Kicks once again were the difference for Tarec Saffiedine.
The former Strikeforce champion made a triumphant return from an extended layoff, as he claimed a unanimous verdict from Jake Ellenberger at UFC on Fox 18 “Johnson vs. Bader” on Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. In his first appearance since Oct. 4, 2014, Saffiedine (16-4, 2-1 UFC) swept the scorecards with 29-28 nods from all three judges.
The notoriously heavy-handed Ellenberger (30-11, 9-7 UFC) rocked the Belgian twice -- a sweeping right hook did the damage in the first round and a short left hook did the honors in the waning seconds of the third -- but was otherwise ineffective.