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Robert Valentin secured his first UFC victory by submitting Julien Leblanc in the first round at UFC Fight Night 273 in Winnipeg. The win brought an emotional response from Valentin after a challenging start to his UFC career.
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Robert Valentin had his back against the wall at UFC Fight Night 273 and didn't lay down against a hunger octagon newcomer in Julien Leblanc.
After losing his first three appearances with the promotion, Valentin (11-6 MMA, 1-3 UFC) finally got hi first victory on the sport's biggest stage with a first-round submission of Leblanc (10-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in the middleweight bout at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Valentin got Leblanc to the mat very early, took the back and worked mightily for the rear-naked choke, securing it and forcing the tap at the 2:22 mark of Round 1. The Swiss fighter immediately became overwhelmed with emotion.
Check out the replay of the finish below (via X):
After the fight, all of Valentin's feelings came out as he delivered a powerful and emotional monologue in his post-fight interview with Paul Felder.
"I never cry, but I dedicate this fight to my mom," Valentin said. "She died during my last fight week and I know she's watching me. I love you. I worked so hard to get this first win in the UFC, and I want to thank everyone who stood by me when I was down. ... We've been through so much. I cannot express how I feel right now. Always believe in yourself and keep working."
Robert Valentin won the fight by submission in the first round, marking his first victory in the UFC.
Robert Valentin secured his first UFC win on March 18, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 273.
Robert Valentin was overwhelmed with emotion and delivered a heartfelt monologue during his post-fight interview.

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This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Winnipeg video: Robert Valentin emotional after tapping Julien Leblanc