Anthony Smith narrowly managed to beat Ryan Spann by split-decision in their rematch today at UFC Fight Night 225.
Round One:
Head kick attempt from Smith to start misses. Push kick high to the body from Spann. He lands that again.
Calf kick for Smith. He misses a punch and Smith looks to clinch up. Smith attempting a throw but doesn’t work out and they go back to striking range.
left hand lands for Smith. Spann looking to let his hands go but Smith catches him with another left.
Smith knocks Spann off-balance with a leg kick. Missed head kick from Smith. He lands a push kick to the body.
Another solid low kick from Smith knocks Spann off-balance. Hurtful punches up top too now and Smith is off to a strong start here.
Inside leg kick from Spann. Calf kick for Smith, but eats a counter from Spann in the process. Exchange of strikes in close and then Smith ducks under to land a takedown. Spann trying for a guillotine choke, but Smith easily gets out of that.
Smith in half-guard here. he tries to pass to full mount, but Spann is able to scramble and stand back up.
A couple of punches off the guard from Spann. Front kick to the body from Spann. Calf kick from Smith. Another lands before the round ends.
Round Two:
Smith back to the calf kick straight away. Now one to the inside of the other leg. Right hand over the top from Smith just grazes the target.
Now it’s Spann who lands a left hook and Smith is hurt. Spann wades in with a punch and Smith goes to the canvas. He’s still in the fight for now though but he’s got some nasty looking swelling to his left eye.
Spann goes to the mat with him now. Smith trying to work for a submission, but Spann is looking for ground-and-pound. Heavy elbows from Spann.
Spann opts to stand back up. Smith wincing from his damaged left eye. Spann punches and throws a front kick upstairs that’s blocked by Smith’s high guard.
Smith gets a low kick. Jab for him. He lands the leg kick again. Spann with punches. Smith finds a left hand, but not much behind it.
Jab for Smith. Uppercut from Spann misses. Low kick from Smith. Right hand over the top lands for Spann to that swollen left eye.
Right hand for Smith. Push kick from him. Push kick for Spann too now. Smith steps into a fast right that lands.
Round Three:
The ref checks Smith’s eye before the final round starts. She’s doing a very thorough check and the fight is allowed to continue.
Low kick from Smith. Front kick to the body for Spann. Overhand right from Smith. Low kick from him and a left hand.
Jab for Spann. Solid counter-right from him. He thinks about an uppercut and lands a right hook.
Smith lands to the body and connects with a jab. Calf kick for Spann now. Right hand through the guard from Spann.
Low kick for Smith. Jab for him as Spann pumps out his jab too. Another low kick for Smith. Another jab now.
Another calf kick and Spann almost lands a counter. Good right hand for Smith. Now a push kick. Another right hand.
Head kick attempt from Smith comes up short. Push kick from Spann. left hand sneaks through from Smith. Back to the leg kick. Both land a punch at the same time.
Spann with a punch as Smith was going for a leg kick. left hook for Smith. Spann threatens with a hook. Jab for Spann.
Inside leg kick from Spann. Smith lands his to the outside. Straight punch through the guard for Spann.
Jab for Smith. Grazing right hook from Smith. Low kick from Smith but eats a punch. Leg kick from Spann. Spinning kick from Spann misses and that’s the last action of the fight.
Decision:
Smith enjoyed a good first round here, hurting Spann repeatedly to the leg and landing a takedown, but in the second Spann landed a big punch to rock his opponent, swell up his left eye and get him down, which shifted the momentum in his favor. The third round was close though, so it’s down to the judges and by split-decision they give the nod to Anthony Smith (29-28 x2, 28-29).
