UFC fight of the month for October 2024: Mateusz Rębecki and Myktybek Orolbai's insane three-round bloodbath
The UFC fight of the month for October 2024 is undoubtedly Mateusz Rębecki vs. Myktybek Orolbai. The clash took place on UFC 308's preliminary card at a catchweight of 160 pounds. The matchup was initially scheduled for lightweight, but a decision was made at the weigh-ins.
This drew further attention to the bout, and fortunately for both Rębecki and Orolbai, they more than delivered. Ahead of the fight, the two lightweights had much to prove. Come fight night, they had a clash for the ages. Round one was a striking affair that culminated in Orolbai's left eye swelling to ridiculous proportions.
Check out Mateusz Rębecki vs. Myktybek Orolbai highlights:
In round two, Orolbai upped the aggression and managed to deal serious damage to Rębecki with strikes of his own, but his goal was to take the fight to the ground. Unfortunately for him, Rębecki's takedown defense was impregnable and his striking led to further damage to Orolbai's left eye.
However, Orolbai worked hard and secured a takedown, following up with vicious ground-and-pound. Regrettably, Orolbai failed to finish the fight and his eye's condition kept worsening as both men found themselves bathed in blood.
In the final round, the two men, despite being bruised and battered, never backed down. In one of the more explosive moments of an already explosive fight, Rębecki dropped Orolbai and followed up with ground-and-pound that split his foe open even more.
However, Orolbai managed to work his way back to his feet before shooting for a takedown. A scramble ensued, with both men having their moments as the fight found its way back on the feet toward the end.
Who won between Mateusz Rębecki and Myktybek Orolbai at UFC 308?
When it was all said and done, Mateus Rębecki's hand was raised by the referee. He was declared the victor via split decision. While it lacked a finish, the bout was clearly the Fight of the Night.
Even in defeat, Orolbai didn't give a poor account of himself, fighting to the bitter end. It is a bout that many hope he will learn from, especially now that the depths of his toughness have been revealed.