Hyun Gyu Lim goes all 5 rounds in UFC Fight Night 34

Hyun Gyu Lim may not return to a normal gait for quite some time. Such was the price of a five-round encounter with Tarec Saffiedine.

Saffiedine unleashed a merciless stream of leg kicks and survived a harrowing fifth-round exchange, as he captured a unanimous decision over the Korean Top Team export in the UFC Fight Night 34 main event on Saturday at the Marina Bay Sands in Marina Bay, Singapore. All three judges saw it for Saffiedine, casting 49-46, 48-47 and 48-47 scores in his favor.

Lim seemed to gain an early advantage with his relentless forward movement and a stout counter right hand. However, Saffiedine slowly took control, and by the third round, he had reduced the South Korean to one good leg, limiting his movement and sapping his punching power. Lim, who hit the deck more than once in the 25-minute scrap, made one final stand in the fifth round, where he set the former Strikeforce champion on shaky legs with a couple of knee strikes and a wild punching burst. Saffiedine, though clearly dazed, mustered enough resolve to close the distance and maintain a clinch until the horn sounded.

Saffiedine may soon become the matchup no one wants at 170 pounds, particularly in a five-round fight, where his measured approach and surgical skills serve him well. The 27-year-old Belgian was originally paired with Jake Ellenberger before a hamstring injury forced the world-ranked welterweight to withdraw. A showdown with “The Juggernaut” appears to make even more sense now that Saffiedine has his feet planted firmly beneath him inside the Octagon.

The loss halted Lim’s seven-fight winning streak but made his presence in the division no less welcome. His size, aggressive nature and refusal to yield will make him a fighter worth watching over the next several years, especially with the Ultimate Fighting Championship delving more deeply into the Asian market. For now, he figures to return to the regular rotation, perhaps against the loser of the forthcoming UFC 171 clash between Rick Story and “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 17 winner Kelvin Gastelum on March 15.

via Matches to Make After UFC Fight Night 34.