Raposo (9-3) has endured a tough start to his UFC run, dropping his first two fights since debuting last June. The New England Cartel product now heads into UFC 321 determined to right the ship.
Round 1 –
Raposo came out firing, landing big shots early and immediately putting Maksum on notice. Maksum looked to slow the pace and keep his opponent at range with kicks, but Raposo kept finding openings to unleash heavy, power-loaded punches.
The game plan for Raposo was clear, land the overhand right on the taller Maksum, though his first few attempts grazed the shoulder. Sensing the pressure, Maksum adjusted and began attacking the lead leg with calf kicks to disrupt Raposo’s forward movement.
Maksum then shot for a takedown and secured it briefly, but Raposo refused to settle. Even after Maksum laced the legs, Raposo posted and worked his way back to his feet, forcing Maksum to hang onto his back in a standing position. Maksum broke off in the final seconds of the round and swung to finish strong, but nothing clean landed before the horn.
Round 2 – Raposo opened the round with aggressive forward pressure, landing powerful right hands, one of which appeared to stun Maksum momentarily. While Maksum tried to pick his shots from the outside, Raposo’s athleticism allowed him to dart into range and land cleanly before exiting.
Continuing to trust his power, Raposo willingly risked return fire to land that right hand again. Maksum then shot for a slow telegraphed takedown, which Raposo easily saw coming and stuffed.
With momentum building, Raposo found his rhythm landing big shots and slipping out of danger with confidence. But Maksum adjusted and eventually timed a takedown, securing it on his second attempt after lacing the legs. Raposo briefly threatened an omoplata from his back, but Maksum quickly shut it down with solid defense.
Round 3 – Raposo came out firing once again, but Maksum quickly shot in and secured a takedown. Raposo worked back to his feet, only for Maksum to stay glued to him against the fence.
Maksum continued to relentlessly hunt for takedowns, lifting and dumping Raposo multiple times, but he couldn’t hold him down for long. Each time Raposo escaped, he reentered striking range and resumed throwing heavy offense.
Despite being controlled in spots, Raposo stayed busy and refused to accept positions, repeatedly forcing Maksum to stand. Maksum wasn’t offering much damage on the ground, more control than offense.
In a key moment, Raposo attacked a no-arm guillotine during a scramble when Maksum blatantly grabbed the fence, leading to a referee timeout and a point deduction.
Even with the penalty likely in his favor, Raposo didn’t coast. He stayed aggressive, even attempting a takedown of his own to flip the script. Maksum reversed it late, but Raposo stayed in the fight until the final horn.
Mitch Raposo scored his first official UFC victory.
