Pedro Munhoz avenged an old loss to Jimmie Rivera tonight at UFC Fight Night 186 by unanimous decision after tenderizing his opponent’s calf with heavy kicks throughout the fight.
Round One:
Munhoz attempts a big head kick to start, but slipped off it. They trade leg kicks, with Rivera landing more. Big hooks exchanged in close.
Another leg kick for Munhoz. Rivera with punches down the pipe and Munhoz slipped backwards to the mat at the end of that combo and got straight back up.
Spinning head kick attempt from Munoz. Body punch from Rivera but gets caught with a big counter hook from Munhoz.
Leg kicks exchanged again and punches upstairs from Rivera. Huge left hook from Rivera. Munhoz stopped for a moment, but landed himself. Big moments already in this fight.
Rivera with straight punches to the jaw and Munhoz counters again. Munhoz with powerful low leg kicks. Rivera also landing there too.
Rivera with a straight punch and Munhoz fires back with a flurry. leg kick from Rivera and then backs away from the counter.
Straight punches from Munhoz. Hook and a body punch from Rivera. Front kick to the body from Munhoz and then misses with a head kick attempt.
Munhoz with a good calf kick. Another lands and it knocks him off-balance. Front kick to the body from Munhoz and he slipped off that.
Rivera working the jab nicely. Now a powerful left hook that comes off the guard. Head kick attempt from Munhoz is blocked.
Rivera ducks under a big hook. Two punches land for Rivera. head kick attempt again from Munhoz. Rivera striking again, but he’s definitely been compromised a bit by his calf. Inbetween rounds Rivera admits his calf is “killing me” and says he doesn’t know what to do about it.
Round Two:
Kick to the body from Munhoz. Great punch and takedown off it from Rivera, but then Munhoz goes for a leg lock. Rivera counters with one of his own and that proves a stalemate and leads to them going upright.
Munhoz instantly in on the attack. rivera steps away. Now he lands a few punches. hooks from Rivera. Now a punch over the top.
Leg kick from Rivera as Munhoz was going for a head kick and that knocked him off-balance. Rivera lands a calf kick, but then he gets one back that takes his leg out from under him for a split second.
Inside leg kick from Munhoz and Rivera counters with a punch. Head kick attempt from Munhoz is blocked. Calf kick for Rivera. Now a hook.
leg kick for Munhoz. Jab for Rivera. Leg kick for Munhoz. One-two for Rivera. Leg kick from Munhoz and then a lands a hard counter to the head.
Jab for Munhoz. One in return from Rivera. Calf kick takes Rivera’s leg out again. Exchange in close and Rivera got the better of it with hooks.
jab for Rivera. He lands a flurry and Munhoz with a kick to the body. Jab for Munhoz. Front kick to the body. Left hook for Munhoz.
Two punches land for Rivera and one in return from Munhoz. They end the round swinging hard.
Round Three:
jab for Munhoz. They trade hooks at close range but miss. Front kick to the body from Rivera. Now a front kick to the midsection from Munhoz and they both flurry with punches.
Head kick attempt from Munhoz. Now the calf kick. Rivera steps into a jab. Body kick from Munhoz and then another one strays to the groin and forces a stoppage.
They go back to the action quickly and exchange jabs. Uppercut for Rivera. Leg kick for Munhoz.
Calf kick for Munhoz and then a punch upstairs. Another kick lands to the groin and we get a second stoppage that doesn’t last long.
Jab for Munhoz. Calf kick for Rivera. Rivera attempts a takedown, but fails and then struggles to stand back up because of his damaged calf.
Head kick attempts from Munhoz are blocked. Inside leg kick from Munhoz. Another lands. Body kick now. He misses with a head kick attempt.
leg kicks for Munhoz. Rivera lands a heavy blow to the head. Big left hook from Rivera, but Munhoz eats it. Body punches from Rivera as Munhoz looks for kicks.
Two hooks and an uppercut in close from Rivera. left hook and a straight right from Rivera. He catches a kick and lands another punch. One last big punch for Rivera and we’re headed to the judges scorecards.
Decision:
Once again the calf kick proves to be a major weapon in the Octagon and it helps Munhoz on his way to a unanimous decision victory (30-27 x2, 29-28).
