Canada's Cirkunov suffers UFC submission loss

Canadian middleweight Misha Cirkunov was submitted by Brazil's Wellington (The Prodigy) Turman in the second round of the co-main event of a UFC Fight Night card Saturday.

Cirkunov, a Latvian-born Torontonian who fights out of Las Vegas, won the first round on all three judges' cards. But Turman caught him with a nasty armbar, forcing a quick tap at one minute 29 seconds of the second round.

The main event at the UFC's Apex production facility saw Russia's Islam Makhachev, ranked fourth among lightweight contenders, stop American Bobby Green via TKO at 3:23 of the first round.

The fight was contested at a catchweight of 160 pounds with Green, a short-notice replacement for the injured Beneil Dariush. Makhachev (22-1-0) weighed it at 160 while Green (29-13-1) was 158.

After his 10th straight win, Makhachev asked for a lightweight title fight at 155 pounds.

At six foot three, the 34-year-old Cirkunov had a three-inch height and five-inch reach advantage over the 25-year-old Turman in a battle of Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts.

Cirkunov connected with some powerful punches and kicks early but Turman took his back at the fence, attaching himself like a leech and looking for a choke on his standing opponent. Cirkunov held on to one of Turman's wrists to avoid the choke.

Turman worked his hand free and got the choke. It looked bad until Cirkunov grabbed a leg and slid the Brazilian off him, hammering the floored Brazilian. Cirkunov grabbed Turman's neck as he tried to escape, looking for a choke before the round ended.

The fighters clinched at the fence to start the second, before Cirkunov used his judo background to trip Turman. But seconds later, with Cirkunov in top position Turman threw his legs up over Cirkunov's head,