Francisco Trinaldo was able to get the better of Ross Pearson over the course of three rounds tonight at UFC Fight Night 81 in Boston to earn himself a unanimous decision victory.
Round One:
Circling each other to start, then Pearson swipes and misses with a leg kick. Light leg kick from Trinaldo and a cautious start from both men.
Pearson with a leg kick. He goes upstairs with a head kick that’s blocked. Both men miss a punch apiece.
Pearson starts to back Trinaldo up a bit and the Brazilian circles close to the cage. Pearson with a body kick and Trinaldo responds with a leg kick. Nice left hand from Trinaldo.
Pearson with a body kick and another, this time a front kick. Head kick attempt from Trinaldo just whistles past the target. Hard kick to the body from Pearson.
Now Pearson targets the leg with a kick and he’s getting good power into these. Pearson starts feeling out with the jab, but Trinaldo lands with his left hand.
Pearson overreaches with a punch, showing a little impatience there. Trinaldo with a nice knee upstairs.
Punch from Pearson and another nice knee strike from Trinaldo. Front kick to the head from Trinaldo just misses as Pearson moves his head backwards. Head kick from the Brazilian is blocked.
Pearson’s head snapped back with a punch and then he almost eats a head kick. As the round moves to a close Trinaldo lands a nice takedown. He definitely started to seize the momentum in the final minute of the round there.
Round Two:
Body kick for Trinaldo. Pearson trying to come forward with his jump pumping. Front kick to the body from him.
Trinaldo with a leg kick. Pearson with one of his own. He lands the body kick. Trinaldo with a front kick to the body, but Pearson catches it and uses that to dump him to the mat.
Pearson in Trinaldo’s full guard and postures up to land a solid strike, but then Trinaldo finds space and pops back up to his feet.
Pearson with a spinning kick upstairs, but it doesn’t land. Trinaldo backs him up against the cage and fires off some offense, landing a nice knee, but Pearson is also trying to let his hands go.
Trinaldo backs up momentarily, then moves forward again, though Pearson times an uppercut nicely. Trinaldo presses him up against the cage and they remain there for a while with not much happening, then break free.
Trinaldo with a kick to the body again. Leg kick from Pearson and Trinaldo counters with a high kick attempt. Another kick from him.
Pearson blocks a solid head kick from his opponent. Good punch for Trinaldo, but then Pearson lands too. They continue to battle as the round comes to a close.
Round Three:
Pearson with a head kick attempt that’s blocked. Both men miss with a punch and then Trinaldo does connect with a solid punch and that hurts Pearson. He goes into defensive mode and Trinaldo starts to tee off.
Pearson able to block the worst of that and then starts striding forward with purpose again. He’s sporting a cut to the outside of his left eye now.
Side kick to the body from Pearson. He goes upstairs with it now. Pearson trying to push the pace, but Trinaldo is always ready to counter.
Trinaldo with a head kick and it looks like it might have connected, but Pearson catches it anyway and dumps him to the mat. Pearson gets on top and looks for opportunities to land some strikes.
It’s not long before Trinaldo is able to get back upright though. Pearson with a front kick and Trinaldo lands a punch to the face.
Trinaldo lands a leg kick. Pearson continues to march forward. He lands a body kick and misses with a spinning backfist. Final minute and Pearson lands a leg kick. Knee from Trinaldo. Pearson moves forward and lands a body kick.
They clinch and it’s Pearson who muscles Trinaldo against the cage, but his opponent soon breaks.
Trinaldo misses with a punch but then lands a right hand. One final body kick lands high from Pearson and that’s it, the fight’s heading to the judges.
Decision:
The judges have made their decision and Francisco Trinaldo wins unanimously (30-27 x2, 29-28).
