Danny Barlow edged out a split-decision win over Nikolay Veretennikov tonight at UFC On ESPN 61 in a fight that was more uneventful than expected.
Round One:
Low kick from Veretennikov. Inside leg kick from Barlow. Veretennikov lands to the body.
Low kick for Barlow. Now he goes to the bod withh a kick. Veretennikov comes forward and Barlow nicely times a big knee to the body.
Hammerfist counter from Barlow as Veretennikov was punching. Now a fast left hand from him. Front kick to the body from Veretennikov.
Inside leg kick from Barlow. Nice left hand from Veretennikov as he presses forward. Barlow swing hard but just misses and Veretennikov goes for the clinch. Barlow pressing him into the cage though but they quickly reset to striking range.
Hard right hand from Veretennikov. Jumping knee to the body from Barlow. Body kick for Veretennikov. Low kick from Barlow.
Body kick for Barlow. Front kick to the midsection from Veretennikov. Barlow goes into the clinch and tries to trip Veretennikov. There’s a bit of a battle from this position but Veretennikov does well to stay up and moves away.
Missed punch from Barlow and Veretennikov clinches up. Knee for Veretennikov. Barlow push Veretennikov into the cage and then goes for a takedown in the final seconds of the round.
Round Two:
Body kick for Veretennikov as Barlow tries for a punch. calf kick for Veretennikov. High kick from Barlow is just blocked in time.
Body punch from Barlow. Missed left hook for Veretennikov. He tries for a head kick now. Bit of a lull and then a quick jab from Barlow.
Suddenly a heavy left hand from Barlow. Veretennikov throws a left and a right without finding a clean connection.
Veretennikov into the clinch against the cage, but Barlow reverses the position. A couple of knees to the legs from Barlow, then a knee in response from Veretennikov that lands to the groin so there’ll be a stoppage for him to recover.
Back to it they go and the ref puts them back into the clinch with Barlow in the advantageous position. Barlow attempts a takedown, but Veretennikov stays upright and they go back to striking range.
Kick to the body from Veretennikov. Long jab from Barlow. Now a knee strike attempt from him. Leg kick for Veretennikov. Punch from Barlow and a harder one in response from Veretennikov ends the round.
Round Three:
Both fighters feeling out with strikes but not committing to them, then Veretennikov throws a winging punch that misses wildly.
Jab for Barlow. Body punch from Veretennikov. Veretennikov steps into a punch that misses and Barlow clinches up and moves him over to the cage.
Barlow backs away. Low kick for Veretennikov. Both fighters come close with a power punch apiece. Reaching punches from Barlow.
Veretennikov with an aggressive combo and Barlow trying to counter without success. Jab for Veretennikov. Barlow lands his own. Veretennikov presses forward and Barlow lands a jab off his back foot.
Punch lands for Veretennikov. He lands again, but is overcommitting on each swing. Left hand lands for Barow.
Inside leg kick from Barlow. Body punch from Veretennikov as Barlow throws a kick. Jab for Barlow.
Left hook from Veretennikov grazes the target. Now a right hand. body kick for Veretennikov. Body kick from Barlow now as Veretennikov goes for a punch.
Grazing left hook from Veretennikov. He lands a body kick. Now a right hand, and we’re heading to the scorecards.
Decision:
It felt like both fighters didn’t give the best account of themselves here, but Barlow got the better of the opening round and edged the second, while Veretennikov started to warm up a bit in the final five minutes. Surprisingly one judge sees it strongly in Veretennikov’s favor, forcing this to a split-decision verdict, but it’s Barlow who emerges victorious (29-28 x2, 27-30).
