Pat Sabatini’s ‘f*cking filltill’ is a dominant victory

LAS VEGAS — Pat Sabatini couldn’t be satisfied with his performance at the UFC in the ESPN 65 joint main event with Joanderson Brito.

Sabatini (20-5 MMA, 7-2 UFC) was the underdogs, according to the odds maker, but he certainly proved wrong as he controlled Brito (17-5-1 MMA, 5-3 UFC) for 15 minutes. He scored a 10-8 score from one of the official judges in the final round.

“I’m excited, I’m really excited,” Sabatini told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a postwar press conference. “…It’s great to win against such a dangerous opponent who beat Diego Lopez. It was my last loss. It shows what I’m doing. I’m going in the right direction and my motivation to continue climbing.”

Brito never had the chance to go. From the start of the battle to the final horn, Sabatini suffocated Briton with a grappling and dictated almost every minute of the battle on earth. It wasn’t all common tactics either. Sabatini was also causing damage to the ground.

It was a performance that raised Sabatini’s confidence to new heights. So he made a bold declaration of his skills on the ground.

“I don’t know where it started, but I actually started saying it, and I’ll say it again. The closer I get to you, the more dangerous I am,” Sabatini said. “I really feel in my heart and mind that I am the best grappler in the entire department.”

Sabatini scored two straight lines after being stopped by Lopez. Lopez is fighting Alexander Volkanovsky for the vacant featherweight title at UFC 314.

“I just want to keep climbing,” Sabatini said. “Obviously I want to be a UFC champion. I think I’m on that route. I know I’m on that route. I just want to keep climbing. I want a number next to my name.”

For more information about the card, see the MMA Junkie event hub for UFC on ESPN 65.