Mick Parkin has suffered his first defeat, but it did not come without debate, as he dropped a decision to Marcin Tybura during the UFC London preliminary card.
The first round proved to be quiet and even. Parkin took the lead in terms of strikes landed, though Tybura used his grappling to give some trouble, including a late takedown. The Englishman had complete control of the second round, however, scoring his own takedown and maintaining several minutes of top control. The previously unbeaten heavyweight, in fact, landed a series of ground-and-pound shots, nearly finishing the fight.
The third frame appeared to be similar, but a reverse of the first. This time, Tybura edged a tiring Parkin out in term of strikes. The teammate of interim heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall’s, however, scored his own late takedown on the Polish veteran before the final horn.
Marcin Tybura Scores Controversial Decision Win, Hands Mick Parkin First Loss At UFC London
All three judges gave Tybura the nod in rounds one and three, securing 29-28 scores and a win for the No. 8-ranked heavyweight.
“Tybur” has won three of four since a loss to Aspinall in July 2023.
Parkin, meanwhile, was 4-0 in the Octagon and 10-0 overall in MMA prior to UFC London. He earned a UFC contract following a win over Eduardo Neves on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022.
