Division: LightweightResult: Nasrat Haqparast def. Alexander Munoz via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Record: (6-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC)Grade: D

After fighting on Dana Whites Contender Series, then Dana White Lookin For a Fight, Alexander Munoz finally got the chance to showcase his skills in the UFC, and he certainly wasnt handed an easy first test as a UFC fighter.

Matched up with the highly-rated Nasrat Haqparast, Munoz had a tough opening assignment, but he looked to impose himself early as he charged across the cage to land an early takedown. A stray knee to the groin halted Munozs early pressure, and when the action resumed, it was Haqparast who pushed the pace.

It meant Munoz had to work off the back foot, and his habit of dropping levels in search of a takedown when under fire almost saw him tagged with a Haqparast knee as his opponent started to read his tendencies.

Despite Haqparasts apparent speed and power advantage, Munoz stayed composed and, after a pep talk from his corner, he started to load up on his shots in Round 2. However, he continued to suffer against Haqparasts faster shots and higher output and was badly rocked by a huge left hook. But he recovered well, albeit with the aid of a grab of his opponents shorts.

The third round saw Munoz attempt to punch his way into range for a takedown but was repeatedly tagged by Haqparast. On the rare occasions he did get his hands on him, Munoz saw his attempts shrugged off by his well-drilled opponent.

In the final reckoning, Haqparasts ability to nullify Munozs wrestling turned the fight into a kickboxing matchup. And, unfortunately for Munoz, he found himself second-best in the standup department. It was reflected in the scorecards, with Munoz losing all three rounds on all three cards.

After such a tough test on his debut, itll be interesting to see how Munoz bounces back in his next assignment. But what seems clear is if he wants to move up the ladder in the UFCs 155-pound division, hell need to develop his striking arsenal to help create openings for his bread and butter, his wrestling.

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