Lyoto Machida earned a unanimous decision victory against Gegard Mousasi tonight in the main event of UFC Fight Night 36.
Round One:
We’re underway in the main event of the evening. A feeling out process and then Mousasi lands a leg kick.
Machida waits and then lands a leg kick of his own. He tries another and this time misses the target. Machida circling around Mousasi and then finds a home for a nice body kick. Another leg kick by the Brazilian follows.
Mousasi continues following him around the Octagon, but isn’t really pushing the pace to any great extent yet. He lands a leg kick and Machida responds with a short flurry of punches that he avoids.
Machida presses forward again, but Mousasi ducks and moves out of danger. Two minutes of the round remaining and Mousasi lands a glancing jab to the face of his opponent.
Mousasi presses forward and chops in a leg kick. Machida lands a front kick to the body. As Mousasi comes forward again Machida catches him with a nice left hand.
Machida rushes in just as Mousasi attempts to land a body kick and there’s a sort of awkward collision between the two fighters. Mousasi lands a final leg kick just as the horn sounds.
Round Two:
Machida with a big kick to start the second round, but it’s blocked. Machida fakes a couple of kicks then presses forward with punches, but nothing lands with to much power.
Mousasi still struggling to really home in on Machida at this stage with any frequency. He does land a leg kick, but Machida responds soon after with a kick to the body.
Machida suddenly lands a big kick to the head / neck, but Mousasi eats it and catches his leg in the process. Machida gets his leg free.
Machida with a front kick and Mousasi lands a nice right hand in return.
Mousasi lands a kick to the body. Machida tries another head kick, but Mousasi is out of the way.
Mousasi barrels forward and lands a couple of nice aggressive punches as he tries to get more urgency in his offense. Mousasi follows up with a kick.
Into the final seconds of the round now and Mousasi is having a little more success now that he’s coming forward with more purpose and offers another nice little flurry of punches and a leg kick before the round comes to a close.
Round Three:
Both men flicking out the jab, but not landing. Machida scores with a body kick. Mousasi edges in closer and then swoops down looking for a takedown, but Machida stuffs it. Mousasi looking to clinch and they do so without much happening.
They separate and Machida starts to get a little looser with his strikes which raise a cheer from the crowd. Then he lands a spinning attack.
A brief lull and then he lands a left head kick. A few punches and then he almost leaps in with another left head
Mousasi continues pressing forward, but he’s got a little cut on the bridge of his nose now. Machida lands with a knee to the midsection.
Machida moves in with a punch and Mousasi responds with a flurry that forces ‘The Dragon’ to back off.
Machida looks for an elbow and perhaps was trying for the clinch, but Mousasi swats him away. Machida thinks about a takedown, but doesn’t follow through with it.
Mousasi with a right hand, but he’s not really fully figured out his opponent yet and is still struggling to home in on him.
Round Four:
Machida dancing around on the balls of his feet and then tries a front kick to the face, but Mousasi ducks under and attempts a takedown. He bundles Machida to the ground, but can’t pin him to the mat before he gets back up again.
Machida charges in with a left hand and then gets out of danger. A little leg kick from the Brazilian and Mousasi responds with one of his own.
Once again Machida is bouncing on his feet as he circles around Mousasi. Then he suddenly presses forward and pushes Mousasi to the ground with a nice trip.
Machida trying to improve his position and Mousasi does a very nice job of sweeping him and ending up on top. Machida thinking about a kimura attempt, but then lets it go and Mousasi is in his full guard. Machida trying to throw up another submission from his back, but can’t quite get it.
Mousasi taking his time, landing a little ground and pound, but nothing too significant. Mousasi stands up over his opponent and a scramble ensues. Mousasi slips over the top of Machida and lands on the mat. Machida trying to get on top now and Mousasi throws an upkick. Then Machida drops to one knee and tries to move in on his opponent, at which point Mousasi lands another upkick, this time it’s illegal and that brings a brief stoppage befor the round ends.
Round Five:
Onto the final round then. Mousasi lands a leg kick. Machida charges forward with a combination of punches and a kick following it up, but while it looks flashy, not too much lands cleanly.
Machida with another flashy kick to the body, but loses his balance a bit in the process.
Mousasi continually stalking him without offering much offense and Machida meets him half way with a powerful knee to the body.
Jab from Mousasi and Machida’s got a little blood coming from his nose. They suddenly clinch up and Mousasi’s trying for a takedown, but it’s Machida who ends up on top with two minutes of the fight left.
Mousasi’s got the butterfly guard in action and attempts to sweep, but Machida scrambles and takes Mousasi’s back.
He tries to flatten him out and lands a few punches. Mousasi tries to stand-up but then goes back to his knees. M
Final 10 seconds and Mousasi digs deep for a burst of energy to escape and get back upright, but Machida pounces on him once again and lands a big strike just as the final horn sounds.
Decision:
Mousasi never really solved the riddle of Machida’s evasive style tonight and ‘The Dragon’ rightly ends up as the unanimous decision winner (49-46, 50-45 x2).
