Anthony Hernandez earned another unanimous decision victory over Brendan Allen tonight in their rematch at UFC Fight Night 252.
Round One
Couple of nice early leg kicks from Allen. He fires up a head kick. Now he’s trying for takedown, but Hernandez ends up on top. This is where he’s happy to keep the fight, but Allen starts to work his way up. Hernandnez able to bring him back down again though.
Hernandez enjoys some control time, but then Allen does a good job of reversing and settles on top in half-guard.
Allen patient, but then tries for a kimura. Hernandez works to his knees and Allen thinks about a rear-naked choke, but then opts for punches instead. Late in the round he goes for the choke again and almost has it for a moment, but Hernandez escapes. Allen blasts him with a few elbows.
Round Two
Jab for Hernandez and then tries for a takedown, managing to get Allen down close to the cage.
Hernandez with a guillotine choke attempt now as he presses him uncomfortable up against the cage, but he escapes.
There’s a scramble and Hernandez remains on top and takes the back. He goes for a rear-naked choke attempt, but doesn’t get it as Allen is turtled up.
A few light punches from Hernandez. Allen scrambles but Hernandez sprawls to prevent him getting on top. Hernandez in side control. Allen gives up his back as he turtles again. Knees to the thigh from Hernandez now. He tries to take the back but it doesn’t quite work out and now Allen scrambles on top.
90 seconds left in the round and tries for a rear-naked choke, but is unable to. Hernandez wants to stand, but as he does so Allen is latched to his back. Hernandez able to shake him off to the mat though and gets back on top.
Hernandez in half-guard with 30 seconds to go in the round. He starts to land a few elbows. Another good one gets through. Several more land before the horn sounds.
Round Three
Body punch for Allen, but then he thinks he’s been eyepoked which forces a timeout. replays show it was a fist that caught him though so they have to get back to it.
Clinch from Allen. Left hook from Allen hurts Hernandez now as he clutches at his eye. Allen takes him down, but Hernandez gets right back up.
Uppercut from Allen now. Jab and then straight into a takedown from Hernandez. He works around to the back and drags him down to one knee. Allen stands back up, but Hernandez continues to break his base. He continues to harass Allen against the cage, getting him to a knee again.
Allen unable to break from Hernandez’s clutches here. 90 seconds to go and Allen is just being stifled here by Hernandez, who then goes for a rear-naked choke attempt. Allen defends from that but can’t get away.
Allen finally manufactures a scramble to get on top, but only for a moment as Hernandez gets back on top of him and lands some nice ground-and-pound.
Decision
This fight played out in a similar fashion to their first encounter in the LFA promotion several years ago, with Allen starting well enough, but Hernandez again getting the better of the grappling action as time went on to earn another unanimous decision victory (29-28 x3).
