Renan Barao was getting the better of Mitch Gagnon in their fight tonight at UFC Fight Night 58, but didn’t dominate his opponent until late in the third round when he stepped up a gear to finish with an arm triangle choke.
Round One:
Barao with a front kick to the body. Leg kick for Gagnon and a harder one in return from Barao. Left hook from Gagnon.
Another leg kick for Barao and one from Gagnon. They move in to punching range and then clinch up, but just spin and separate.
Gagnon with a jab. He presses forward again a couple of times with a combination of punches. Brief clinch and Barao lands a knee.
Barao with a flurry of punches of his own that lands meaningfully. Gagnon returns fire. Barao though again connects with solid strikes and Gagnon looks to clinch against the cage.
They break apart and a hard kick from Barao. Gagnon pressing forward and Barao keeps him at bay with a series of jabs.
Gagnon lands a nice combination. Barao misses with a spinning kick. An exchange in close and Barao lands a well placed hook that stumbles Gagnon. Barao on him as Gagnon tries to regain his bearings. Barao pressing him against the cage, but Gagnon does well to spin him around and buy some time to recover. Barao reverses again and lands a nice knee to the midsection as the round ends.
Round Two:
Barao looking for a leg kick to start. Gagnon pressing forward and Barao counters nicely with punches. He lands a leg kick.
They clinch and Gagnon marches Barao over to the cage. He’s trying to work for the takedown, but there’s nothing doing and the ref separates them.
Gagnon with a nice jab and Barao with a leg kick. Barao lands a nice counter as his opponent goes in on a combo.
Barao with takedown attempt, but Gagnon stands and works his way out of the clinch. Jab from Gagnon, but a left hook follows from the Brazilian.
Gagnon in on takedown again and Barao lands a nice knee to the body. Gagnon doggedly continues to work for a takedown against the cage, but again it’s a stalement and they are ordered to seperate.
Gagnon really letting his hands go now and lands some solid shots, left hooks in particular finding their mark. Then he’s back in on a deep takedown attempt against the cage that doesn’t appear to be going anywhere. Barao lands an elbow to the body.
Barao throws a couple of punches and a knee as they break momentarily, then he spins his opponent around to end the round pressing Gagnon up against the cage.
Round Three:
Leg kick to start from Barao and then a push kick. Gagnon looking for the clinch again, but Barao keeps him off and continues to strike.
Knee from Barao to the body. He tries a head kick, but Gagnon blocks it. Gagnon clinches, but it’s Barao who wins the battle, pushing his opponent agains the cage. He tries for a takedown then decides to separate when it doesn’t work out.
Gagnon with an uppercut. Before long Gagnon is again working for a takedown against the cage, but as in the previous rounds he’s just having no luck getting the former champ down and looks tired.
Left hook for Gagnon and Barao fires back and then scores a takedown. Gagnon back up against the cage. As they brek apart Gagnon lands a knee.
Center of the cage and Barao gets Gagnon back down to the mat. He gets to mount easily and then almost instantly is in on an arm triangle choke submission and forces the tapout with 3.53mins of the final round gone! Nice finish from Barao there, making it look almost effortless.
