Kimbert Alintozon falls to Rabindra Dhant in Road to UFC quarterfinals

Filipino fighter Kimbert Alintozon fell short in his bid to earn a UFC contract on Thursday evening in Day 1 of the Road to UFC Season 5 at the Galaxy Arena in Macau, China.

The 27-year-old lost to Nepal’s Rabindra Dhant via second-round technical knockout during the bantamweight tournament quarterfinals.

Alintozon, who entered the bout as a late replacement, fell victim to Dhant’s superior grappling in the second round. The Nepali fighter landed an uppercut before quickly closing the distance, dragging the smaller Alintozon to the canvas with a well-timed takedown.

The native of Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental showed grit by surviving the initial barrage, but eventually succumbed to the accumulated damage from Dhant’s relentless ground-and-pound attack.

With just 23 seconds remaining in the round, referee Mark Craig stepped in to call for the stoppage.

Despite entering as the biggest betting underdog on the card at +470, Alintozon’s performance in the opening period hardly reflected the odds. The Filipino prospect found success on the feet and gave the Matrix Fight Night bantamweight champ problems during the striking exchanges. The momentum only shifted once the fight hit the ground.

Dhant, who now holds a 9-1 record, became the first Nepali fighter to advance to the semifinals of Road to UFC. Meanwhile, the Alpha One standout dropped to 7-4.

Another Filipino prospect will take center stage on Friday as Eros Baluyot faces Japan's Takeru Uchida in the quarterfinals of the flyweight bracket.

—JKC, GMA News