Brendson Ribeiro edged out a split decision win over Caio Machado tonight at UFC Fight Night 246.
Round One:
Calf kick for Machado. He touches that leg again. Now a higher kick. Ribeiro with a kick of his own. Inside leg kick for Machado.
Straight punch from Ribeiro. Inside leg kicks exchanged. Ribeiro just misses with a head kick attempt.
Big swing from Ribeiro doesn’t connect. Front kick to the body from Ribeiro. Body kick from him. Punch for Machado.
Head kick attempt from Machado. Body kick from Ribeiro. Inside leg kick for Machado. Body punch for him. Solid body kick now from Machado. It’s not long before Ribeiro responds with a body kick too.
Head kick from Machado is blocked. Calf kick from Machado. Missed head kick. Ribeiro also misses with a power punch and subsequent head kick attempt.
Two hard straight rights land for Ribeiro. Leg kick for Machado. Machado steps into a punch, but gets a kick to the groin in the process and signals he needs a time-out to recover.
He doesn’t need long before he’s ready to go again. Oblique kick for Ribeiro and now a heavy body kick. High kick attempt from Machado is blocked.
Left hand and a right behind it gets through for Ribeiro late in the round.
Round Two:
Machado lands a body kick. Low kick for Ribeiro. Missed head kick from Machado. Machado with a body punch. Machado steps into a body kick.
Another body punch for Machado as he circles on the outside. Solid connection on the body kick from Machado.
Calf kick for Machado. Now a kick to the thigh and a push kick. Ribeiro starting to press forward with more urgency, but struggling to close down his constantly circling opponent.
Body kick for Machado. Head kick attempt from Ribeiro whistles past the target. Kick off the guard from Machado. few strikes missing the target here from both men.
Heavy straight right lands for Ribeiro and snapped Machado’s head back for a moment. Overhand from Machado.
One-two for Machado. Inside leg kick from Ribeiro. Both men swinging wildly without connecting. Right hand gets through for Ribeiro.
Round Three:
Body kick for Machado. Head kick attempt is blocked. Now a left hand and an inside leg kick. Body punch gets through.
A couple of straight punches get through for Ribeiro. Body kick for Ribeiro but stumbles afterwards.
Machado with a brief flurry. Quite sloppy exchanges at times here with a lot of missed strikes over the course of the fight.
Head kick attempt from Ribeiro partially got through, but not with enough momentum to punish his opponent.
Right hand lands for Ribeiro. Body kick for Machado. Big right for Ribeiro hurts Machado. Machado comes back at him and lands a punch that stumbles Ribeiro. He stays upright though.
Missed punch from Ribeiro and Machado lands his own. Body punch from Ribeiro. Kick for Machado. Jumping knee to the body from Machado. Uppercut threatens from Machado. Now a spinning backfist. Straight right lands for Ribeiro.
Decision:
This was a bit of a strange fight with Machado staying on the outside for the most part and Ribeiro struggling to hunt him down effectively, leading to a lot of missed strikes and occasional sloppy exchanges from both men. Machado was a little more active, but Ribeiro landed the harder punches, and that helps him earn a narrow split decision victory (29-28 x2, 28-29).
