*Karo Parisyan (18-5) defeated Ryo Chonan (14-8) via unanimous decision.
The fact Parisyan apologized for his performance afterward speaks volumes about this fight. Parisyan was a step ahead of Chonan throughout the first round and continued to hold an advantage in the second, although his nose was slightly bloodied by a Chonan punch. The bout remained lackluster throughout the third round, with all three judges ultimately giving Parisyan a 30-27 decision.
"The most important thing is I got the win, but I didn't perform my best today," Parisyan said. "I had some personal issues in my personal life. ... Next time, it will be better. I could have shown a more exciting fight."
Making his UFC debut, Chonan scored a 2004 submission victory over UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva while fighting for PRIDE. UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture worked in Parisyan's corner, making his first UFC appearance since announcing plans last month to quit the promotion.
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