Frequent punishing leg kicks were the key to Sodiq Yusuff’s unanimous decision victory over Alex Caceres tonight at UFC Fight Night 203.
Round One:
Both throw kicks at the same time. They swing for a punch at the same time too and Caceres transitions into a takedown and starts to scramble for a submission, but Yusuff is able to work to his feet.
Yusuff with a straight right. Yusuff able to work a takedown of his own now. Caceres turn to battle back to his feet and they clinch, then separate.
Yusuff letting some heavy kicks fly. Caceres steps into a nice punch. They both swing hard and just whiff past each other’s head.
Yusuff drives Caceres into the cage. He spins around to the back now. He tries to kick Caceres legs out, but nothing doing for now. Now he lefts him up and tries to force him down, but Caceres shows good balance to remain upright and then lands a punch on his way out.
Back at striking range now. Yusuff just short with a front kick upstairs. Yusuff ducks under a punch and clinches again, shifting around to Caceres back. Knee for Yusuff, but then Caceres gets around to his opponents back and tries to work for a choke, but he can’t find it and that’s where the round ends.
Round Two:
Caceres misses a leg kick. Yusuff throws heavy leather, but Caceres backs out of range. Spinning kick to the body from Caceres.
Right hook over the top from Yusuff lands and staggers Caceres a little, but he seems ok. Leg kick for Yusuff. Jab from Caceres.
Hook from Caceres now. Jab for Yusuff and then a body kick. Front kick to the body from Yusuff. He lands a hard right hand.
Inside leg kick for Yusuff. left hand gets through for Caceres. Caceres loads up on another big left hand. Low kick for Yusuff, punch for Caceres.
Yusuff just misses with a head kick attempt. Leg kick from Yusuff knocks Caceres off-balance for a moment. Another leg kick lands and Caceres moved his leg a little gingerly after that. Yusuff hits him heavily to the inside of the leg again.
Back to the well Yusuff goes with another inside leg kick, but not as heavy a connection this time. Caceres punches to the body.
Yusuff with the inside leg kick and Caceres is taken off his feet for a moment. Now an outside low kick for Yusuff.
Yusuff fakes a leg kick, but then does go for it soon afterwards. Again he lands it. Caceres tries for a couple of high kicks, but then gets knocked off-balance again by a chopping low kick.
Punches to the head for Caceres. Body kick for Caceres but Yusuff catches it and lands his leg kick. Caceres over-committing on a punch and is a bit off-balance as he struggles to deal with the punishment his leg has taken.
Round Three:
Head kick attempt from Caceres and then a side kick attempt too to the body. Inside leg kick for Caceres. Head kick attempt from Yusuff. Now back to the leg.
Yusuff lands the leg kick again. Now one to the outside of the calf. Jab for Caceres. Right hand for Yusuff. Left hand from Caceres as Yusuff was also throwing.
Body punch from Cacares. Yusuff still going to the leg, but Caceres is threatening him more with punches first.
They both swing punches but don’t find the target. Spinning kick to the body from Caceres. Inside leg kick from Yusuff. He lands it again.
Body punch from Caceres. Caceres attempts a takedown, but Yussuf shrugs it off. Head kick attempt from Yusuff.
Right hand counter from Yusuff sends Caceres staggering backwards for a moment. Leg kick from Yusuff again. He lands another. Caceres threatens with an uppercut.
Caceres walks into a jab. Kick from Caceres. He lands a jab. Knee from Yusuff in close and then he clinches up against the cage.
Caceres able to break free. 20 seconds remaining. Left hand from Caceres. Caceres tries to flurry with punches. Yusuff with another leg kick. Yusuff clinching up and trying to set something up in the final seconds, but runs out of time.
Decision:
No doubt about the winner here then, with Yusuff punishing the inside of Caceres lead leg throughout the fight on his way to a unanimous decision victory (30-27 x2, 29-28).
