Andre Fili Edges Out Artem Lobov as Conor McGregor Yells Cageside

Artem Lobov and Andre Fili’s history goes back to The Ultimate Fighter 22. It was coached by his friend Conor McGregor, who was there in Poland to support his right hand man. It was Team Alpha Male squaring off against Straight Blast Gym with guy who first dethrone Jose Aldo watching it all unfold. Not just in the stands mind you, but pacing around and screaming on the cageside floor. Both Lobov and Fili aren’t ones to take a step back in fights, so you knew it was going to be a scrap.

Coach @TheNotoriousMMA. 😏 #UFCGdansk pic.twitter.com/MbEiD7HpCi

— UFC (@ufc) October 21, 2017

#UFCGdansk pic.twitter.com/uDC1L3Xfth

— Jonnyboy (@Jonnyboy_6969) October 21, 2017

The eyebrow of The Russian Hammer got split open two minutes in, but it didn’t stop him from matching forward. He’d take three punches to land one left straight, but he’d make it count. Andre Fili was frustrating Lobov with his long reach and constant movement. Eventually, Lobov started making Fili pay with left kicks to the body as Fili tried to shift away. But at the end of the first round, Fili completely floored Lobov with a head kick that looked like the fight would be finished. Not to be counted out, Artem Lobov ended the round on his feet with his arms outstretched like it was just an afternoon stroll.

OH!

The head kick from @TouchyFili drops Lobov! #UFCGdansk pic.twitter.com/4WoDwndsMn

— UFC (@ufc) October 21, 2017

“My bad, my bad” 😂#UFCGdansk @TheNotoriousMMA pic.twitter.com/IRjOMKPNtC

— UFC (@ufc) October 21, 2017

It was more of the same in the second round and the third round, besides Marc Goddard stopping action to scold Conor McGregor from being unprofessional at cageside. Andre Fili outworked Artem Lobov and exploited openings progressively better and better as the fight unfolded. There’s a possibility that Lobov wasn’t exactly the same after that stiff head kick in the first either. Andre Fili offered up and inspirational speech with his win, but not before taking a dig at the ‘$10,000 suit wearing’ Conor McGregor.

Fili: We gotta start treating each other like human beings. There’s only one race — the human race. We need to take care of each other.

— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) October 21, 2017

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 10/21/2017.