Jared Cannonier threw everything but the kitchen sink at Marvin Vettori tonight at UFC On ESPN 47, but in the end had to settle for a unanimous decision win over his granite-chinned opponent.
Round One:
The middleweight main event is underway in Las Vegas.
early calf kick from Cannonier. One-two from Vettori. Left hand lands big from Vettori and rocks Cannonier. They go into the clinch and Cannonier has some time to recover and seems ok.
Back to striking range now. Vettori with a left hand again. Head kick attempt from Vettori is blocked.
Vettori with a left hook but Cannonier blasts him with a hard hook at the same time that hurt him. Vettori connects again with the left hand.
leg kick from Vettori is checked. solid body kick from Vettori. Cannonier pressing forward and lands an inside calf kick.
Jab for Vettori. Outside calf kick from Cannonier. Punches and a kick from Vettori. Jab for Vettori and one for Cannonier.
Vettori pumping out the jab repeatedly. The left hand gets through for Vettori and puts Cannonier back on his heels for a moment.
Front kick to the body for Cannonier and another body kick behind it. Cannonier into close range and lands a right hook.
Cannonier backing Vettori up to the cage again and works that right hook again. Lots of pressure from Cannonier but not quite finding the mark with some of his punches here.
Round Two:
Cannonier pressuring again to start the second round. Vettori lands the jab. Body punch from Cannonier. Now a right hand upstairs.
Cannonier into the clinch but Vettori backs away. Cannonier just whistling past the target with his piston right hand.
Calf kick for Cannonier. Now a body punch. Hard right hand from Cannonier. Cannonier picking up his punch output here and Vettori moves away.
Cannonier follows him and fires off another hard salvo of punches. Vettori falls down under fire. Cannonier gets on top and lands heavy ground-and-pound, bloodying up Vettori’s face.
Vettori battles back to his feet but he’s in trouble here and has eaten a lot of hard blows. Cannonier continuing to push forward and he gets through again with his punches. Vettori’s head rocked back by one blow. Vettori trying to throw back but he’s looking tired as well as hurt right now.
Cannonier into the clinch and lands a big knee upstairs. Another punch gets through. Vettori incredibly tough, but how much more can he take.
Vettori starting to fire back now through sheer heart and determination and somehow he makes it out of the round.
Round Three:
Leg kicks exchanged and Cannonier lands a punch too. Left hook lands for Vettori. Inside leg kick from Vettori and Cannonier with a right hand.
Cannonier clinches up but Vettori pushes him off. One-two from Vettori. Head kick attempt from him is blocked.
Left hook counter from Vettori. jab and a left hand for Vettori. Body kick from Cannonier. jabs from him. Now a low kick and Vettori counters with a punch.
Vettori again lands a counter when Cannonier throws the leg kick. Big punch from Cannonier to the head.
Cannonier with several power right hands in a row. Now a takedown from Cannonier. Vettori standing but eats a hard punch on the way up.
Cannonier remains clinched up. Vettori gets away but Cannonier corrals him with left and right hooks. Left elbow in close from Vettori.
Vettori with a punch and Cannonier clinches up. However Vettori is able to manufacture a takedown, only for Cannonier to quickly get back up.
Back to striking range. Jabs exchanged. leg kick for Cannonier. Straight right from Cannonier. Jab and a right hand from Vettori. Jab lands for him.
Round Four:
Calf kick for Vettori. Double-jab, left hand from him. Now a body kick that comes off the arm. Hard right hand for Cannonier and more behind it.
Inside leg kick for Vettori. Left hook for Vettori. He tries a head kick that’s blocked. calf kick for Cannonier. Jab from Vettori. Kick for Cannonier.
Jabs exchanged. Cannonier nicely swoops into a takedown and lands it in the center of the Octagon. Vettori able to work quickly back up and Cannonier walks him over to the cage. Vettori breaks free.
Inside leg kick for Cannonier. Vettori with a few punches and a knee to the body. Jab for Cannonier. He goes to the body with a punch and then back up to the head with ajbs. Now a right hand and double-jab.
Vettori with a leg kick. He lands a heavy calf kick. Body kick for Vettori. jab landing nicely for Cannonier. Now a right hand. Inside leg kick.
Cannonier into the clinch against the cage. Vettori backs away. Cannonier just whiffing on a couple of big punches.
Inside leg kick for Vettori. Double straight left for Vettori. He tries a head kick in the final second of the round.
Round Five:
Vettori misses on a body kick attempt. He lands an inside leg kick and Cannonier lands then jab. In close and Vettori with a light flurry. Solid jab for Cannonier. He lands a calf kick and then another.
RIght hand for Cannonier then back to the leg kick. Vettori with a straight and Cannonier blasts him with a counter punch. Jab for Vettori.
Inside leg kick for Vettori and a counterpunch from Cannonier. Hard body kick for Cannonier. Head kick attempt from Vettori.
Cannonier trying to throw elbows in close. Body kick for Vettori. He misses on another one as Cannonier continues to remain light on his feet.
Hard punches land for Cannonier. Now a low kick and back to the punches. Cannonier able to land a takedown. He’s in Vettori’s full guard and now has a minute remaining.
Heavy right hands land for Cannonier. Vettori able to work back to his feet. Cannonier swinging big hooks that miss. Right hand does land. Vettori connects on a punch. Cannonier in on another takedown, but Vettori straight back up and clinches up, walking Cannonier over to the cage. We’re headed to the scrorecards.
Decision:
Cannonier broke the record for most significant punches landed in middleweight history during this hard-hitting clash, but Vettori’s remarkable durability was on full display to absorb it all without going down. However, while he continued to fight back where he could, Cannonier was clearly outstriking him by a wide margin and emerges with a unanimous decision victory (49-45 x2, 48-46).
