Alistair Overeem scraped past Fabricio Werdum in their trilogy fight this evening at UFC 213, claiming a majority decision verdict despite being dropped by his rival in the final round.
Round One:
Werdum tries a flying side kick to start, but Overeem steps off to avoid that. Head kick attempt from Werdum, but it doesn’t find the target.
Leg kick for Werdum. Overeem with his hands low on the outside. Big head kick attempt from Overeem is blocked.
Werdum now with a head kick too and it’s blocked, but he rushes into the clinch afterwards. They soon break apart though. They size each other up from range, both poised ready to strike.
Werdum bursts forward with punches and head kick attempt that Overeem just slides away from. Overeem gets his head out of the way as Werdum tries to land punches again.
Werdum falls off-balance and gets back up. Body kick attempt from Werdum is blocked. Right hand from Overeem. Werdum with a leg kick.
Head kick attempt from Werdum is blocked. He tries another and it’s no more succesful. Solid body kick from the former champion.
Another body kick for Werdum. Not much happening for Overeem so far, but he knows just one big punch could be enough to end the fight in an instant.
Front kick to the body from Werdum. left and then a right behind it from Overeem. Front kick to the body again from Werdum. Werdum with a forward flip kick that fails in the finest Harold Howard tradition.
Round Two:
Another flying side kick attempt misses at the start of the round for Werdum. Overeem reaching with a left hand. Body kick and then Werdum opts to pull guard and Overeem follows him down.
Potentially dangerous spot for Overeem here despite being on top given Werdum’s submission skilss. With that in mind Overeem suddenly decides to back out and get back to the feet.
left hand for Overeem. Staring contest again here. Werdum lands a partial overhand right. Kick for Overeem. Uppercut from Overeem makes an impact and then a knee to the body.
Another drop down to guard from Werdum and Overeem only briefly stays down there with him this time, then is back up.
Left hook lands nicely for Overeem and then a kick to the body. Overeem definitely looking the more dangerous here, but still competing at a measured pace.
Werdum coming forward with lefts and rights that don’t quite land cleanly as Overeem backs up. Leg kick for Werdum. Now a jab.
Head kick attempet from Werdum doesn’t land. Nice punch from Overeem as he comes forward. Spinning wheelkick for Werdum misses. Werdum trying to get busy in the final seconds of the round, reaching for punches and then a clinch as the horn sounds.
Round Three:
As is apparently now tradition, Werdum starts with a flying side kick that again doesn’t land. Overeem misses with a winging strike.
Front kick to the body for Werdum. He’s trying to increase his workrate with a combination of punches, but Overeeem avoids it. Right hand for Overeem and a knee for Werdum.
Overeem with a body punch in close. Another jab for ‘The Reem’. Body kick for Werdum. Right hand for Werdum and then a knee upstairs that drops Overeem!
Werdum going down with him, but Overeem ends up on top and then backs out. Overeem still looks wobbly though and Werdum wades forward with punches. Overeem has his back against the cage and Werdum takes him down. This is bad news for Overeem.
Werdum just happy to work from inside Overeem’s guard for now as he starts to land some ground and pound. Two minutes still to go in the round.
Little hammerfists to the head from Werdum here. Right hook to the temple from Werdum.
Final 45 seconds and Overeem is looking to get his back to the cage and potentially get up. He’s taking deep breaths though and Werdum is remaining heavy on top. Final 10 seconds and Werdum lands hammerfists and a series of punches to the body.
Decision:
Overeem appeared to edge the second round here and the third was clearly in Werdum’s favor after flooring Overeem and controlling him on top, but the first was open to debate.
The judges have made up their minds and it’s Overeem who earns a majority decision victory (28-28, 29-28 x2). The crowd don’t like that after watching Werdum dominate the final round, but it is reasonable to suggest that Overeem did win the first two rounds.
