Sean Strickland stayed behind his jab tonight at UFC Fight Night 200 against Jack Hermansson and that weapon alone proved to be enough to earn him a solid win on the scorecards, though a poor judges call saw him only get the victory by way of split decision.
Round One:
The middleweight main event is underway in Las Vegas.
Low kick for Hermansson to start. He lands another. Jab from Strickland. He keeps pumping that out. Stepping jab lands for Hermansson.
Low kick again for Hermansson and Strickland lands a punch in return. Hermansson drives into a takedown attempt and has to settle for continuing to work for it up against the cage.
Hermansson almost gets him down, but Strickland’s knees barely touch the canvas before he stands again. Hermansson still working against the cage, but Strickland is able to break away.
Jab for Hermansson. Hard jab for Strickland. He lands it again. Solid body kick for Hermansson. More jab work from Strickland and a push kick.
Strickland staying crisp with the jab and catches Hermansson when he’s looking to land his leg kicks.
Double jab and a right hand behind it from Strickland. leg kick for Hermansson. Strickland feeding out the right hand again behind the jab.
Hermansson with a grazing punch. Jabs from Strickland and Hermansson unleashes a flurry of punches and kicks.
Front kick to the body from Strickland. Body punches from Hermansson as the round ends.
Round Two:
Jabs from Strickland as Hermansson presses forward throwing punches that don’t quite connect. Leg kick for Hermansson. left hand and punches to the chest from him.
Strickland’s jab more accurate than Hermansson’s punches so far though. Jab for Strickland and right hand over the top from Hermansson.
short flurry from Hermansson. Hermansson attempts to get into a takedown and Strickland brushes him aside.
Inside leg kick from Hermansson. Not putting much power into those. One-two for Strickland. He lands a body kick. Hermansson connects with a short flurry of punches.
Strickland lands the double jab and a body punch to go with it. jab for Strickland, body kick counter from Hermansson.
Hermansson thought about the takedown, but abandoned it quickly. Solid body shot from Strickland. Inside leg kick from Hermansson.
Low kick from Hermansson. right hand from Strickland then back to the crisp jab. Hermansson with another flurry, but more throwing punches out there in the hope of landing rather than really finding a home for them.
Solid jab for Strickland. Front kick to the body from Strickland. He lands a punch as Hermansson loads up on one of his own. Body punch from Strickland. Solid front kick to the body from Strickland.
Nicely timed right hand from Strickland drops Hermansson at the end of the round, but it doesn’t look like he’s too badly hurt.
Round Three:
Strickland immediately connects with the jab again. Leg kicks from Hermansson. again the jab from Strickland.
Hermansson sticks doggedly to the kicks, but Strickland’s jab snaps his head back again.
jabs vs. leg kicks continues. Hermansson still not finding much precision with his punches. Hermansson attempts to stomp to the knee.
Hermansson breathing heavy while Strickland isn’t at all. Heavy jab from Strickland a kick now.
Right hand for Strickland. Back to the jab. winging punches from Hermansson. jab cracks Hermansson. Now a push kick to the body.
Body punch from Strickland a kick in return from Hermansson. Hermansson tries to flurry again without success. Strickland punches and then goes for a head kick attempt.
Round Four:
Strickland remains dedicated to the jab early in the fourth. Grazing punch lands for Hermansson as he tries to get on the front foot. He throws punches again, but is still eating that stinging jab.
Another jab lands and Hermansson fully commits to a takedown attempt, but Strickland defends it well against the cage and breaks free.
Strickland cracks him with the jab again. Low kick from Hermansson but gets caught by a right hand. Jab lands for Hermansson now.
Hermansson attempts to counter the jab with an overhand over the top. Jab for Strickland and Hermansson throws back with a one-two. Strickland lands a push kick.
Double jab for Strickland. Right hand for Hermansson. Jabs continue to land. Jab and then a calf kick for Strickland.
Double jab and a right hand behind it for Strickland. Now a front kick to the body. Hermansson lands to the body and tries to go upstairs without success.
Head kick attempt from Strickland. Hermansson lands to the body. He does so again. Another flurry and then the leg kick. Strickland attempts a head kick that’s easily blocked. Strickland with a blood to his nose as he goes back to his corner.
Round Five:
Jab for Strickland. Hermansson firing off punches without getting a clean connection. Hermansson lands to the body and tries to follow up to the head, but Strickland always manages to move out of danger.
Jab for Hermansson. Jab for Strickland, two body punches for Hermansson. Jab for Strickland just doesn’t miss.
One-two for Strickland. Superman punch from Hermansson lands nicely. Now doubling up on leg kicks. Hermansson starting to pump his jab out more, but then Strickland lands a one-two.
Solid jab for Strickland through the guard. Strickland lands nicely to the body. Hermansson with another flurry that mostly hits fresh air.
Body punch and a kick from Hermansson as he tries to up the tempo. Strickland backs away from another flurry.
Leg kick from Strickland. Nice right and left hand from Strickland. Cracks the jab again. Hermansson working hard for single leg takedown as we approach the final minute, but Strickland breaks out of that.
Low kick for Hermansson. Right hand from Strickland. Body punch for Hermansson. Strickland starts goading Hermansson to trade with him and there’s a couple of heavy exchanges of punches in the center of the Octagon before the round ends.
Decision:
No doubt about the winner here then, with Strickland cruising to victory via his crisp jab throughout the fight. Perplexingly, one judge scores it for Hermansson, but Strickland still gets his hand raised via split decision (49-46 x2, 47-48).
