Jairzinho Rozenstruik clearly got the better of Tai Tuivasa on the feet tonight at UFC 305, but had to settle for a split-decision victory due to one judges laughably bad scorecard.
Round One:
Leg kick for Rozenstruik. He lands an inside leg kick again. Tuivasa with a low kick and Rozenstruik lands a straight punch.
leg kicks exchanged. Outside kick from Rozenstruik now and Tuivasa tries to land a punch on the counter, but doesn’t connect.
Swing and a miss on a low kick from Tuivasa. Body punch for Rozenstruik. Head kick attempt is blocked. ANother missed low kick from Tuivasa.
Punch off the guard and then a low kick from Rozenstruik. He lands another inside leg kick and then Tuivasa retaliates with a heavy outside leg kick.
Double jab from Rozenstruik grazes the target. Low kick from Tuivasa. Punch to the body from Rozenstruik. Tuivasa blocks a hook attempt.
Light punch to the body from Rozenstruik. Rozenstruik avoids a low kick and then tries to land a counter hook, but misses.
Body kick for Rozenstruik. He misses on a punch and Tuivasa fires off one of his own as the round comes to a close.
Round Two:
Inside leg kick for Rozenstruik. He just ducks under a big hook in time to avoid it. Punch to the body from Rozenstruik.
Tuivasa throws a bomb that only just misses. Leg kick from Rozenstruik. Tuivasa lands a punch as he begins to ramp up his aggression.
Tuivasa taking the fight to Rozenstruik now. Rozenstruik circling though and then unleashes with a barrage of punches.
They reset for a moment then get back to it. Rozenstruik with another short flurry as Tuivasa covers up.
Tuivasa punches to the body. Now a right hand. Low kick from Rozenstruik but hurts his foot in the process as it comes off the knee and leaves him hobbling and grimacing in pain.
Rozenstruik doesn’t care though as he comes forward on the attack. Tuivasa has to gut this out now. He survives the onslaught and then bites down on his mouthpiece and fires back.
Tuivasa has regained his composure now, but it’s not clear how badly his foot is damaged from that earlier failed kick.
Two quick leg kicks from Rozenstruik and then tries for a punch as the round ends.
Round Three:
Rozenstruik lands. Tuivasa with a punch now and Rozenstruik looks for a counter off that. Jab for Rozenstruik. Tuivasa moving not too badly. He misses on a telegraphed overhand though.
jab to the body for Tuivasa. He lands a punch and then an uppercut connects for Rozenstruik. Rozenstruik with a jab. Now a one-two. Back to the jab.
Inside leg kick for Tuivasa. Now one from Rozenstruik. Right hand for Rozenstruik. Jab from Tuivasa. Jab for Rozenstruik.
Inside leg kick followed by a punch from Tuivasa. Double-leg for Tuivasa and then misses on a right hand behind it.
Rozenstruik ducks a punch and then lands a left hand. Missed head kick from Tuivasa. Right hand for Rozenstruik.
Tuivasa lumbers forward looking to punch but has to settle for clinching up for a moment.
Tuivasa trying to press the action but Rozenstruik lands the jab. He does so again. Now a nice hook. Another punch lands as Tuivasa nods and marches forward anyway. Tuivasa unleashes a final flurry, but can’t find the knockout he needs.
Decision:
No doubt about the winner here, with Rozenstruik having the more accurate striking and better range management, while also benefiting from ‘Bam Bam’ hurting his foot on his knee in the 2nd round.
Shockingly one judge scores this fight 30-27 in his favor, which is just ridiculous. Thankfully the other two judges call it right and so Rozenstruik wins by split decision (29-28, 27-30, 30-27).
Clearly I wasn’t the only one who found that to be a horrendous call from one of the judges as later in the broadcast it’s announced that the person in question had been removed from their duties for the rest of the evening!
