit for the young Russian.
What do you think, folks? Will “Einstein” live up to his nickname and use his high fight IQ to break the top 10 in 2016? He most certainly has the potential. Maybe a match-up against Rick Story, or perhaps Dong Hyun Kim would serve up a challenge for this new breed of talent.
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