Junior Dos Santos and Stipe Miocic really went to war tonight in the main event of UFC On FOX 13 over 25 minutes of Octagon action fought almost entirely on the feet, and while it was very closely contested it was JDS who eventually emerged with the unanimous decision victory.
Round One:
The main event of the evening is underway. The two men cautiously approach each other. Dos Santos fires first with a hard right hand.
Miocic moves in and goes for a takedown, moving to just clinch with him instead. Dos Santos spins away, but Miocic brings him back to the same position. He lands a punch in close and then JDS breaks free.
Miocic misses with a right hand. Dos Santos targets the body of his opponent with a punch. Big overhand misses for JDS and Miocic goes in on a takedown. Dos Santos defends and Miocic instead opts for punches and lands a few clean shots.
JDS with punches now. Jab lands for Miocic. He goes for the takedown, but JDS circles away. Dos Santos lands a hard left hook.
Jab for Dos Santos, but Miocic connects with hard shot. JDS moves away. Miocic into the clinch and lands a nice right hand. Another right lands for Miocic, good work from him and JDS looks a little surprised.
JDS pushes forward and lands a hard right. Dos Santos with another couple of hard punches. JDS backing away awkwardly under pressure from Miocic and he gets caught with some shots. JDS has a little cut to his right cheek now after that somewhat clumsy retreat. Not great defensive work from the former champ.
Vicious series of left hands land for Dos Santos in the final 10 seconds of the round. Miocic took them well, but they were clean, solid shots.
Round Two:
JDS faking with a few punches. Miocic tries for a takedown, but quickly lets go. Miocic with a body kick and a punch upstairs. He goes in on a takedown against the cage. He’s down on his knees as he works for it, but JDS fends him off and spins around to get him in the clinch. Not for long though as they break apart.
Dos Santos with a punch to the body. Left hook for the Brazilian. Miocic moves forward aggressively with a solid punch and JDS tries to counter and then hits reverse gear to get out of danger.
Miocic with a hard jab. JDS misses wildly with an overhand. Another good punch from Miocic. The cut to JDS’s cheek is bleeding more now and he’s wiping at it occasionally.
Another solid punch for Miocic and they work against the clinch before Miocic lands again on the way out.
Hard body shot for JDS. Again to teh body. JDS snapping out the jab. Miocic comes in and gets greeted with left and right hooks from Dos Santos. Undeterred Miocic moves forward again and lands a right before clinching up against the cage.
He drops down for a takedown and scoops Dos Santos’ legs out from under him. To his credit JDS is quickly back up with blood smeared across the right side of his face as the round ends.
Round Three:
Dos Santos feeling out with the jab to start the third round of a possible five. Miocic finds his opponent’s jaw with his own jab.
JDS tries to punch and Miocic swoops for a takedown. JDS gets on top though, but Miocic manages to work to his feet.
They exchange in close with Miocic scoring with a hard right hand. Jab connects for Miocic. JDS with a couple of one-two combos. He snaps out the jab to the head and body.
Miocic misses with a hook that JDS ducks under. Very nice body shot from JDS. Miocic’s work rate is a little slower this round. Having said that he suddenly presses forward with aggressive punches and a single counter from JDS drops him!
Miocic not out of it though and is up on his feet. He’s bleeding from his nose as JDS cracks him with another couple of powerful single shots.
Miocic with a body punch as he tries to work his way back into this. He misses with an overhand. He’s continuing to press forward showing courage under fire.
JDS is connecting more frequently now though and looking confident, while Miocic, his face smeared in blood, has lost his own momentum and is wilting a little in this grueling battle as he head to the fourth round.
Round Four:
Junior with a left hook. Body kick for Miocic, but it lands to the groin and forces a stoppage as JDS recovers.
They are quickly back to it and JDS lands to the body. Miocic in on single leg, but JDS fights him off.
Again JDS works to the body. He connects with a left hook. He snaps Miocic’s head back with a jab. Miocic lands with one of his own.
Right hand for Dos Santos. Miocic misses with a left hook. Junior cracks off another short combo and then targets the body again.
Miocic moving forward, but it’s Dos Santos who’s landing the better shots. He does score with a few punches here though.
Left hand lands for JDS, but Miocic responds with the bigger shots. He continues with more offense and JDS may be in a spot of bother here, but backs away from danger for now.
Both men landing good shots at times here, but not having big volume as they dig deep into their energy reserves to get through these championship rounds.
Suddenly JDS lands a very nice takedown and gets off a little ground and pound. Miocic does well to get upright with less than minute to go.
JDS backs Miocic up to the cage and rifles off a combination to end the round. Both men are wearing plenty of damage on their faces here.
Round Five:
Onto the final round of this heavyweight slug-fest then. Body punch for JDS. He targets the same spot a few times then a hook to the jaw. A left-right comes up short and then again to the body.
Two shots to the body now and Miocic not offering to much in return. He does land a jab though. He tries a one-two and gets countered with a hook from Dos Santos.
left hook for Dos Santos and then a three-piece combo. Somewhat sloppy takedown attempt from Miocic and JDS brushes him off.
All body work from JDS here. A little exchange in close. Hard right scores for Dos Santos then back to the body.
Miocic connects, but JDS makes him pay with a hard left and right. Right lands for Miocic. Another scores and he backs JDS up as a couple more punches follow.
JDS spins him around into the clinch though and then they break apart. Into the clinch and JDS tries to land a knee to the body.
Again they break and Miocic just misses with a winging shot. A short clinch session and they work some dirty boxing.
Miocic pressing forward and lands a few shots that has JDS moving backwards. Hard left hook for JDS.
Miocic again finding a home for a few punches as these two battered, bleeding warriors leave it all in the cage. And that’s it, the final horn sounds and this gruelling war comes to a close with the judges now left to decide a winner.
Decision:
Very close action through all five rounds, but the judges are unanimous in their verdict – Junior Dos Santos gets the victory (48-47. 49-46 x2).
