Jack Hermansson got the better of Chris Curtis on the feet tonight at UFC Fight Night 208 to take home a unanimous decision victory.
Round One:
Leg kick for Hermansson. He misses with a front kick. Superman punch also comes up short.
left hand for Curtis as Hermansson was pressing forward. Leg kick for Hermansson. Oblique kick now for Hermansson.
Body punch for Curtis. Hermansson with a punch and kick that doesn’t find the mark. He does lands a body kick now though.
Calf kick for Hermansson. Hermansson reaches for a takedown but doesn’t commit to it. leg kick for him and a head kick attempt too.
Low kick from Hermansson. Now a body kick. Another low kick lands. Curtis still patient for the time being. He comes forward but gets stuck with a jab.
Another calf kick for Hermansson. It lands a couple more times. Body punch for Curtis. He steps into a harder body punch now. Right hand lands for Hermansson. Now Hermansson attempts a takedown, but it’s stuffed.
Hard body kick for Hermansson as Curtis was pressing forward with purpose. Curtis with a body punch.
Head kick attempt from Hermansson is blocked. He goes for that again, but Curtis is wise to it so far.
Round Two:
Leg kick for Hermansson. Missed front kick upstairs from him. Glancing right hand for Curtis. Head kick attempt from Hermansson is blocked.
Body punch for Curtis. leg kick for Hermansson and then a body kick. Head kick blocked again. Nice jab for Hermansson.
Body punch for Curtis. He lands another. Body kick for Hermansson and then a push kick to the body too. Now down to the leg kick.
Jumping kick to the body now. Curtis still struggling to really find his own rhythm here against Hermansson’s constant activity on the outside.
Body kick for Hermansson. He tries for a takedown, but Curtis shuts that down. Another kick for Hermansson and then punches behind it that sends Curtis back on his heels. Hermansson follows and unleashes a barrage of punches as Curtis covers up.
Curtis gets out from the cage and seems ok. Hermansson goes back to chipping away at him from range with his kicks and occasional punch and it’s clearly frustrating Curtis, who turns away for a moment and points at the center of the Octagon, unhappy with Hermansson’s constant movement rather than just going toe-to-toe with him.
Nice body kick for Hermansson. Curtis rips to the body as the round comes to a close.
Round Three:
Curtis’ corner makes it clear he needs a finish now. Can he do it though? Hermansson working well off the back foot again to start the round as he uses his longer range punches and kicks to dictate the striking range.
Body punch from Curtis. Head kick attempt from Hermansson blocked. Constant circling from Hermansson. Now another head kick attempt. He goes for it again, but they are being blocked so far.
Curtis still not really changing things up as he presses forward, only managing to land the occasional jab to the body. He does land a punch over the top but not with much power.
Strike to Curtis’ groin forces a brief stoppage but he’s soon back to it. Gustafsson back to kicking again on the outside and Curtis backs away to the center of the Octagon again and stands there waiting.
Curtis pressing forward again now. he does land an uppercut inside. Now a brief flurry punctuated by another uppercut.
Hermansson attempts a takedown, but it’s stuffed. Kicks from Hermansson. Curtis with a body punch. Heavy body kick from Hermansson.
Hermansson backing up constantly and Curtis is almost literally running after him now, but still not getting any real offense going.
End of the round and Curtis vents his frustration by sticking his middle fingers up at Hermansson.
Decision:
So, Hermansson did a very good job of keeping Curtis at bay and working strikes off the back foot here, and that earns him a unanimous decision victory (29-28 x2, 30-27).
