Trinidad Stops Ornelas To Top Z01 Prelims
It took until the fifth bout of the night for someone to hit the canvas on the Z01 card. Featherweight Omar Trinidad stunned Max Ornelas with a swift jab in the second round, followed by a left hook in the third, causing blood to pour from Ornelas' nose. Ornelas survived the third but was again dropped by a counter left near the end of the round. Surprisingly, Ornelas seemed to take the fourth round as Trinidad appeared to ease up. However, in the 9th, Ornelas threw a right hand that dislocated his shoulder, prompting an immediate stoppage by referee Thomas Taylor. The fight ended at :30 of the 10th round. Trinidad's record improves to 20-0-2 with 14 KOs, while Ornelas falls to 17-3-1 with 3 KOs. This marks the first stoppage in Zuffa boxing history.
Bantamweights Floyd Diaz and Guillermo Gutierrez engaged in a hard-fought battle over eight rounds. Gutierrez was rocked in the second but held on. Despite being out of the ring for 16 months due to a wrist injury and legal issues, Diaz's intermittent and wild output was evident. Gutierrez maintained a solid and consistent effort. The judges' decision: 79-73 for Diaz, who moves to 14-0 with 3 KOs. Gutierrez's record drops to 13-3 with 1 KO.
In a six-round lightweight bout, Robert Meriwether III dominated Cesar Correa. Meriwether showcased superior hand speed, power, and skill level, sending Correa's mouthpiece flying in the second round. Correa displayed heart and guts despite being outclassed. Meriwether didn't get discouraged, even when Correa landed combinations. The judges' verdict: 60-54 (twice) and 59-55, all for Meriwether III, now 10-0 with 4 KOs. Correa's record drops to 5-0 with 4 KOs.
The highly touted amateur star Troy Nash faced undefeated Jaycob Ramos in the first fight under Zuffa boxing at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas. Despite being labeled as lightweights due to their weight, Ramos showed incredible competitiveness, coming forward and matching Nash's output. Ramos focused on body shots, but Nash's superior skills prevailed. The judges' decision: 59-55 (twice) and 58-52, all for Nash, who moves to 6-0-1 with 1 KO, while Ramos falls to 4-0 with 1 KO.
