Kamaru Usman completely dominated Tyron Woodley with his wrestling tonight at UFC 235 to earn a lopsided unanimous decision victory and become the UFC’s new welterweight champion.
Round One:
The welterweight title co-main event is underway in Las Vegas!
Usman pressuring early, but Woodley firing off a punch to keep his opponent wary of being caught.
Usman coming in for a takedown attempt and he lands it with Woodley countering by applying a guillotine choke. It’s not an immediate threat to Usman for now though.
Usman landing ground and pound and eventually Woodley lets go off the guillotine choke. Usman in half-guard, but Woodley looking to stand. He gets to one knee and then gradually is able to pick his moment to stand.
Usman remaining clinched up though and lands a series of good knees to the body before Woodley finally breaks free.
Usman back to pressuring as Woodley stays on the outside. however, Usman times his moment well to get back into the clinch. This time Woodley is able to shrug him off quicker though.
Right hand for Usman and clinches up again, then lands the knee. Woodley pressed up against the cage as Usman lands another knee and then a body punch.
Punch to the thigh and a foot stomp from Usman. The ref decides there’s not too much happening though and seperates them.
Usman pushing the pace again. Left hook from Woodley grazes Usman. Usman back to the clinch yet again and landing to the body as the round draws to a close.
Round Two:
Front kick upstairs misses for Usman. Right hand just glancing over Usman’s head from Woodley. Usman clinching up again against the cage. Both men landing a punch to the thigh of their opponent. repeated knees to the leg from Usman now and some shoulder shrugs for good measure.
They separate with Usman landing a big elbow. Clinching again Usman now lands a huge takedown and ends up in full mount. Bad spot for Woodley as Usman stifles him, pressing his chest into his face. Woodley looking a little out of ideas here against the stronger wrestler.
A series of right hands to the head land for Usman. Now Usman works some solid elbows. Woodley essentially trapped here. He tries to find a way out, but Usman’s having none of it and continues to rough him up.
Now Usman trying to work for an arm triangle. Woodley defending, but Usman is meanwhile chipping away at his body with punches and he ends the round still dominating on top.
h4>Round Three:
Woodley loads up on a big right hand, but Usman ducks under it. Leg kick for Woodley. Now a right hand that’s blocked, but then Usman gets into the clinch and starts landing a brutal series of uppercuts to the ribs of Woodley.
Usman controlling the clinch against the cage and working shoulder shrugs and knees to the thighs, but the ref seperates them.
Clipping left and right hand from Usman and then clinching again. He works knees to the body. He’s still digging punches in to the midsection as well with good power.
The ref seperates them again. Usman comes in and Woodley catches him with a glancing counter that knocks him off-balance into the cage for a moment.
Woodley again threatening with a punch, but it’s not long before Usman clinches up yet again and works some knees as the round comes to a close.
Round Four:
Usman backs Woodley up immediately with punches. Both throw a leg kick at the same time. Uppercut for Woodley. Woodley in on a guillotine choke and tries to drop down with it, but he doesn’t really have a hold of his head and slips off, allowing Usman to settle on top again.
Usman landing punches to the body from inside Woodley’s guard. Elbow lands for Usman now. Woodley trying to shift backwaards to wall walk back to his feet, but Usman stops that for now.
Shoulder strikes from Usman. The ref Marc Goddard stops the action and stands them up, warning Usman that it’s a fight, which is curious because Usman is definitely keeping up a strong work-rate whether in the clinch or on the mat.
Usman getting blasted by huge uppercuts and he’s rocked. Usman continuing to clock him and Woodley decides to fight fire with fire as he throws back. Woodley with a big knee upstairs, but Usman still launching bombs and the champion is struggling, but showing great resilience.
Usman perhaps tired himself out a bit from that sustained onslaught and he goes back to clinching in the final seconds of the round. Woodley goes slowly back to the corner, still hurt.
Round Five
Slower start to the fifth round, but then Usman gets the clinch and ducks his head in working for a takedown. Woodley puts his hand around his neck waiting to sink in a guillotine choke if the opportunity presents itself.
Woodley tries to go for it, but Usman simply lands a big takedown and starts chipping away with punches to the body from half guard.
Short elbows from Usman to the head. Solid elbow lands. Not a lot happening now and there’s no onus on Usman to do so as he’s controlled this fight from start to finish. Woodley not showing the kind of hunger and desire to change the script here and the final seconds of the round fizzle out.
Decision:
Excellent performance for Usman from start to finish here, showing very strong clinch work, takedowns and control on top, while always maintaining a relentless work rate and that earns him a completely one-sided unanimous decision victory (50-44 x2, 50-45).
