Song Yadong edged his way to ananimous decision victory over Marlon Vera in a highly competitive battle tonight at UFC On ESPN 8.
Round One:
Leg kick for Vera. And again. Song hurls a right hand but it’s just short. Now a leg kick for Song. He unleashes a short flurry of punches, but it’s taken off the gloves.
High kick for Vera. Vera with a few leg kicks. High kick attempt from Song. Double jab for Song. Push kick attempt from Song, but Vera on the attack at the same time.
left hand from Song has Vera covering up. Hard leg kicks from Song and follows up with straight punches. A couple of high kicks to the upper body from Vera. Song clinching up now, but it’s not long before they separate.
Inside leg kick from Vera. Front kick to the body from Vera. Now another body kick. They both start to exchange in close with Song putting a lot of power in his strikes. They go into the clinch with Vera looking for a knee, but it’s Song who presses him up against the cage.
Vera turns Song into the cage. Knee to the body from Song. Elbow from Vera and then an uppercut and elbow from Song in return. Knees from Vera to the body as the round comes to a close.
Round Two:
Low kick and then an oblique kick from Song. Body punch from Vera and then a push kick to the body. Good right hand for Song and then another behind it. Kick from Vera. Double jab for Song. Now a straight right hand.
Leg kick for Vera. Punches from Song. he works to the head and body. Vera partially catches a kick and fires off a flurry of punches in return.
Nice right hand from Song. He lands a hook during a combo. Push kick from Vera. Righy hand from Vera. Now a body kick.
Front kick to the body from Vera. Song getting into striking range and landing hard punches. Now he eases up but lands a light three-punch combo. Another one-two for him on the back foot.
Now a right hook from Song. He catches a kick, but can’t do anything with it. Straight right from Vera glances the target. Right hand again from Song.
Vera presses forward and lands punches, but then Song clinches up. Vera quickly reverses the position and lands a few knees to the thighs.
At close range they both start throwing short elbows and punches. They back up though after thinking better of that frenzied exchange.
In close range in the center of the Octagon now and Song lands big punches. Vera lands a thudding body shot and lands upstairs too. Good action from both men to end the round.
Round Three:
Big knee from Vera to start, but Song clinches up and presses him to the cage. He lands a knee to the thigh, but then Vera reverses it as he has done so well in the other rounds too.
This time however Vera takes it one step further by taking Song down and almost gets into full mount. Vera standing over Song and then goes back down. However, Song uses the cage to stand and then lands a nice punch to the body before they separate.
Song firing off the one-two. Hooks for Song and a left hgand from Vera in return. Punches for Song coming off the gloves.
Left hand lands to the chin from Song as Vera attempted a kick. Leg kick from Vera. He lands another, but then Song connects with a left hook. He threatens with an uppercut now.
Vera coming forward but he gets caught with a nice counter left hand. Uppercut from Song and another punch. Such a gritty fight now as they both land big punches. One-two sores for Vera. He lands another left hand. Right scores for Song.
Hard right for Vera and then he follows up with the left. Uppercut for Song. Vera into the clinch against the cage. Knees to the thigh for Vera. Song chipping away at the body. Then Vera lands a trip takedown and that’s important for him.
Song does well to kick Vera off. Vera theatens with a knee. Song pressing into the clinch, but Vera moves aside and Song falls to the mat off-balance. Vera pounces on his back. Song manages to work to his feet. Vera with a cartwheel kick attack that doesn’t really prove to be effective and he drops to his back. Song dives into his guard as the round ends and so we’re headed to the judges.
Decision:
Very good fight then with both men having their moments. Vera is confident that he’s done enough to win, especially with those third round takedowns, but he’s angry when he finds out the result, which is a unanimous decision victory for Song (29-28 x3).
