Fabricio Werdum primarily showed off his striking ability tonight mixed in with a little ground work as he worked to a unanimous decision victory over Marcin Tybura in the main event of UFC Fight Night 121 in Australia.
Round One:
The heavyweight main event is underway in Australia!
Werdum fakes as if he’s going to charge in and then stops. Leg kick for Tybura. Now its Werdum with leg kicks and one higher up. Another leg kick for Tybura.
Head kick attempt from Werdum is blocked. Left-right combo for Werdum. Now a solid body kick. Right hand gets throug for the former champion. Another body kick.
Oblique kick for Tybura. Nice lead uppercut from Werdum landed clean. He tries for a knee from the muay thai clinch but is roughly shoved away.
Body punch for Tybura. leg kick for Werdum. Front kick to the body for Tybura. left hand clips Werdum. Now a right hook for Tybura as well.
Werdum comes forward and works for a single leg takedown, then transitions around to his back while still standing. He remains there against the cage in the final minute of the round. He’s trying to trip Tybura to bring him down, but he stays upright for now.
Werdum able to bundle Tybura to the mat, but then slips over his back and as they both get back up its Tybura who clinches Werdum’s back. Only seconds remaining in the round though as so Werdum is able to emerge unscathed from that position.
Round Two:
Jab followed by a big right hand from Werdum. Tybura just misses with a head kick attempt. Jumping knee attempt from Werdum, but it doesn’t pay off and he stumbles backwards afterwards off-balance.
Leg kick for Tybura. Now a knee to the body from him. Right hand for Werdum and then a body kick. Head kick from Tybura lands and stops Werdum in his tracks just for a brief moment. He seems ok though.
Push kick for Werdum. Another head kick attempt from Tybura and then Werdum tries to close the distance for a takedown, but doesn’t make it work. Werdum trying for a head kick attempt of his own now.
Body punch for Tybura. CLinch attempt from Werdum is shrugged off. Punches from Werdum back Tybura off. Oblique kick for Tybura.
Werdum misses with a punch and Tybura lands a hook. Another kick to the knee from Tybura. Hard punch from Werdum just whiffs past Tybura’s head.
Wheel kick for Werdum misses, but they touch gloves afterwards and exchange a grin.
Werdum suddenly picking up the pace with more kicks and punches which has Tybura on teh back foot, but he cant find a way to really hurt Tybura yet.
Round Three:
Tybura looking for a knee, but Werdum lands a two-piece combo first. Body kick for Tybura and Werdum lands a nice kick upstairs in return that grazes his opponents head.
Low leg kick for Tybura. Nice front kick from Tybura. Jumping knee for Werdum partially lands. Head kick blocked from Werdum. Now Tybura returns the favor and it’s also blocked.
Kick from Werdum is caught and Tybura tries to sweep his leg, but Werdum stays upright. Head kick attempt blocked and almost caught by Werdum. Tybura with an uppercut.
Knee to the body for Werdum. Body punch from Tybura. Now a front kick to the body. Good uppercut for Werdum. He tries for another big knee upstairs that doesn’t quite land.
Jabs for Werdum now. leg kicks exchanged. Werdum gestures at the clock and then lands a jab which raises a laugh from the crowd.
Jab for Tybura. Werdum with a punch. Two punches land nicely for Werdum. He follows up with a couple of big knees too and Tybura looks hurt. Werdum goes for another couple of knees, but Tybura survives and they go into the clinch.
Body kick for Werdum. Head kick attempt from Tybura is blocked.
Round Four:
Slower pace to star the fourth, but then Werdum starts to let his hands fly, landing a few punches. Kick for Tybura looked to have landed to the groin, but Werdum says he’s ok.
Hard chopping leg kick from Werdum. Now he goes for the clinch and presses his opponent to the cage. He stays their for a while then backs out.
Solid jab for Tybura. High kick doesn’t pay off for the former champ. Jab for Werdum and then a nice knee upstairs from the clinch. Another lands for Werdum.
Werdum manages to get Tybura down and is into half-guard. Dangerous territory for Tybura. Werdum crashes down some hard elbows to the head.
Werdum almost gets to full mount, but is kept in half-guard for now. A minute to go as Werdum moves to side control. Tybura scrambles and does well to get to his feet as WErdum was looking to set up a submission.
Final seconds of the round and Tybura charges into a takedown and lands it, but Werdum counters with a guillotine choke and holds it until the horn sounds. Bit of a debate as to whether he held it a bit afterwards though.
Round Five
Light leg kick for WErdum. Right hand tags Tybura’s chin. Head kick from Tybura seems to stagger Werdum, but then he quickly regains his senses and gets back to it.
Bit of wrapping on Werdum’s gloves has come loose so he gets a very brief stoppage while that’s removed. Body kick for Tybura and punches.
Again Tybura goes for the head kick and again it seems to trouble Werdum, though he tries to disguise it by going for the clinch, which doesn’t pay off.
Tybura the busier of the two fighters in teh final round so far as he looks for punches. Head kick again, but this tim doesn’t connect.
Werdum presses forward with a few kicks. Big body kick for Werdum. Double jab for WErdum. Jumping knee connects for Werdum, but doesn’t land hard.
A half dozen punches for Werdum as the final minute of the round begins. Oblique kick for Tybura. Werdum misses with a punch and head kick behind it.
Leg kick for Tybura and Werdum tags him with a few punches. Final seconds of the round with Werdum pressing forward and attempting a final head kick.
Decision:
Tybura certain made a fight of this, but overall it was Werdum who delivered the better performance and he emerges with a unanimous decision victory (50-45, 49-46).
