Rodolfo Bellato’s Epic TKO of Ihor Potieria: The Ultimate Comeback of the Year

Rodolfo Bellato delivered an impressive comeback at UFC on ESPN 52 in Texas when he rallied to defeat Ihor Potieria in a thrilling finish.

In the high-paced first round of the light heavyweight division match at Moody Center, Potieria landed some heavy hits to put Bellato in a difficult spot in the early stages of the second round, almost stopping the fight.

However, refusing to give up, Bellato managed to survive and land some strikes of his own once Potieria started showing signs of exhaustion. Bellato then turned the tables with a takedown, moved to mount, and unleashed a barrage of attacks until the referee stopped the fight at the 4:17 mark of Round 2.

Check out the replay of the wild sequence here.

After earning his UFC contract through Dana White’s Contender Series, 27-year-old Bellato made an impressive debut by showcasing his instinct and determination.

“I don’t remember nothing, you know?” Bellato said in his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier. “I was knocked out over here. But I trained a lot and in my mind I never stopped. I’m so happy for my debut. I believe so much in my jiu-jitsu. When I went to the ground I feel so good. I don’t remember, but that was so good.”

Other results from UFC on ESPN 52 included:

• Rodolfo Bellato def. Ihor Potieria via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:17

• Jared Gooden def. Wellington Turman via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 1:11

• Veronica Hardy def. Jamey-Lyn Horth via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 52.

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie