Rowston’s Relentless Ground Strikes Broke Brundage in Sydney
Cam Rowston stopped Cody Brundage at 4:08 of the second round at UFC 325 in Sydney on February 1, 2026, local time. The middleweight preliminary contest at Qudos Bank Arena ended when Rowston’s sustained ground attack finally penetrated Brundage’s defensive cover.
A second UFC appearance followed a successful debut
Rowston had stopped Andre Petroski in his promotional debut the previous September. Before that, he earned his UFC opportunity by finishing Brandon Holmes on Dana White’s Contender Series.
The Sydney-born City Kickboxing fighter entered seeking another successful home appearance. Brundage brought substantially more UFC experience and offered resistance during a competitive opening round.
The first five minutes did not provide a clear finishing opening
Brundage had strong moments and received the opening round on one judge’s card. Rowston nevertheless kept advancing, using his frame and consistent pressure to make the contest physically demanding.
That approach became more effective in the second. Once the action reached the floor, Rowston established a position from which he could land elbows and punches without allowing an immediate escape.
Persistent strikes forced the referee’s intervention
Brundage turned into a defensive shell, but Rowston kept finding gaps and landing. The referee stopped the fight with fifty-two seconds remaining in the round.
Rowston improved to 14–3 and 2–0 in the UFC, while Brundage fell to 11–8–1. The victory supplied a third consecutive finish across the Contender Series and UFC, extending the momentum of his transition onto the main roster.
Sources
- UFC: official results and scores
- MMA Junkie: close first round, ground finish and preceding results
- UFC: debut, Sydney background and official record
