Niko Price had to work hard on the feet and the mat for the full 15 minutes to earn his unanimous decision win over Alex Oliveira tonight at UFC Fight Night 193.
Round One:
A couple of early leg kicks from Price as Oliveira looks to land one of his own. Price continues to chip away at that lead leg.
Oliveira with a right hand. Price looks to fire off a punch and Oliveira lands a clean counter right in response.
More leg kicks from Price. Price eats a strike thhat snaps his head back, but gets the clinch regardless and drives him into the cage.
Oliveira goes for a counter takedown and almost gets it, but Price rolls on top. Price now settling into Oliveira’s closed guard.
Price gets to half-guard and tries to posture up to land some offense. He can only get off a sort elbow strike for now though. Oliveira chips away with a few punches to the ear from his back.
Oliveira working hard to stifle Price’s opportunities to strike. He’s not finding openings to escape though. Price finds space to land a punch and short elbows. Oliveira tries to work an escape without success and Price lands a few more elbows before the round ends.
Round Two:
Inside leg kick for Price. Now one to the outside. Oliveira lands one of his own and another soon after.
They trade inside leg kicks now. Jab for Price. Low inside kick from Oliveira. Another strike lands for him. Both throw winging punches that miss. Overhand right from Oliveira. Leg kicks to the inside and outside from Price.
Right hand for Oliveira as Price tries to return fire. Inside leg kick for Oliveira. Light left hook from Oliveira.
Missed head kick from Price. Solid calf kick for Oliveira. KIck attempt from Price is caught by Oliveira and he takes him to the mat with a punch off of that.
Oliveira in side control, but Price gets his legs up and starts fishing for an armbar attempt. Oliveira gets free of that, but still having to be mindful as Price continues to look for submission opportunities from his back.
Oliveira in side control and Price gets to his knee and tries to stand without success. Scrambling action here, but Oliveira maintaining the advantage here as he works to north-south and side control again. Price gets him back to half-guard. A few hammerfists land for Oliveira before the end of the round.
Round Three:
Nice jab for Price. Body kick from Oliveira. Right hand gets through for Oliveira. Kicks exchanged. Body punch from Oliveira. Oliveira lands again to the head and then a chopping low kick.
Body kick attempt from Oliveira is countered by a punch from Price. Leg kick for Price. Both men wide of the target with a few strikes.
Kick and a body punch from Price. Body punch from Oliveira. Now a one-two for him that lands. Body kick attempt from Price.
Right hook from Oliveira. Big right hook for Price lands and then another behind it that seems to wobble Oliveira just for a second, but he backs up and quickly regroups.
Oliveira misses with strikes and then Price catches him with a straight. Right hand for Price stumbles Oliveira backwards. Price goes into the clinch against the cage and tries for a takedown, but Oliveira prevents it and then attempts a guillotine that doesn’t work either.
Back to striking range and Oliveira attempts a spinning backfist. Price looks fresher here and is pressing foward. He lands a straight punch and misses with a push kick.
Price tries to fire off punches, but it’s Oliveira who lands a hard punch and stops him in his tracks for just a split second.
Oliveira into the clinch and trying to edge his way to the back of his opponent and grapevines a leg. However, Price does really well to shake him off and Oliveira falls to the mat.
This is a great position for Price so late in the round and he roughs Oliveira up by grinding his elbow into his face, then lands a knee to his upper body. Now punches drop down in the final seconds of the fight.
Decision:
Very competitive action here then and both men had their moments, which seemed to lead to everything hinging on the final round, where Price seemed to have the greater gas tank and forward pressure, which together with a late spell on top helps him win the round and ultimately the fight by unanimous decision (29-28 x3).
