Featherweights Jonathan Brookins (12-3, 1-0 UFC) and Eric Koch (12-1, 1-0 UFC) face off on the main card of UFC Fight Night 25. The fight aired live on Spike TV.
Koch trains under the kickboxing legend Duke Roufus and has added a dangerous knock out threat to his submission skills. In addition to his UFC win, Koch had a 3-1 record in the WEC before that promotion was absorbed by the UFC.
Brookins is a winner of The Ultimate Fighter reality show tournament.
Round 1: Koch opens with a leg kick and Brookins immediately shoots in for a take down. Koch sprawls. Brookins landing shots in the clinch. Knee, elbow. More elbows in the clinch. Koch gets free. Immediately scores with punches in bunches and a leg kick. More combos from Koch. Brookins forces the clinch, working for a take down. Koch staying on his feet. Punching Brookins in the clinch. Elbow from Brookins. MMA Nation scores it 10-9 for Koch based on damage.
Round 2: Kock scores first with the leg kick. Brookins goes for a take down. No dice. Combination from Koch. Another and another. Punches and kicks scoring for Koch. Brookins gets him down but Koch is right back up. Repeat. Brookins ends up mounted after a wild scramble. Brookins scrambles free and back to their feet. Clinch. Break. Koch firing and landing at will. Brookins gets him down. Koch upkicks, gets back up. MMA Nation scores it 10-9 Koch.
Round 3: They stay at range early on. Brookins can't clinch, can't get the take down. Jabs from Koch. Brookins forces a clinch. Koch gets free. Kicks high and low from Koch. Brookins throws Koch but Koch springs right back up. Brookins forces a clinch but scores no blows. MMA Nation scores it 10-9 Koch.
Judges agree, UD for Koch.
Erik Koch defeats Jonathan Brookins by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27).