Shamil Gamzatov earned a split decision victory over Klidson Abreu in an underwhelming, slow paced fight to open up the UFC Fight night 163 main card in Moscow.
Round One:
Leg kick for Gamzatov. Both fighters exchanging hard kicks now. Abreu targeting the low leg kick. Punch to the midsection from Gamzatov.
Jumping knee from Abreu to the body, but doesn’t land cleanly. Body kick for Gamzatov. Body punch from Abreu.
Side kick to the thigh from Gamzatov. He tries a head kick but it’s blocked. Now Abreu with a kick upstairs that doesn’t quite connect.
Body kick for Gamzatov. Gamzatov reaching with punches and almost gets caught with a head kick.
Oblique kick for Gamzatov. Left hand for Gamzatov and Abreu firing off on the counter. Body punch for Gamzatov.
Brief flurry of punches at close range from both men. Back to exchanging leg kicks they go to end the round.
Round two:
Body punch from Gamzatov. Leg kick for Abreu. Now a body kick for him. Inside leg kick for Abreu now. Punch to the chest and then a leg kick from Gamzatov.
Rangey left hand from Abreu but not much power behind it. Oblique kick from Gamzatov. Hard kick from Abreu.
Left hand and then a nice leg kick from Abreu knocks Gamzatov off-balance for a second. Head kick attempt from Gamzatov.
Another missed high kick from Gamzatov. Reaching jab for Gamzatov. Body kick for Abreu. Left hook from Gamzatov and Abreu ducks under and lands his own.
Again Gamzatov misses a hook and then tries to clinch up, but it’s Abreu who then lands a takedown in the center of the cage.
Gamzatov manages to get his feet on Abreu’s hips and push off to get the space to stand in the final seconds of the round.
Round Three:
Head kick from Gamzatov blocked. Leg kicks from Abreu. Head kick from Abreu blocked now. Gamzatov coming up short with a few punches and a front kick upstairs.
Gamzatov catches a kick from Abreu but can’t make anything from it. Body punch from Gamzatov. He lands again and then Abreu connects with a counter kick off a punch.
Body punch from Gamzatov, kick from Abreu. Another kick for Abreu and then a left hand.
Hard punch to the midsection from Gamzatov. Overhand right from Gamzatov backs abreu up. left hand and then a kick from Gamzatov as he starts to gain a little momentum. Now a straight to the body.
Missed looping punch from Gamzatov and that allows Abreu to clinch his back. However, he then just opts for a standard clinch against the cage.
Gamzatov reverses the clinch and tries for a takedown attempt for the first time really in the fight, but there’s nothing doing and they soon separate.
Abreu tries for a takedown, but Gamzatov stuffs it and Abreu settles for pressing him into the cage for the final seconds of the fight.
Decision:
A fairly lethargic, uninspired fight here then, but it’s Gamzatov who gets the nod from two of the judges to earn a split decision victory (29-28 x2, 28-29).
