Waldo Cortes-Acosta showed bigger power and better cardio against Chase Sherman tonight at UFC Fight Night 215 to earn a unanimous decision victory.
Round One:
Sherman pawing out with the jab. Nice jab from Cortes-Acosta. Low kick for Cortes-Acosta. Both continuing to look for the jab. Cortes-Acosta lands his, but Sherman lands a calf kick in response.
Chopping outside leg kick from Sherman. Nice jab for Cortes-Acosta. Punch and then a hard calf kick from Sherman that made Cortes-Acosta lose balance for a split-second.
Sherman pumping the jab. Cortes-Acosta lands his. Outside leg kick from Sherman and then one to the body. Jab for Cortes-Acosta. He lands a body-head combo.
Heavy leg kick for Sherman. Glancing left hand from Cortes-Acosta. Leg kick and now a front kick to the body from Sherman.
One-two for Sherman. Jab for Cortes-Acosta. Cortes-Acosta barrels forward with punches but they all miss as Sherman backs up out of range.
Body punch from Cortes-Acosta. Another couple of swings and misses from Cortes-Acosta. He misses with another flurry but does then connect with a solid jab. He clinches up briefly against the cage.
Right hand from Sherman. Nice strike inside from Cortes-Acosta. Sherman spins around to Cortes-Acosta back and shoves him into the cage thinking about a takedown. Cortes-Acosta turns into him. Sherman trying for a trip, but Cortes-Acosta staying upright for now.
Uppercut from Cortes-Acosta as they break free. Body punch and then one upstairs from Cortes-Acosta.
Sherman able to clinch up and land a takedown, ending the round in side control.
Round Two:
Both trade jabs and it’s Cortes-Acosta’s who lands several times. Leg kick for Sherman. Sherman lands a punch but eats a harder one.
Thunderous left and right hooks from Cortes-Acosta. Excited by that he steps up his offense with more big punches, but Sherman does well to absorb the blows and survive that onslaught.
Cortes-Acosta slows his output, but is still throwing solid punches. Now it’s Sherman’s turn to land with a flurry that backs Cortes-Acosta up.
Punch for Cortes-Acosta. Now a heavy right hand. Sherman with punches of his own, but for now it’s Cortes-Acosta who is landing heavier.
Sherman with a leg kick. Cortes-Acosta throwing heat to the head again. Sherman attempts a takedown, but Cortes-Acosta brushes that one aside.
Body kick for Sherman. Jab or Cortes-Acosta, leg kick for Sherman. Cortes-Acosta showboating now with a quick dance in the center of the Octagon. Now a double jab and wading forward looking to land something heavier.
Cortes-Acosta catches a kick and lands a punch. Sherman lands a couple of counter hooks. He tries for a leg kick but he’s not much more labored than before and he gets caught by another punch.
Big punches landing for Cortes-Acosta and Sherman’s defense has crumbled. His chin is holding up for now though. He lands another labored kick to the body. Now Sherman clinches up and Cortes-Acosta is tiring too in the final seconds of the round, though not as much as his opponent.
Round Three:
Jab for Cortes-Acosta. He throws a leg kick, but Sherman lands a harder one in response. Sherman with a couple of nice one-two’s.
Jab for Cortes-Acosta after landing one to the body. Overhand and a chopping left hand from Sherman. Leg kick for Sherman, punches to the face from Cortes-Acosta.
Clubbing punches for Cortes-Acosta. He lands another and then a right hand that staggers Sherman.
One-two for Sherman. Body kick for Sherman. Counter punch from him as Sherman tries to land a labored combo. Knee to the body for Sherman in close.
leg kick for Sherman but not with that power he showed in the opening round. A couple of left hands land for Cortes-Acosta.
Heavy overhand right from Cortes-Acosta. A few more punches land for him through Sherman’s porous defense.
Leg kick from Sherman. Solid calf kick connects. Jab and a right hand for Cortes-Acosta. Cortes-Acosta ends a short flurry with a hard right hgand.
Jab lands for Cortes-Acosta as he’s backing up. Body punch for Cortes-Acosta. Leg kick for Sherman. Front kick to the body for him. Sherman with a couple of punches, but Cortes-Acosta still landing too.
Another blitz from Sherman and again he gets countered. Leg kicks exchanged. Jab for Cortes-Acosta. Leg kick for Sherman, body kick for Cortes-Acosta.
Decision:
Sherman started well with good leg kicks in particular and even a successful takedown, but Cortes-Acosta started to land big in the second round and with his opponent’s gas tank draining rapidly he was able to continue to boss the stand-up with his heavy hands to emerge with a unanimous decision victory (30-27, 29-28 x2).
