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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Matt Erickson and Abbey Subhan

Jai Herbert did anything he had to do to beat Kyle Nelson at UFC London

LONDON – Jai Herbert isn’t really concerned with what anyone thought of his UFC Fight Night 208 performance – particularly Kyle Nelson.

Herbert (12-4 MMA, 2-3 UFC) took a unanimous decision from Nelson (13-5 MMA, 1-4 UFC) on the preliminary card at The O2 in London on Saturday. Herbert took the fight with a trio of 29-28 scores.

Considering he needed to get back in the win column after a knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at the same venue in March, the Brit said he was happy for 15 minutes of work to show himself a thing or two.

“I’m glad I got the three rounds. I literally wanted the three rounds,” Herbert said at his post-fight news conference. “Obviously, I want a quick finish. But I was saying to myself, ‘Pray for three rounds. You need to go in there and get three rounds.’ I needed to have that discipline for three rounds and prove to myself I can do three rounds and stay disciplined throughout the whole fight.

“I’m so happy the fight went the way it did. That is 100 times better, for me, than getting a first-round, 10-second knockout. That is what I needed to progress my career.”

Herbert said after the bout, Nelson threw some punches after the final bell – which he chalked up to frustration with how the action went and that it didn’t play out in what was a typical fan-friendly fight.

“He was frustrated, obviously, because he knew I won the round, and he probably assumed I was going to come here to swing it out with him,” Herbert said. “… I came here to be professional and get the victory. I didn’t come here for a bonus. I came here to get the ‘W,’ and that’s what I had to do.”

Check out Herbert’s full post-fight interview in the video above.

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