Waldo Cortes-Acosta was able to cruise to a unanimous decision victory over the previously unbeaten Robelis Despaigne tonight at UFC On ESPN 56 by taking advantage of the former Olympic taekwondo bronze medalist’s weak ground game.
Round One:
Despaigne stalking forward immediately and throws punches as Cortes-Acosta backs up against the cage. Cortes-Acosta gets away. Despaigne prowling towards him again and looks for strikes, but Cortes-Acosta wisely takes him down.
Cortes-Acosta in half-guard and looks comfortable here as Despaigne isn’t doing a whole lot off his back. Cortes-Acosta very patient as he holds off on looking for ground-and-pound for now.
However Cortes-Acosta then goes for a potential Americana, but it’s not too threatening and even with his apprently limited ground skills Despaigne is eventually able to get free of that.
Cortes-Acosta back to his patient approach on top. He lands a few punches to the body. Not a whole lot happening though. In the final few seconds of the round Cortes-Acosta opens up with a few punches.
Round Two:
Front kick upstairs attempted by Despaigne. Now a punch lands. Leg kicks for Cortes-Acosta. Wild swings and misses from Cortes-Acosta to try to back off Despaigne.
Leg kick for Cortes-Acosta again. Head kick attempt from Despaigne. Cortes-Acosta tries to clinch up and go for a takedown, but Despaigne is able to stay up this time.
Cortes-Acosta with a brief flurry of punches. Despaigne loading up on punches, but Cortes-Acosta and is looking to counter as the taekwondo stylist’s defense is severely lacking when he’s on the attack.
Cortes-Acosta clinches up and brings Despaigne to the mat. He’s able to move into full mount and starts to rain down some solid ground-and-pound. Despaigne looking out of his depth from his back here in this bad spot.
Cortes-Acosta lets him off the hook for now by going back to taking his time. However with less than a minute to go he unleashes a series of hammerfist strikes. Another rest and then another flurry. He throws a few more strikes before the final bell but there wasn’t much on those. Despaigne looks very tired as he slowly gets back to his feet.
Round Three:
Calf kick for Cortes-Acosta. Thigh kick from Despaigne. Now a thumping jab. Now a right hand. Back to the jab. Another leg kick for Despaigne. He tries a switch kick to the body. Now a couple more leg kicks. Another lands.
Inside leg kick from Cortes-Acosta. Hook lands for Despaigne in a sloppy exchange. Solid inside leg kick from Cortes-Acosta. Front kick upstairs lands for Despaigne, but Cortes-Acosta absorbs it and keeps going.
Kick for Despaigne. Cortes-Acosta manages to close the distance and clinches up against the cage. He’s able to get the big man down and now has half-a-round left in a position where he’s likely to have complete control.
A few elbow strikes land for Cortes-Acosta in half-guard close to the cage. Cortes-Acosta gathers up some energy reserves and then starts to throw some sustained ground-and-pound. Despaigne briefly gets to his knees, but can’t figure out a way back to his feet and goes to his back again. Cortes-Acosta with some light ground-and-pound to end the round.
Decision:
Cortes-Acosta was able to expose Despaigne’s complete lack of a ground game here to hand him the first loss of his MMA career via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 30-26).
