Phil Hawes had to endure a late striking storm from Nassourdine Imavov to secure his majority decision win tonight at UFC Fight Night 185.
Round One:
Imavov flicks out the jab. Hawes targets the calf kick twice in a row. Imavov bursts forward looking for punches. Hawes chops to the low leg again.
Hawes winging heavy leather, but Imavov covers up. Another calf kick for him and Imavov lands a kick too. Hawes with another kick and it takes his leg out for a moment.
Hawes continuing to be the aggressor early here as he throws more punches. Hawes works into the clinch now against the cage. Hawes thinking about the takedown, but Imavov defending successfully for now.
Hawes lands punches to the body. Not much happening though and the ref is taking a close look. Hawes with a foot stomp. He’s still being allowed to work here, but doing too much with it.
Imavov lands a big elbow, but pays the price for that as Hawes then manages to secure a takedown off it. Imavov straight back up, but then Hawes slams him back down again.
Hawes in half guard now and lands some punches to the body. Imavov trying to get to his knees and Hawes is landing punches as he does so.
Round two:
Imavov feeling out the jab. Missed leg kick for Hawes, but then changes that to a side kick to the body. Now Hawes goes into the clinch and walks his opponent over to the cage.
Knee to the body from Imavov, but needs to get away from this clinch position that Hawes is controlling. Knee for Hawes.
Imavov finds room to land a knee upstairs and Hawes almost gets him to the mat and then settles back into the clinch.
Shoulder strikes for Imavov and then escapes. he throws a punch and slips off it, but rights himself quickly. Nice clipping right hook for Imavov and then a left hand too.
Overhand right for Imavov. He puts a lot into another punch and overcommits, which enables Hawes to land a takedown. He moves around to the back as Imavov stands back up against the cage.
Hawes still has his back. Imavov tries for a kimura and they drop to the mat, but it just lets Hawes get on top and quickly escape that submission.
Hawes working from a high half-guard here. Imavov trying to escape, but Hawes keeps him down. Nice elbows to the head from his back from Imavov. Hawes just working little body-head combos as he settles for ending the round on top.
Round Three:
Kick for Imavov. Calf kick for Hawes. Hawes with a swift takedown attempt, but Imavov gets up to his feet quickly too. Hawes still clinching though.
Imavov able to get away. Right hand for Imavov. He misses with a knee upstairs. Leg kick for Hawes. Spinning backfist from Imavov comes off the guard.
Imavov trying to be the aggressor, but Hawes goes back into the clinch. Imavov struggling to get out from under this constant pressure. He does work an elbow though.
Imavov with a knee and finally does get away. Imavov lands a few clean punches and Hawes looks a little dazed. Imavov connects again and then tries to pour on more pressure, only to find himself again being pressed up against the cage by Hawes.
Good elbow over the top from Imavov. he lands another at close range. Now he gets the space for an uppercut. Now a knee and Hawes backs up still troubled.
Imavov looking tired now, but swinging for the fences in an attempt to find a late finish, but Hawes absorbs the blows and gets into the clinch one final time to run down the last few seconds.
Decision:
Imavov had Hawes in trouble late in the fight with his aggressive striking, but it was ‘Megatron’s’ early chopping low leg kicks and then later his clinch work and takedowns that helped him control the early rounds and leads him to a majority decision victory (28-28, 29-28 x2).
