Jessamyn Duke dominated the stand-up battle against Peggy Morgan to earn his first official UFC win tonight at the TUF 18 Finale.
Round One
Duke starting out brightly with a few early punches landing. Another combination lands for Duke, with the left hook in particular finding it’s mark.
Another left hook for Duke, she’s having success with that strike early. Morgan works the fight to the fence and gets into the clinch, but Duke reverses the position.
Due tries for the takedown, but it doesn’t quite work out. She then gets a guillotine choke in and drops to the mat with it. She’s cranking hard on it, but Morgan isn’t tapping with half the round now over.
Morgan’s out of that, but Duke immediately attempts to threaten with a reverse triangle attempt. It’s not quite locked in properly, but she’s able to land some elbows from her back.
Duke swaps out to a standard triangle, but the arm isn’t in the right position. Nevertheless, she’s able to land some more good strikes in the remainder of the round.
Round Two
Nice punches from Duke to start round two, working to the body and head. Morgan firing back with punches too, but not landing with the same success rate.
Another good combination from Duke and she mixes in the occasional kick too.
Morgan looks to clinch against the cage, but then thinks better of it and backs aways again.
Morgan trying to work her jab, but Duke’s definitely getting the better of these striking exchanges and her left hook is still her best weapon.
A few leg kicks from Duke, but Morgan’s still pressing forward and looking to get her punches working.
Duke goes upstairs with a glancing kick, but Morgan’s fine. Nice punches again from Duke and then she clinches up and land a good few knees to the body. She muscles Morgan over to the cage. Morgan gets a clinch of her own, but is not as effective from there.
Back to tehe striking they go and Morgan’s getting tagged again. The clapper for the final 10 seconds sounds and Duke suddenly changes things up and lands a takedown to seal a good round.
Round Three
Duke right back to it with her crips hands early in the third. she lands a nice kick to the body too for good measure.
Soon after she scores with another two body kicks in succession. Duke gets into the clinch and does some good work from the position with punches to the body.
Morgan manages to neutralize that by working for the thai clinch herself. Against the cage the two jostle for position with a potential takedown on the cards.
It’s not pretty, but Duke manages to get Morgan down with a headlock. They go down awkwardly though and Morgan manages to get out and onto Duke’s back with more than two minutes still to go.
Morgan’s trying hard to find a rear-naked choke, but with 90 seconds remaining Duke manages to roll onto her back and out of immediate danger.
Morgan’s in her half guard and landing a few blows, but apparently it’s not enough for the ref who decides to stand them back up.
That works for Duke and she immediately gets right back to landing heavy leather for the remaining seconds of the round.
Decision
No real doubts about the winner here and Jessamyn Duke claims a clean sweep on the scorecards (30-27 x3).
