It was far from a thriller, but Alexander Hernandez managed to outpoint Francisco Trinaldo by unanimous decision tonight at UFC On ESPN 4 in his native San Antonio.
Round One:
Hernandez tries to open with a head kick, but comes up short. Trinaldo taking the center of the Octagon. Another head kick attempt from Hernandez is blocked.
Lots of movement from Hernandez and then steps in with a punch that lands to the neck of Trinaldo. Body kick for Hernandez.
Body punch for Hernandez. Body kick for Trinaldo. Hernandez steps into the body punch. High kick from Hernandez is blocked.
Hernandez just misses with a side kick upstairs. Right hand for him. Now a leg kick, but counter punch from Trinaldo lands.
jabs come up short for Trinaldo. Hernandez lands a body kick as Trinaldo also connects with a right hand.
Head kick from Hernandez is blocked. Groin strike forces a brief stoppage for Hernandez to recover.
Glancing leg kick from Hernandez. Final 10 seconds and Trinaldo partially lands with a flying knee.
Round Two:
Spinning kick to the body from Hernandez misses. Front kick to the body from Hernandez. Head kick attempt from Trinaldo.
Hernandez slips on a head kick attempt, but gets straight back up. Kick upstairs from Hernandez glances Trinaldo’s head.
Missed spinning body kick from Hernandez. Trinaldo looking for a kick and Hernandez tries to spin around and take his back. Hernandez working for a takedown, but Trinaldo shrugs him off.
Hernandez wearing some damage under his left eye now. Not clear how though. One-two lands for Hernandez.
Hernandez again missing a head kick. Now a body kick misses too. Right hand does connect though.
Trinaldo with a flying knee attempt that lands to the body. He just misses with a fast head kick. Solid body kick for Hernandez towards the end of the round.
Round Three:
Spinning kick from Hernandez comes up short. Another one is blocked. Leg kick for Trinaldo. Hernandez pumps the jab as he presses forward and looks to clinch up for a takedown against the cage.
Trinaldo prevents that though and sends the fight back to striking range. Leg kick from Hernandez just as Trinaldo was also attempting one and that knocks him off-balance to the mat. Hernandez presses forward urgently trying to capitalize, but is unable to before the Brazilian stands.
Head kick blocked from Hernandez. Not a lot happening here. Body kick apiece land. Flying knee from Trinaldo misses.
Head kick from Trinaldo is blocked, but lands a punch. Short flurry at close range. Hernandez with an elbow and then tries to charge into another striker tha doesn’t pay off.
Nice knee upstairs from Trinaldo. Trinaldo with a body kick in the final seconds of the fight.
decision:
A disappointing lack of action in this fight then as both fighters operated on the outside and failed to really find their range, but there has to be a winner and the judges declare it to be Hernandez by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28).
