Derrick Lewis added another scalp to his collection tonight with a third round TKO finish of Rodrigo Nascimento in the main event of UFC On ESPN 56 in St. Louis.
Round One:
Head kick attempt from Lewis. Now up close and personal as he tries to land punches, but doesn’t find the mark. Instead he tries for a takedown. Nascimento stays upright for now though. however Lewis then lands a nice trip to get the takedown.
Nascimento quickly back up though and trying to work Lewis in the clinch now. Lewis able to press him into the cage though.
Knee to the body from Nascimento. Lewis gives him one in return. Another lands for Nascimento. Now Nascimento is able to reverse the position. Lewis is able to back away to striking range.
Head kick attempt from Lewis is blocked. Now he charges forward throwing heavy leather. Nascimento survives relatively unscathed though. Now he closes the distance under fire and lands his own takedown.
Half-guard for Nascimento as he lands a few punches to the body and head. A couple of elbows get through. A few more punches and elbows connect to the head. A left hand and then an elbow behind it.
Nascimento steps into mount. Lewis scrambles and does well to end up on top in the final seconds of the round. He tries to throw some ground-and-pound but Nascimento grabs tightly onto him to prevent that.
Round Two:
Left hand a right behind it for Lewis. Right hand for Nascimento but then panics a bit as Lewis fires back. Lewis charges forward and gets into the clinch against the cage.
Lewis trying for a takedown, but unable to as Nascimento turns him into the cage, only for Lewis to reverse him again.
More jockeying for position against the cage and then they spill back over to striking range.
Swatting punches from Nascimento. Big uppercut at close range from Lewis and then back to jockeying for position in the clinch against the cage.
Lewis thinking about a takedown, but then starts to unload with huge strikes. Nascimento wearing it well though as he manages to get into the clinch to stop the onslaught.
Lewis able to reverse the clinch againi though and then fires off another powerful series of punches.
Nascimento able to trip Lewis onto all-fours. He settles on top. Working from half-guard in the final 30 seconds of the round Nascimento starts to land a few elbows to the head, but then opts to conserve his energy.
Round Three:
Lewis with a switch kick to the body. He jumps into a knee strike but eats a counter-punch. Lewis clobbers Nascimento with a big overhand right to the temple that puts him down. Lewis blasting him with ground-and-pound now as Nascimento clings onto his leg in a daze, and that’s it, Lewis wins by TKO at 0.49mins of the third round.
