Dominick Cruz got the better of Urijah Faber tonight at UFC 199 and retained his bantamweight title by unanimous decision.
Round One:
The bantamweight trilogy title fight is underway! Both men circling each other. Faber suddenly charges in, but Cruz takes him down in the center of the age.
Cruz in Faber’s guard. Faber with his butterfly hooks in. Cruz looks to pass to side control on one side, then moves to half guard on the other side.
Faber finds space and scrambles to his feet. Cruz presses Faber up against the cage and tries to get him down again.
They reset and Cruz lands a body kick. Cruz with another strike as Faber goes in on a takedown and hoists his rival up before slamming him to the cage, but Cruz scrambles and ends up on top.
Cruz looking to move away, but Faber grabs ahold of his foot and applies pressure on it.
They reset in striking range. Cruz utilizing movement, but Faber lands a hard punch. Faber doing a good job of turning this into a dogfight so far.
Cruz goes in for a single leg takedown, but Faber gets away. Solid jab lands for Cruz. He tries for more and Faber avoids most of them with good head movement, but he does get caught with a left hook at the end.
Round Two:
Faber with a head kick attempt as Cruz utilizes movement. Left hand for Cruz. He lands a huge left afterwards that floors Faber.
Cruz follows Faber to the mat, but ‘The California Kid’ lands an upkick and then is able to get back up. Cruz looking for more and Faber dives in on a takedown attempt.
Back upright they go. A bit of a lull that gives Faber time to reset. Cruz with a big leg kick. Cruz switching up on his kicks there. He lands a jab now.
Cruz with most of the forward momentum at the moment and when Faber tries to land something, Cruz avoids it. Leg kick for Cruz.
Faber almost gets into the clinch but Cruz gets away. Faber with a right hand. Cruz winding up on a big right hand of his own.
Jab for Cruz. Now one from Faber. And again from Cruz. Head kick attempt for the champion. Left hand for Cruz, right for Faber. Quick jab for Cruz to end the round.
Round Three:
Body kick for Faber. Leg kick for Cruz that knocks Faber off-balance. He fires off an overhand as Faber rights himself.
Cruz misses with a winging punch and gets clocked with a punch from Faber that knocks him off-balance. He then lands a punch of his own that lands nicely.
Cruz with a flurry that seemed to just stiffen Faber’s legs for a moment, but he then fires back nicely.
Leg kick for Cruz. Both men miss with a few strikes, then Cruz lands a hard left hook. Another combination from the champion, with another left connecting.
Leg kick for the champ. A few exchanges where punches don’t quite find the target.
Left hand counter from Faber there. They clinch for a moment and Faber lands a punch as they exit. Cruz almost in on a takedown, but Faber gets away.
Cruz lands a punch in a final exchange to close out the round.
Round Four:
Cruz misses with a head kick attempt. Faber misses with a few punches as Cruz’s head movement outfoxes him. Another exchange and Faber does land this time, but then Cruz connects too.
Cruz stuffs a takedown attempt. Body punch for Faber then tries to go upstairs. Sneaky jab for Cruz, and then again. Faber misses with a front kick to the head.
Cruz continually making Faber miss. Faber goes after him again, but this time Cruz fires back with a flurry of accurate strikes to the head that hurts Faber and sends him to the mat.
Faber with his back turned to the champion for a moment, but stands up and seems to be ok.
left hand for Cruz. Another brief flurry for the champ. He wings a hook just over Faber’s head. Right hook lands nicely for Faber.
Round Five:
Cruz leading with the jab. Now a kick. Jab sneaks through again. left hook for Faber, but Cruz pieces together a nice combination in response and then a head kick.
Faber lands with a good right hand. Jabs for Cruz. Straight right for Faber and counters in response from the champ. Right hook for Faber and again takes two punches in return.
Right lands for Faber, but he overcommmited on that punch and loses his balance which allows Cruz to take him down. Faber on his knees with Cruz clinched to his back. Faber stands and tries to fight him off. Faber with a body kick and then a punch.
Nice takedown for Cruz and then smoothly steps over to side control. Faber to half guard, then gets upright against the cage.
They break free and Faber hoists up his pants which were almost falling down. Cruz with a flurry of hooks. He lands a good uppercut. Faber swings and misses as the round comes to a conclusion.
Decision:
Cruz definitely got the better of that one and he wins by unanimous decision (50-45 x2, 49-46).
