Cub Swanson earned a unanimous decision victory over Hakeem Dawodu tonight at UFC On ESPN 51, but the verdict could easily have gone the other way.
Round One:
Jumping front kick from Dawodu to start, but Swanson backed off out of range. Leg kick from Swanson misses and Dawodu counters with one of his own.
Swanson darts forward pumping out the jab nicely and then lands a hard right behind it.
Swanson crashes into range again landing the jab and another solid right. Swanson lands to the body as Dawodu connects with a jab.
Dawodu with punches and a leg kick. Calf kick for Dawodu as Swanson was coming forward. Stomp from Swanson misses and eats a leg kick from Dawodu for his troubles.
Solid body punch from Swanson. They trade leg kicks. Another darting punch from Swanson. Good jab for Dawodu.
Leg kicks exchanged and Dawodu’s landed harder. Another lands for Dawodu. Swanson with jabs and Dawodu lands a left hand.
Exchange of strikes toe-to-toe and Dawodu got the better of that one. Body kick for Dawodu. Stepping jab from Swanson.
Head kick from Swanson got through, but not with big power. Leg kick from Dawodu and Swanson is bleeding from the nose as the round ends.
Round Two:
One-two for Dawodu. Now a solid spinning body kick. Another body kick for him.
Dawodu steps into a punch. In close range Swanson lands some nice uppercuts. Now Dawodu goes into the clinch and presses Swanson into the cage.
Swanson does well to land a couple of knees upstairs from there and then reverses position, but Dawodu quickly get s back in control. Knees to the body from Dawodu.
Swanson breaks away. Swanson connects and Dawodu responds in kind. Hook lands for Swanson.
Dawodu with a punch and then threatens with a head kick attempt. Front kick to the body for Dawodu. Inside leg kick and a right hand for Dawodu. Nice jab for him and then clinches up.
Dawudo with knees to the thighs up against the cage and Swanson trying to give some in return. Swanson landing his heel to the calf. Dawodu with knees to the body then an elbow as he backs up.
Final seconds of the round and Swanson starts swinging for the fences and Dawodu meets him half-way, and both land a solid strike in the process.
Round Three:
Inside leg kick for Dawodu. Another low kick for him. He lands a jab as Swanson goes for a calf kick. Dawodu with a few wilder punches that miss.
head kick attempt from Swanson misses. Calf kick from Dawodu. Jab for him. Now a spinning kick to the body. He lands a solid jab.
Swanson with a right hand. Dawodu clinches up and Swanson looks for uppercuts and then tries a throw that doesn’t pay off, resulting in Dawodu clinching up and pressing him into the cage.
Knees to the body from Dawodu but one strays to the groin according to the ref and so they are separated.
Dawodu goes straight back into that clinch position and he lands another knee that goes to the groin and forces a brief stoppage.
Back to it they go. Dawodu gets very close with a head kick attempt. Dawodu with a counter punch. He tries for the head kick again but it’s blocked.
Ripping body strike from Swanson. Now an elbow. Dawodu with a strike. Swanson swings hard and lands. Swanson does well to land a takedown in the center of the cage.
Swanson in Dawodu’s full guard. He passes into half-guard. He’s trying to set-up an arm-triangle but Dawodu scrambles back to his feet. Swanson still on him and brings the fight back to the mat on Dawodu’s back trying to work a rear-naked choke. Dawodu steers clear of that and transitions on top just as time runs out.
Decision:
It seemed like Dawodu may have down enough to edge out the first two rounds here, but the judges see it differently and award Swanson a unanimous decision victory (29-28 x3).
