Esteban Ribovics got the nod via split-decision tonight at UFC 306 in an intense stand-up battle with Daniel Zellhuber that’ll go down as one of the year’s best.
Round One:
Inside leg kick for Ribovics. Zellhuber pumps out the jab as Ribovics marauds forward with strikes of his own.
Body punch for Ribovics. Hooks from Zellhuber. Back to the jab for Zellhuber and Ribovics lands a leg kick.
Body punches for Ribovics. Left hook and then a low kick for Ribovics. Body punch from Zellhuber. Now a knee to the midsection from him. Leg kick for Ribovics.
Lots of pressure from Ribovics and Zellhuber is continuing to work his jab. Now series of punches to the body from Ribovics. Good body kick for Zellhuber.
Leg kick for Ribovics. Push kick for Zellhuber. Straight punches from Ribovics seemed to unsettle Zellhuber for a moment.
Jab and a push kick for Zellhuber. Now a left hook from him. Body kick for Ribovics. Push kick again for Zellhuber. Ribovics lands a punch and Zellhuber counters to the body as they exchange late in the round.
Round Two:
Leg kicks exchanged. Now punches. Knee to the body from Zellhuber. He lands with hooks upstairs now and Ribovics lands a punch in return.
Good punch for Zellhuber. He lands a kick to the body. jab from Ribovics and a right hand. Glancing hooks from Zellhuber.
Head kick attempt from Zellhuber doesn’t pay off. Hard punch from Ribovics gets his attention. Jab for Ribovics.
Jab for Zellhuber. Left hook for him. Good body punch for Ribovics. Body kick for Ribovics now and soon after Zellhuber responds in kind. Front kick to the body from Zellhuber.
Jab for Zellhuber. Leg kick from Ribovics. He lands a punches to the head, but hten so does Zellhuber. Hard punch apiece landed.
Grazing left hook for Zellhuber. Now a solid right from Ribovics. Punches and a leg kick for Ribovics. Both land cleanly upstairs.
Leg kick for Ribovics. Right hand from Zellhuber. Front kick to the body from Zellhuber. Now a body kick. Left hand for Ribovics. Now a couple of leg kicks.
Elbow in close from Ribovics. Flurry of punches from Ribovics as Zellhuber counters with a knee to the body.
Round Three:
Inside leg kick from Ribovics. Exchanging strikes in close. Good combination from Zellhuber. Now Ribovics lands a clean punch.
Big punch for Zellhuber. Right hand connects from Ribovics. Huge elbow from Zellhuber drops Ribovics, but he gets right back up.
Zellhuber clinches up against the cage. They move away and a thumb to the eye from Zellhuber forces a brief stoppage with Ribovics recovers.
Left and a right hand lands nicely for Zellhuber. Overhand from Ribovics leaves Zellhuber on badly wobbled legs. He stays upright but Ribovics is teeing off on him with constant left and right hands. Crazy amount of strikes, but Zellhuber won’t go down!
Zellhuber still dazed and stumbles as he tries to escape, but he rights himself and then starts bobbing and weaving trying to survive this onslaught.
Zellhuber may have survived the worst of this but then eats another big punch. Zellhuber suddenly lands a heavy punch of his own. Crazy fight here.
Ribovics output has dried up a bit. Another big punch lands for Zellhuber. Ribovics with a hook. Jab for Zellhuber. He lands to the body. Ribovics catches him with a punch. Ribovics starting to sit down on his punches again now.
Final 10 seconds and Zellhuber lands a few punches and Ribovics returns fire. Remarkable that Zellhuber is still standing after the punishment he took late in the round, but Ribovics also got dropped in that chaotic five minute spell.
Decision:
What a crazy fight, certainly fitting for this one-of-a-kind spectacle at the Sphere. both men gave their all in the striking exchanges, particularly during that intense final round where both men had to dig deep to come back from being rocked. In the end though it’s Ribovics whose battling, hard-hitting performance earns him a split decision victory (29-28 x2, 28-29).
