Aljamain Sterling successfully moved up to the bantamweight division tonight at UFC 300 with a one-sided decision victory over Calvin Kattar.
Round One:
Inside leg kick for Sterling as Kattar feels out with the jab. He misses on a head kick attempt.
Looping right hand from Sterling lands. Outside calf kick from Sterling, but Kattar lands a jab on the counter.
Oblique kick from Sterling and tries to clinch up, but Kattar steers clear. Wide left hook from Sterling. Another missed head kick from him, but lands a calf kick.
Calf kick from Sterling is checked. Jab from Kattar, but Sterling is on on a single-leg attempt. He gets over to the cage with it and then does land the takedown with half the round remaining.
Kattar already starting to work his way upright against the cage though. Sterling keeping him down though as he locks in a hook and starts working towards his back.
Kattars able to stand, but Sterling drags him back down. Kattar up again and is brought down again. However, Kattar up again and gets away.
Sterling with a kick to the body. Oblique kick from him. Spinning elbow strike misses from him. Missed punch from kattar and Sterling is underneath it and lands another takedown, in the center of the Octagon this time, but there’s only a few seconds of the round remaining.
Round Two:
Calf kick from Sterling as Kattar lands a jab. Sterling drives into another takedown against the cage. Kattar staying upright for now though. Nice trip from Sterling to get Kattar down on one knee. Bit of an awkward stalemate from there and then Kattar gets back up.
Sterling still working from the clinch though as he tries to manufacture another takedown attempt. A few knees to the leg from the former bantamweight champion.
Sterling finally backs off for a moment, but then comes back in firing off wide hooks. Nothing got through cleanly there though.
Kattar back in the center of the Octagon now. Body punch from Sterling and then swoops into a slick takedown. He’s in side control in the final minute of the round. Sterling taking his time here, just opting for control. He lands a knee to the body.
Round Three:
Leg kick from Sterling. Now he’s quickly into another takedown attempt. Kattar still up, but has his hands down. They move over to the cage with Sterling moving around to the back, but then is looking for a possible single-leg.
Sterling gets the takedown. Kattar just holding on, this has been a lifeless performance from him so far.
Sterling passes to side control. He lands a couple of knees to the body. Kattar scrambles up and ducks down as if he’s looking for a takedown. However Sterling hoists him upside down into the air and dumps him down to the mat then attacks with ground-and-pound.
Sterling settles back down in half-guard. Sterling tries for a d’arce choke, but quickly gives up on it. He lands a few body punches in the final few seconds.
Decision:
Sterling cruised to victory here against a lethargic looking Kattar, getting the better of the striking, but mostly just leaning on his superior ground game to get the job done over three rounds to win a unanimous decision victory (30-27 x3).
