Shamil Abdurakhimov has emerged victoroious by unanimous decision against Andrei Arlovski tonight at UFC fight Night 136 in Moscow.
Round One:
Abdurakhimov into the clinch, but not for long. Leg kick for Arlovski, but Abdurakhimov catches it and takes him down. Curiously Abdurakhimov doesn’t follow him down despite his grappling prowess.
Arlovski back up, but it’s not long before Abdurakhimov again gets him on his back and this time he does go to ground with hime and starts chipping away with punches from inside his opponent’s closed guard.
Arlovski trying to tie up Abdurakhimov’s arms and wait for a stand-up. The ref’s urging Abdurakhimov to stay busy. He lands a couple of punches to the body and head, but it’s not enough to stop the referee from opting to stand them up.
Arlovski tries for a head kick on the stand-up. Arlovski presses forward with punches, but doesn’t find the target and ends up tied up in the clinch with Abdurakhimov.
They break free and Abdurakhimov lands a left hook. Leg kick for Arlovski takes Abdurakhimov’s leg out from under him, but he gets back upright quickly.
Short left hand from Arlovski and then tries for a knee upstairs, before Abdurakhimov shoves him away and he loses his footing.
Round Two:
Abdurakhimov throws a punch to set up the clinch and then presses Arlovski into the cage. Thye move towards the center of the Octagon again still clinched up, then Arlovski lands a knee strike to the groin which forces a brief stoppage.
Back to it they go. Arlovski tries for a front kick to the leg and Abdurakhimov catches it and dumps him to the mat.
As in the first round Arlovski immediately works from a closed guard trapping his opponent’s arms in the hopes of a stoppage.
Against the cage Arlovski starts to wall-walk back to his feet, but he eats a series of punches on the way up. Arlovski manages to move away from the clinch and back to the center of the cage.
Abdurakhimov clinches up. Knee to the body from Arlovski. Now a nice trip from him gets Abdurakhimov to the mat. However, Abdurakhimov immediately manages to get an underhook and stand back up.
Punch gets through from Arlovski. Counter right from Arlovski as Abdurakhimov moves into the clinch. They work from the position in thte middle of the cage with not much happening.
However, suddenly Arlovski lands another trip takedown to end the round on top landing a few punches.
Round Three:
Spinning elbow from Abdurakhimov connects, but Arlovski takes it well. Back to the clinch they go. Abdurakhimov trying to work Arlovski to the cage, but he escapes.
Both men exchange punches with Arlovski looking more threatening. Clinch again in the center of the Octagon, but then a quick separation.
Short left hand for Arlovski. Arlovski misses a punch and almost runs into Abdurakhimov’s clinch again. Both fighters tiring here. Open-hand from Abdurakhimov and that causes an eyepoke and a brief stoppage.
Body punch from Abdurakhimov as they get going again, then, somewhat inevitably a clinch again, though it’s short-lived.
Spinning backfist attempt from Abdurakhimov misses. Left hook for him. Clinch position and Arlovski gets hit to the groin and forces another stoppage.
Arlovski is annoyed about the way Abdurakhimov is attacking, perhaps unhappy with his open hands. Arlovski moving forward, but Abdurakhimov throws a punch and knee to ward him off.
Arlovsk steps in hoping for a trip takedown at the end of the round, but he doesn’t get it and goes to a knee, then eats a hook as he stands, and we’re heading to the scorecards in Moscow.
Decision:
Not the most exciting heavyweight fight ever then, but it’s the Russian Shamil Abdurakhimov who has done enough to secure a unanimous decision victory (29-28, 30-27 x2).
