Video: ‘TUF 14’ Winner Diego Brandao Smokes Vener Galiev in FNG 67 Main Event
Diego Brandao continues to rebuild his career after being released from the Ultimate Fighting Championship in January 2016. The Brazilian travelled across the Atlantic for the second time this year to compete inside the Fight Night Global cage and so far, his transition to the Russian promotion has been excellent.
Brandao, the winner of The Ultimate Fighter Season 14, smoked Vener Galiev in just 39 seconds on Thursday in the main event of FNG 67 in Sverdlovsk, Russia. After the two lightweights sized each other up for half a minute, “Ceara” blasted his Russian counterpart with a sweeping overhand right. The punched felled Galiev, who quickly recovered by butt-scooting toward the cage. However, when Brandao charged in and tried to pass his woozy foe’s guard, Galiev rolled over onto his right side, but the UFC veteran crushed him with a follow-up punches to the head, knocking him completely out.
Galiev holds victories over the likes of former Bellator MMA and M-1 Global champion Alexander Shlemenko and Strikeforce veteran Ryan Healy.
Brandao has gone 2-0 for FNG thus far. He submitted Murad Machaev via second-round armbar at FNG 58 in January.
Throughout his UFC career, Brandao, who was the first Brazilian to win a season of TUF, scored wins over Dennis Bermudez and Daniel Pineda, while losing to noteworthy foes such as Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor. He also racked up three post-fight bonuses while competing inside the Octagon.