UFC 89: Eklund Yanks the Leash On "The Dog" Schiavo

Swedish lightweight Per Eklund (14-3-1) tapped Frenchman “Dog” Samy Schiavo (10-6) in a rear naked choke at 1:47 of the third round at UFC 89 in Birmingham Saturday night.

But, “The Dog” bit early!  Schiavo dropped Eklund with a big right hand early in round one and landed another in the second round as Eklund closed the distance to take the fight to the mat.

Eklund shook both punches off.  After the direct hit in the second-round, Eklund pulled Schivao to the mat and took his back; but, Schiavo swept to top position and ended the round landing periodic shots from the top position.

“I came into the fight too relaxed,” Eklund admitted.  “I was kind of a slow starter.  I felt he was going at me really hard and I just felt, ‘I’m going to let him go.  In the second round, he going to get tired.’”

Eklund wasted no time taking Schiavo back to the mat to begin round three; and, Schiavo, confident from the encounter in the second round, rolled to his stomach.  But, Eklund leashed his arm around “The Dog’s” neck and forced the tap.

The “W” is Eklund’s first in the Octagon, while Schiavo has come up short in both of his UFC fights.

“I twisted my ankle in the first round,” Eklund compained after the fight.  “I twisted it quite early.  I don’t know who…I mean, how.”