Eros Baluyot eliminated from Road to UFC by Japan's Takeru Uchida

Eros Baluyot’s campaign in the Road to UFC Season 5 came to an abrupt end on Friday after falling to Japan’s Takeru Uchida via first-round submission in their flyweight quarterfinal bout at the Galaxy Arena in Macau.

Facing a fellow Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist, the 33-year-old Filipino found himself outmuscled by his larger, younger opponent.

The 23-year-old Japanese prospect wasted no time dragging the action to the canvas. While Baluyot initially threatened with a guillotine choke, Uchida powered his way out of the danger zone to secure side control.

From there, Uchida expertly transitioned to take Baluyot’s back, sinking in a deep rear-naked choke. The former Philippine national wrestling team member was forced to tap out at the 1:18 mark of the opening round.

With the victory, Uchida advanced to the flyweight semifinals, improving his record to 9-2. Meanwhile, Baluyot absorbed the first defeat of his professional career, dropping to 7-1.

Baluyot’s exit mirrors the fate of compatriot Kimbert Alintozon, who was bounced from the bantamweight tournament yesterday by Nepal’s Rabindra Dhant.

—JKC, GMA News