Adrian Yanez went back to his original game plan at UFC 329. |
📷: Getty/UFC

Adrian
Yanez says his coach was instrumental at both keeping him out
of danger and finding the finish in his return to winning ways in
the
Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Yanez took on Cody
Garbrandt in a bantamweight matchup at
UFC 329 in Las Vegas. After trading punches in the early
moments, Yanez knocked out the former bantamweight champion with a
crisp combo less than three minutes into the first round.

While Yanez was previously doing his training camps between
different gyms, he has settled at Fortis
MMA in Dallas since last year. He credits his head coach,
Sayif
Saud, for his win over Garbrandt.

Adrian Yanez reveals the advice from Sayif Saud that changed
the Cody Garbrandt fight

When Garbrandt initially came out all guns blazing, Yanez
instinctively wanted to stand and trade with him. However, he then
heard Saud's distinct voice guiding him back to his game plan. He
reveals that he also went for the finishing sequence on Saud's
instruction.

“Honestly, for me, it's the coaching… Since I started working with
coach Sayif, hearing his voice, it's so distinct, you can hear it
through any crowd,†Yanez said in a post-fight interview. “So as
soon I heard, ‘Move, get out of there, don't. Stop.' I was like,
‘Yes, you're right, coach. I'm being an idiot right now.'… He hit
me with that first flurry and I was like, ‘I'm gonna bite down and
fight.' Then I was like, ‘Wait, this is exactly what he wants.'
Right as I skidded out, coach Sayif told me to get back on the
plan. And as soon as coach Sayif called for it, I went for it, I
landed it, and I got the knockout.â€

Yanez (18-6) returned after a 15-month layoff this past March, when
he fought Ricky Simon
to a majority draw. The win over Garbrandt (15-8) marked Yanez's
first win in two years. Meanwhile, “No Love†has now dropped three
of his last four outings.

Damian Pinas upped his record to 10-1 at UFC 329. | 📷:
Getty/UFC

Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight Damian
Pinas says he is in no hurry to finish his fights, although
they usually end early.

Pinas took on Cesar
Almeida at
UFC 329 in Las Vegas. After a back-and-forth striking battle,
Pinas floored his opponent with a vicious right hand. While Almeida
appeared to be out, the referee waited for another right hand from
Pinas before stepping in.

Damian Pinas explains why another first-round UFC finish wasn’t
the plan

While Pinas is known for his signature jab-cross combination, he
believes he displayed a more versatile arsenal at UFC 329. This
marked Pinas' second first-round finish in as many UFC outings and
third, including his
Dana White's Contender Series win last year.

However, “The Baba Yaga†claims he is in no hurry to finish fights.
According to Pinas, he is ready for three-round matches, although
his opponents usually go down when he touches them. The 24-year-old
says he is naturally patient with everything in life.

“I showed them that I can do more than they know,†Pinas said in a
post-fight interview. “Some people see the video; they think,
‘Damian is a striker, just a simple 1-2.' I can do whatever I want.
I just throw my 1-2 because it's the easiest way to put them out…
I'm not here to finish fights early; it just happens. I don't do
it; it just happens. I'm ready to fight three-round fights. But
when I touch them, they get out. I naturally am patient with
everything. I'm a chill guy.â€

Pinas (10-1) has gone past the first round only twice in his 10
career wins. Meanwhile, Almeida (7-3) is now on a two-fight slump
and 3-3 in the UFC.

Farid Basharat said he was compromised going into UFC 329. | 📷:
Getty/UFC

Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight Farid
Basharat never considered pulling out of
UFC 329 despite suffering an injury just weeks ahead of his
bout.

Basharat was originally scheduled to fight Ethyn Ewing
at UFC 329 on Saturday in Las Vegas. However, Ewing pulled out due
to an undisclosed injury and was replaced by promotional debutant
John
Garza on six days' notice.

Farid Basharat discloses two leg injuries he suffered while
training for UFC 329

While Basharat was as high as a -700 favorite on some sportsbooks,
Garza gave the Afghan-born Brit a run for his money. Basharat
eventually won by a closely-contested unanimous decision. He
subsequently revealed that he tore his MCL just three weeks ahead
of UFC 329.

However, “Ferocious,†who is admittedly sometimes too tough for his
own good, never considered pulling out of the fight.

“Three weeks before the fight, I tore my meniscus and my MCL,â€
Basharat said in a post-bout interview. “In the last three weeks,
if you go back to some of the fight week footage, I've either got a
knee brace on, I'm limping, or I'm warming up extensively.
Sometimes I need to be protected from my own toughness. I didn't
think for a second to pull out.â€

As for Ewing pulling out due to an injury, Basharat (16-0) wants to
give him the benefit of the doubt. The undefeated 135-pounder now
has seven UFC wins to his name. Meanwhile, 23-year-old Garza (6-2)
showed that he belongs even with little notice.