Julian Erosa makes most of his third stint in UFC

LAS VEGAS – Julian Erosa beat Sean Woodson with a third-round submission Saturday to open the main card at UFC on ESPN 12 in Las Vegas.

Take a look inside the fight with Erosa, who picked up his second straight submission win after a three-fight UFC skid.

Result: Julian Erosa def. Sean Woodson via submission (D’Arce choke) – Round 3, 2:44
Updated records: Erosa (24-8 MMA, 2-4 UFC), Woodson (7-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC)
Key stat: Woodson won the striking game 116-107, but Erosa landed three key takedowns.

Erosa on the fight’s key moment

“I felt he was really starting to fade. One thing I really work on is my conditioning. I ride my bike to practice and was getting ready for a fight I didn’t even have scheduled over the last six weeks. Stepping in on short notice, I was in just as good of shape as if I had a fight camp. I felt the momentum was shifting, but he dropped me and then I turned the tables. I had to do something big. In my head I told myself I had to put him on the ground and at least put an exclamation point on the round. I was able to get the finish.”

Erosa on coming back to the UFC

“This means everything to me. It was my shot to get back to where I wanted to be. Fighting regionally is not a career, it’s a hobby. This is where it’s a career. So it means everything to me.”

Erosa on what he wants next

“I moved here to Vegas three years ago and thought it was working out, but I kept getting cut from the UFC. I finally got the win tonight, so hopefully this is the beginning of a good journey here.”

To hear more from Erosa, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.