John Howard produced an upset win over TUF winner Uriah Hall tonight at UFC On FOX Sports 1 in a closely fought contest.
Hall surprises with an immediate takedown in the opening round. Howard works in the butterfly hooks, but he can’t leverage the TUF winner off him and gets slowly worked towards the cage.
Hall stands over him controlling one of his feet then lets it go and allows Howard to stand back up.
Heavy leg kick from Howard. Starting to get loose with his strikes Hall connects with a nice knee to the mid-section and soon after a spinning kick wings over Howard’s head.
Howard lunges forward with a big hook that connects. He continues his forward momentum, but Hall reverses and presses him up against the cage.
They break up after a while and Howard lands another powerful leg kick. Hall looks for the takedown, but doesn’t get it. Then Howard attempts a takedown of his own, but doesn’t look like getting it and they break free once again.
Hall goes for the wheel kick, but it doesn’t land and that’s the round over.
Front kick to the body from Hall to start round two. Howard with a leg kick and Hall returns the favor with less of an impact.
Couple of kicks from Hall. Howard wades forward with a few punches. Hall attempts a takedown and doesn’t get it and Howard briefly thinks about a guillotine choke.
Howard looks to get some offense going, but it ends up being Hall who ends up piecing together a nice combination up against the cage before backing off.
They clinch up against the cage and trade some short strikes, but nothing too much doing and the ref breaks them apart.
Stepping left hook from Howard misses. Hall goes for a hard knee to the body, but Howard catches it. Hall uses a kimura attempt to spin around and gets Howard’s back, but after a brief lull they are free again.
They get in close again in the final minute and this time Howard is able to land a solid takedown. Howard not doing too much with the position and Hall scores with some strikes from the bottom as the round ends.
Onto the final round then and Hall fails with a takedown attempt, shoving his opponent away instead. Howard lands a solid punch.
a couple of leg kicks traded between them. Hall bundles forward with a takedown attempt, but has to settle for pressing Howard against the cage before the ref breaks them up.
Hall tries a head kick, but it’s blocked. Howard stocking his opponent and Hall lands a knee, but pays for it as it’s caught and used by Howard to take him down.
Hall against the cage trying to stand again, but Howard’s doing his best to keep him on the mat. Hall onto his knees and then stands with Howard still with his hands wrapped around his waist. He lands a few knees to his opponents leg in close.
Howard trying to get on Hall’s back standing, but Hall spins around and then lands a takedown of his own. Now it’s Howard’s turn to attempt to use the cage to stand upright again. He does so and they reset in the center of the cage.
Small leg kick from Hall then he thinks about a spinning backfist but doesn’t commit. Soon after he launches into a leaping, spinning attack that only partially connects and leaves him vulnerable as he falls to his back.
Howard tries to take advantage, leaping down on his opponent with a huge punch that doesn’t make a full impact. Howard moves into full mount just as the final bell sounds.
Close fight then and that’s reflected in a split decision verdict from the judges, but it’s John Howard who emerges with his hand raised (30-27, 29-28, 28-29).
