Nikita Krylov vs Soa Palelei — Fight recap

Soa Palelei defeated Nikita Krylov by TKO in the third round at 2:34, showcasing superior grappling control in their light heavyweight bout on August 31, 2013. Despite Krylov's striking efficiency—landing 45 of 68 significant strikes at 66% accuracy with 37 head strikes—Palelei's wrestling dominance proved decisive.

Palelei successfully executed all four takedown attempts and controlled the cage for 7:36 compared to Krylov's 2:19, dictating the fight's tempo and positioning. While Krylov attempted two submissions and landed cleaner strikes overall, Palelei's relentless ground pressure and clinch work wore him down, culminating in a stoppage that underscored the effectiveness of his grappling-heavy approach against a striker-oriented opponent.

The victory established Palelei as a dangerous heavyweight prospect capable of neutralizing technical strikers through wrestling-based control.