Jun-Yung Park’s pressure-heavy style helped him eek out a split decision win over Brad Tavares tonight at UFC Fight Night 244.
Round One:
Leg kick from Park but Tavares counters him with a left hook followed by a straight right that floors him! Tavares quickly taking the back and now working for a rear-naked choke.
Park has recovered enough to defend against the choke and then also works back to his feet. And Park immediately starts to pressure Tavares like he’d never been dropped.
Tavares being backed up to the cage and is trying to land punches to deter Park. That’s easier said than done though as Park marches forward regardless.
Punches from Park and Tavares lands too with a short flurry. Park clinches up and almost lands a takedown. Now he has Tavares facing the cage as he tries to disrupt his base. Tavares turns back into him. Spinning elbow from Park as he exits the clinch.
Jab for Park. Now an inside leg kick. Right hand from Tavares. Calf kick for Park. Low kick from Tavares and a punch from Park. One-two from Tavares. Low kick from Park.
Tavares with a calf kick. He lands another nice one. calf kick for Park. Jab from Tavares. Tavares throws and Park winces as he clutches at is eye, which leads to a brief stoppage for what’s believed to be an eye-poke. The ref wants to see a replay to confirm if it was an eye-poke. It turns out it wasn’t, so Park is forced to get back to fighting again immediately. There’s not much time left in the round though as Park starts to apply pressure again.
Round Two:
Right hand a calf kick from Tavares. Now a one-two. Another right hand. Body kick now, but Park nicely sweeps him to the mat.
Tavares right back up though. Park unleashes a nice flurry. He lands a punch and Tavares finds a counter. Relentless pressure from Park as he continues to look to trade punches, and he’s willing to eat a few from Tavares to land his own.
Park into the clinch now. Now much happening but he lands an elbow on the way back out now. Calf kick from Park.
Park lands two more calf kicks. Another calf kick and a jab from Park. Right hand for Park. Jab from Tavares. calf kick from Park.
Calf kick and jab for Park. More low kicks and Tavares lands punches. Jab for Park. He doubles up on that now. Heavy right hand from Tavares and another lighter one behind that. Calf kick and two punches down the pipe from Park.
Low kick from Tavares. Tavares moves in with a one-two as Park returns fire. Low kick from Tavares. Double jab for Park. More jabs. And again. Now a right hand off a jab. Tavares a bit too willing to eat this without finding an appropriate response.
Round Three:
Straight punches for Tavares and then a low kick. He fires off more aggressive punches, but then Park does likewise and Tavares stumbles back for a moment.
Park quickly closes the distance and clinches up against the cage. Park disrupts Tavares base but can’t quite get a takedown for now as his opponent keeps three points of contact on the mat while still standing.
Park stays committed to the takedown though and eventually lands it via a trip. Park in half guard parallel to the cage and almost has the back. Awkward spot for Tavares, but not quite ideal for Park either. Park settles into a more traditional half-guard now.
30 seconds remaining in the fight. Park seems to be happy to just maintain control here. Tavares trying to get up and Park starts to set up a guillotine choke as the round ends.
Decision:
Park’s pressure-heavy gameplan was clear from the start but in the opening round Tavares did a good job of countering him and even dropped him early. However, Park stuck to his approach in the rounds that followed and found more success, outstriking his opponent in the second and controlling him on the mat in the third to earn a split-decision victory (29-28 x2, 28-29).
