Cezar ‘Mutante’ Ferreira had to survive being rocked late in the final round against Andrew Craig at UFC Fight Night 44, but it wasn’t enough to change the overall course of the fight and he still emerged with a unanimous decision victory.
Round One:
Craig misses with a high kick to start. He tries another one and Mutante times a big left counter that sends Craig to the mat.
Craig on his knees and Mutante has an arm wrapped around his neck. Craig stands though and pushes Mutante away.
Mutante lands a left kick to the body. He steps forward trying to unleash a straight left, but Craig avoids it.
Hard body kick from Mutante. Craig is bleeding from a cut to the top of head. To add to his woes he gets a poke in the eye which causes a very brief stoppage, but he seems ok.
Right hand lands for Craig well. Craig moving forward and Mutante lands a nice punch. More offense from Mutante.
Craig lands a body kick and a low leg kick too. Front kick to the body from Mutante. Nice right and a left from the Brazilian as we approach a minute to go in the round.
Scrappy exchange in close knocks Mutante off-balance a little, but he seems fine. Mutante burst in with a powerful takedown. Craig back up, but Mutante is pushing him against the cage.
Craig pushes him off, but the horn sounds before he can offer anything up in retaliation.
Round Two:
Craig with a nice left and a right to start the second. Mutante lands a solid body kick.
They cicle around each other. Mutante misses with a punch, but lands a body kick. Left hand for Mutante.
Craig misses a leg kick and Mutante lands one. Left and a right just clips Craig. He steps in with a body shot, but Craig counters with a punch to the head.
Missed front kick to the head from Craig. He has more success with one to the leg. He connects with a right hand.
Mutante with a high kick, but it’s checked. Spinning backfist attempt from him too, but not a problem for Craig.
Now Mutante is in on a takedown attempt. He hoists Craig up, but he lands on his feet and Mutante settles for the clinch against the cage.
Couple of body punches from this position for the former TUF winner then he breaks away with a minute of the round to go.
Craig pressing forward, but looking a little hesitant to engage. He misses with punches, but lands a hard body kick.
Craig rushes in with a takedown attempt, but it’s telegraphed and Mutante avoids it. Mutante with a spinning kick attempt and that’s the final action of the round.
Round Three:
Craig moving forward with urgency, but not throwing too much. There’s a short exchange and Mutante lands an elbow in there that opens up a cut to Craig’s face.
Huge takedown for Mutante and Craig’s face is streaked with blood. Mutante now takes Craig’s back and locks in the body triangle for control.
A little over three minutes to go and Mutante lands a few light shots to the head and then starts to hunt for the rear-naked choke.
Craig trying to land a few strikes behind him to Mutante’s head. The cage is preventing Mutante from really making the submission attempt work. Mutante keeps changing arms as he tries to slide under Craig’s chin.
A minute left and Craig’s still trying to land punches from an awkward position. Craig does well to find a way to escape back to his feet.
Craig immediately lands a big head kick and Mutante’s badly rocked by it, briefly hitting the mat and is on wobbly legs here as he stands back up in the dying stages of the fight.
Craig trying to put him away, but he’s tired and isn’t going all guns blazing. Mutante still unsteady on his feet and just tries to back away and stay out of range until the final horn sounds.
Decision:
Scary final moments for Mutante then, but he enjoyed the better action for the vast majority of the fight and that’s enough to ensure he earns a unanimous decision victory (29-28 x2, 30-27).
