Ricky Simon has a new haircut and fresh momentum.
Simon, a UFC fighter from Vancouver, cut off his trademark mullet and snapped a two-fight losing streak Wednesday. He won a split decision over Ray Borg in a bantamweight fight at UFC Fight Night in in Jacksonville, Fla.
Simon improved to 16-3 and has won nine of his past 11 fights.
His previous two fights saw him lose to UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber and a No. 10-ranked bantamweight Rob Font.
In beating Borg, Simon knocked off a fighter who vied for the UFC flyweight world title in 2017.
“I’m not here for the easy fights,” Simon said in the post-fight interview in the octagon. “I feel great. We put together a great camp with my coach.”
A former wrestler at Union High School, Simon relied on his grappling background to score seven takedowns on Borg. Simon also landed several punches in the first round.
Borg, 26, entered the fight at 13-4-0 and on a two-fight winning streak. He closed the gap with strong striking late in the second and third rounds.
Simon won 29-28, 29-28, 28-29. He said he was afraid the judges’ decision wouldn’t go his way.
“I was on a two-fight skid,” he said. “Heck yeah I was scared.”
