dan Ige edged past Mirsad Bektic by split decision tonight at UFC 247, with his stronger striking earning more favor with the judges than his opponent’s grappling advantage.
Round One:
Exchange of strikes in close an Ige gets the better of it with a nice left hook. Ige with a takedown now. They rise back up with a knee landing for Ige.
They clinch up and again Ige gets the takedown. Bektic starts to get up and Ige hammers him with hard punches.
Another exchange of punches and again Ige is the one landing and is bossing the action here. Two jabs for Ige and then works to the body.
Ige clinches Bektic up against the cage now with 2 minutes of the round remaining. Bektic reverses, but Ige counters with a big punch to the body.
Left hand lands for both men. Leg kick for Bektic as he tries to find a way into this fight that’s been all his opponent’s so far.
Right hand lands for Bektic but misses with a head kick. Overhand right for Ige and then into the clinch.
Bektic gets away from the clinch but misses with a salvo of punches. He attempts a spinning elbow that doesn’t pay off to end the round.
Round Two:
Right hand lands for Bektic. He connects again, but Ige responds with punches of his own. Uppercut lands for Bektic. He lands another combination as he starts the round strongly.
Bektic nicely in on a takedown now. Ige almost counters it, but Bektic does end up on top in side control.
Knees to teh body from Bektic. He moves to north south. He looses position a bit and Ige is trying to stand now as he tries to work a choke that doesn’t pay off.
Bektic able to get Ige back down. Ige hooking a leg here, but Bektic gets out of that and settles into half guard.
Bektic starting to work for an arm triangle here with two minutes of the second round remaining. Bektic moves to full mount and still over 90 seconds to go. Ige hanging on in there with a minute to go and Bektic gives up on the position and finds himself out of the mount too.
Neverthless, a much better round for Bektic and that’ll make things very interesting in the final five minutes.
Round Three:
Ige just misses with an uppercut. He lands to the body with a punch. Head kick attempt misses from Bektic.
Now a body kick for Ige. Short range punches from Bektic. Punch lands for Ige. Again he connects as Bektic gets into the clinch.
Bektic working for a takedown now against the cage. Hard elbows from Ige as he defends the takedown from this position. For some reason the ref decides to separate them.
Ige lands a punch. Another strikes lands for Ige. Double jab from Bektic and looks for the right too, but Ige counters hard.
Left hook lands for Bektic now. Two minutes of the fight remaining. Right hand lands for Ige and a body kick behind it.
left hand for Bektic and immediately ducks for the takedown attempt. Ige looking to stuff it, but after a scramble does end up on his back.
A minute to go. Bektic tries to improve his position and Ige looks to get on top himself, but it doesn’t quite pay off. Ige rolls to escape, but Bektic stays on him. Ige trying for a leg lock, but Bektic gets out of it and lands a couple of punches.
Decision:
Very close fight here with Ige having the advantage on the feet with good strikes, while Bektic was getting the better of him on the mat.
The judges have rendered their verdict and it’s Ige who emerges with a split decision victory (29-28 x2, 28-29).
