Mario Bautista added a win over a legend to his resume tonight at UFC 307 with a split-decision victory against Jose Aldo.
Round One:
Outside leg kick for Bautista. Now an inside leg kick and a body kick from him. Leg kick from Aldo in response.
Counter leg kick from Aldo lands nicely. Right hand from Bautista. Inside leg kick for him. Now two nice body strikes and then into the clinch against the cage.
Knees to the thigh from Bautista and a few shoulder shrugs. Bautista trying to work for a possible takedown now, but Aldo is preventing it for now. Back to the knee strikes to the thigh from Bautista.
Now they go back to striking range. Hard leg kick for Aldo. Now a right hand from him, but then Bautista darts forward wile landing his own right.
Bautista just misses with a left hook and threatens with a high kick. Now back into the clinch for the hard-working Bautista. He lands a few foot stomps. Now an elbow before they get back to striking range.
Jab for Aldo. Now a hard tree-piece combo from him. Bautista with a body punch. Now a leg kick. Good right hand from Aldo in close.
Body punch for Bautista. Now a leg kick. He lands to the body with a kick too. Grazing jab. Hard right hand from Aldo. Head kick attempt from Bautista which Aldo bends backwards to avoid.
Round Two:
Aldo threatens with a knee to start the 2nd. Inside leg kick from Bautista. Jabs landing from Aldo as Bautista suddenly has a cut to his right eye.
Knee upstairs lands for Aldo and Bautista is trying to work for a takedown that’s fought off.
Jabs and right hands from Bautista now. Big counter-punch from Aldo. Jabs for Bautista. Bautista drives in for a takedown against the cage and the crowd boo’s loudly. Bautista unable to get him down and goes back to kneeing the leg and landing a few shoulder shrugs too.
Aldo stops another takedown attempt. Now back to striking range. Aldo with a knee. Bautista with a right hand and Aldo firing off punches. Jab for Bautista. Aldo lands his solidly.
Clipping right hand from Bautista to disguise another clinch-entry against the cage. Bautista trying for a single-leg, but Aldo’s balance is excellent as ever.
Back to striking. Aldo with a nice combo. Jumping knee attempt from Bautista. Aldo misses with more heavy strikes. Bautista drives in for the takedown again in the final seconds of the round, but Aldo’s takedown defense continues to be world class.
Round Three:
Aldo comes up just short with a one-two. He lands it now and Bautista lands his to the body. Again to the body for Bautista and just misses with a head kick attempt. Aldo working behind his jab. Bautista continues working punches to the body.
Nice right hook from Bautista. Single-leg entry from Bautista is stuffed again by Aldo so he has to settle for the clinch.
Knee strikes from Bautista. He drags Aldo to his knees for a moment, but he’s right back up. The action stalls and the ref separates them.
Bautista goes straight back into the clinch though when the restart. He’s trying for a single-leg but nothing doing.
They break free. Swings and misses on both sides. Aldo marching forward trying to land. Bautista swoops in again for a clinch opportunity.
Final 10 seconds and they break apart again. Bautista with a short combo before the final horn.
Decision:
Bautista struggled all night long to take Aldo down, but even so his constant pressure, higher work-rate and control in the clinch for extended periods together with some competitive striking exchanges leads him to a split-decision victory (29-28 x2, 28-29).
