Former UFC bantamweight champion Renan Barao picked up his first win at featherweight tonight in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 95, though Phillipe Nover proved to be no pushover.
Round One:
Nover lands a jab to start and Barao finds a home for one of his own. Kick from Barao. Nice jab from Nover again. Nover tries a head kick that’s blocked. Solid leg kick for Barao and Nover counters with a right hand.
Body kick for Nover. Leg kick for Barao. Inside leg kick for Barao and then a small flurry of punches that land.
Good counter left hook for Nover knocks Barao off-balance, but he seems to be ok. Getting back to it, Barao connects with a hook.
Another short flurry from Barao. Leg kick from ‘The Baron’. Another kick and a clipping left hook. Jab for Nover.
Barao working his kicking game and seems to have his range for punches too, while Nover’s jab is his weapon of choice in the opening round.
Spinning kick attempt from Barao, but it comes up short. He throws out a few punches and that’s the end of the round.
Round Two:
Kick for Barao and Nover is back to pumping out that jab. Very nice right hand from Barao lands to the jaw. Another leg kick, then one upstairs. He’s picking up the pace early in this second round.
Three-piece combination and an inside leg kick from Nover. Gaining confidence noticeably he attempts a flying knee with punches behind it.
Nover still working behind the jab, but that might not be enough to keep ‘The Baron’ at bay on it’s own.
Inside leg kick for Barao. High kick for Nover. Leg kick for Barao and follows up with a spinning kick that doesn’t land.
Solid leg kick for Nover. Body punch for Barao and a hook behind it. Both men exchange in close and Nover gets a couple of nice punches in there.
Back to the low leg kick for Barao. Front kick to the body from Nover. Left hand for Barao but the rest of the combination doesn’t connect.
Tenative front kick to the body from Nover and Barao immediately launches into a takedown attempt, nicely bringing his opponent to the mat in the final 10 seconds of the round.
Round Three:
Nover with a kick to the chest and Barao respond with punches. Nice counter hook from Nover. Good right hand for Barao. Front kick to the body for Nover.
Body lock takedown is successful for Barao close to the cage. He tries to keep him down, but Nover is able to shrimp out and get back to his feet.
Jab for Nover and he eats a right hand from Barao in return. Nover misses with an overhand. Barao clinches up against the cage, but only briefly.
Leg kick for Barao. Both flash out with left hands that don’t land. An exchange at close range and Nover landed a few shots in there.
Barao backs up for a moment, but then bursts forward and connects with a straight and an uppercut.
In the final 30 seconds of the round Barao is able to get a takedown, but Nover stands again. Barao stays with the body lock though and drags Nover back to the mat as the round come sto a close.
Decision:
A competitive fight then, but Barao had the edge over the course of 15 minutes and earns himself a unanimous decision victory (29-28 x2, 30-27).
