UFC Rochester video: Julio Arce ends striking duel with highlight-reel head kick KO

There’s a good chance that Julio Arce had done enough to earn a decision win against Julian Erosa.

But Arce wasn’t interested in leaving anything to chance.

After two rounds of back-and-forth action in the opening preliminary bout of UFC Rochester on Saturday, Arce connected with clean head kick that put a swift end to the featherweight encounter.

Arce and Erosa had been trading shots on the feet for over 10 minutes by that point, but it was Arce who unloaded with a head kick in the middle of an exchange that Erosa did not see coming. The official time of the stoppage was 1:49 of round three.

This marks Arce’s third win in four UFC appearances and he bounces back from a split decision loss to Sheymon Moraes last November. He improves his overall record to 16-3.

Erosa (22-8) is still searching for his first win in his second stint with the UFC. He has now lost three straight fights.