John Lineker fought his way to a unanimous decision win over Marlon Vera tonight at UFC Fight Night 119 in Brazil.
Round One:
Cautious start from both fighter as they eyeball each other from just out of punching range. Vera flicking out an occasionl leg kick.
Then Lineker unleashes with a body punch and tries to follow up with a hook that doesn’t find a home. Vera with a body kick now.
Vera continues with a variety of kicks from distance to the legs and body. Lineker firing back with leg kicks of hid own. He steps into a solid left hand.
Now Lineker works a couple of solid shots to the body. again to the body then a punch upstairs to the jaw, but Vera takes it.
Lineker wades forward with a flurry of left and right hands and vera had to go into a defensive shell there to survive. Lineker paces himself, but it’s not long before he unleashes again and backs Vera up against the cage again. It’s a shorter offensive surge this time though.
Round two:
Solid body kick for Vera, but Lineker catches it, though he can’t get a significant pay-off from it in this instance.
Nice chopping leg kick from Vera. Another series of left and right-handed boulders lobbed at Vera by ‘Hands Of Stone.’ Nice kick upstairs from Vera, but Lineker just smiles. However, Vera secures the thai clinch and lands a couple of knees upstairs.
oblique kick for Vera and then a body kick. Lineker with punches and each time he marches forward with these Vera looks concerned. Now a spinning kick to the body from Lineker lands.
Leg kick for Vera. Side kick for Lineker. He even tries one upstairs. Jab lands for Vera and then attempts a flying knee that doesn’t connect.
Body kick for Vera and punches in response from Lineker. He targets the body with a few punches and then back upstairs.
Vera slips to the mat after another body kick. Lineker surprisingly elects to follow the crafty Vera to the mat and begins working in his guard, landing some heavy elbows. Lineker opts to stand back up and Vera comes charging forward with kicks as the round ends.
Round Three:
Leg kick for Vera. Now to the body. Lineker with a push kick and then a series of ripping shots to the body.
Low leg kick for Lineker. Vera tries to go upstairs with a head kick. Again he tries to threaten to the head with a kick and this time Lineker almost catches it, but settles for a brief clinch against the cage.
Leg kicks from Vera and Lineker is countering with a right hand. Heavy body blow from Lineker. Another three-piece combo lands. He misses on a spinning body kick attempt.
vera with a high kick and then a jab. Body shots from Lineker. Jumping knee to the body for Vera. He tries to work for the thai clinch, but Linker drives him to the cage.
They break free and go back to striking. Front kick upstairs misses a couple of time sfor Vera. Uppercut for Lineker. Leg kick for Vera. He misses with a flying knee attempt. Final spinning back kick attempt from Lineker as the round ends.
Decision:
John Lineker bossed the stand-up action here against a game Vera and while he couldn’t add another stoppage finish to his record he does emerge with a solid unanimous decision victory (30-27, 29-28 x2).
