Al Iaquinta claimed a second victory over Kevin Lee tonight at UFC On FOX 31, with his hard-hitting striking and savvy defense on the mat being enough to earn a unanimous decision victory.
Round One:
The main event of the evening is underway in Milwaukee for the final UFC event on the FOX network.
Lee misses with a couple of early kicks. Leg kick for Iaquinta as Lee tries to land punches. Spinning elbow from Iaquinta lands.
Lee taking the center of the cage and throwing punches. He works the jab. Left hand gets through for Iaquinta. He comes forward with more punches but is reaching a little too much.
Kick upstairs from lee blocked but he lands one to the legs successfully. Lee lands a counter jab. High kick for him is blocked. Leg kick.
Iaquinta reaches for a single leg and then goes for a strike upstairs instead. Kick upstairs from Iaquinta and then eats a big body kick.
One-two from Iaquinta. He momentarily fakes for a single leg again. Right hand for Iaquinta. Again it lands. Head kick from lee is blocked.
Jab for Iaquinta. Now a leg kick. Uppercut gets through for Iaquinta. left hook from Lee as the exchange. Iaquinta thinking about the takedown again. Exchanging punches as the round ends, with Lee even throwing one after the bell and then staring down his opponent.
Round Two:
Front kick to the body from Lee and then again. He goes to the jab but Iaquinta is looking for the counter. Leg kick for Iaquinta. left hand over the top from Lee.
Nice head movement from Iaquinta to avoid a punch. Lee in on a takedown attempt. Iaquinta trying to stop it but Lee does manage to get him down.
Lee landing some punches here as Iaquinta tries to get to his knees. Lee takes his back and has a tight body triangle here. Lee slamming home some big punches to the head here to soften up Iaquinta.
Lee trying to look for the opening to get a rear-naked choke attempt. However, Iaquinta finds space and scrambles back to his feet.
Right hand from iaquinta on the counter. Now a jab. Iaquinta growing in confidence now. Lee with a leg kick. Body punch from Iaquinta.
Jab from Iaquinta. Body kick from Lee and a punch in return from Iaquinta. leg kick for him now. Leg kick for Lee but it’s caught by Iaquinta who then counters with a punch.
Right hand for Iaquinta. jab lands for Lee and then a counter from Iaquinta.
Round Three:
Kicks exchanged to start the third. Both just missing with big punches. Leg kick for iaquinta and now one from Lee. well timed right hand from Iaquinta.
Jab for Iaquinta and a one-two in return from Lee. Body kick from Lee. Body punch for Iquinta. Jab from Lee. He tries for a head kick, but Iaquinta is out of range.
Knee misses for Lee and then a right hook lands for iaquinta. Overhand right for Iaquinta. Iaquinta fakes the takedown attempt and then goes upstairs, but now Lee decides to go for a takedown and gets it, but struggles to keep Iaquinta down.
Iaquinta working straight back up against the cage. Lee staying tight with the body lock though. Lee hoists Iaquinta up into the air and slams him to the mat.
Lee again takes Iaquinta’s back and locks in that tight body triangle. He’s looking for the rear-naked choke, but Iaquinta is wise to it and is defending well.
less than a minute of the round remaining. Iaquinta turns back onto his knees as Lee tries to get his hand under the chin. Well defended from Iaquinta as the round comes to a close.
Round Four:
Head kick attempt from Lee is blocked. Very big right hand from Iaquinta. Lee wears it well. Now another right from Iaquinta and Lee backs up a bit.
Iaquinta lands to thet head and Lee is definitely troubled here. iaquinta being patient though as he stalks Lee. Head kick from Iaquinta lands and Lee nods in acknowledgement of that one.
Jab for Lee and Iaquinta with a kick. They clash shins. Lee lands the jab. Right hand counter for Iaquinta. Again Iaquinta lands the right hand.
Iaquinta connects to the body. Lee works the jab. Body kick for Lee. Another body kick from him. He goes to it a third time as Iaquinta continues stalking him.
Iaquinta landing punches. Now a leg kick but misses with a superman punch. Right and then an overhand left from Iaquinta. jabs from Lee and a body kick. Right hand scores for Iaquinta.
Round Five:
Low leg kick for Lee. Now a left hook. Jab for iaquinta. Straight right for Lee. Single leg kick for Lee. Iaquinta scrambling nicely though.
Lee thinking about a leg lock and Iaquinta does manage to scramble up. Lee presses him straight into the cage looking to bring him down.
Stalemate against the cage here. Lee readjusts his position and takes Iaquinta’s back. however Iaquinta does a good job of managing to shake him off.
Right hand lands for Iaquinta. Now he lands the jab. Lee witha body kick. Iaquinta pressing the action now. Right hook for Lee. Iaquinta lands a left hook that seems to wobble Lee.
Lee backing up but then lands a body kick. Right hook again for Iaquinta. Now a right from Lee. Iaquinta gets the hook again, but not so much power behind it.
One-two for Iaquinta. Now another big right. He’s swinging for the fences. Front kick usptairs from Iaquinta. He lands another big right hand and Lee is looking stiff in the legs, but the bell will save him!
Decision:
Very good competitive fight here, but though Lee had some nice takedowns and back control it was Iaquinta who had the bigger moments on the feet and that leads him to a unanimous decision victory (48-47 x2, 49-46).
