Darren Elkins battled his way to a unanimous decision victory over tristan Connelly tonight at UFC On ESPN 35.
Round One:
Elkins feels out with punches and lands one. Connelly with a right hand. Elkins lands a couple of right hands and then gets a takedown. Connelly trying to stand, but Elkins has his back and pulls him back down.
They scramble and Elkins gets on top in Connelly’s full guard and starts to work a little ground and pound.
Connelly starts to try to work back to his feet against the cage. Elkins gets to his back again and drags him back down.
Connelly trying to escape and manages to stand and press Elkins into the cage. They break apart and go back to striking range.
Elkins feels out with punches and then lands another takedown. He tries to pass guard, but has to settle for remaining in the open guard for now. Connelly landing a few choppy elbows from his back. Elkins with some ground and pound strikes.
Connelly scrambles back to his feet, but Elkins stays on him. COnnelly facing the cage and Elkins fires off a few punches then they seperate.
Both men looking to strike in the final seconds of the round and Elkins tags his opponent with a few punches. Connelly has a cut below his right eye as he heads back to his corner.
Round Two:
Right hand for Connelly, but then Elkins responds with a couple of punches of his own. Elkins firing off more punches down the pipe as Connelly steps off to the side.
Connelly defends a takedown. He lands a kick to the calf. Elkins into the clinch against the cage. He lands a punch as they separate.
Elkins attempts a takedown, but has to clinch up instead. Connelly looking for space, but Elkins not giving him any as he goes straight into another takedown attempt and this time lands it.
Connelly thinking about a guillotine, but has to quickly give up on that. A few punches from him on top. Connelly gets to his knees and Elkins takes his back.
Elkins getting the body triangle locked in, but nevertheless, Connelly manages to escape back to his feet and lands a punch.
Solid right hand from Elkins. He lands it again lightly. Glancing blows land from Elkins. Solid calf kick from Connelly.
Connelly upping his work rate here with a few punches, but then Elkins lands a solid one of his own.
Overhand lands for Elkins. Right hand from Connelly. Elkins lands a takedown for a brief second. Elkins looking to pull him back down, but Connelly fence grabs and the ref spots it and pulls the action back so Elkins doesn’t lose an advantageous position.
On the rest a miscalculation from Elkins sees him slip to the mat. Connelly looks to capitalize but Elkins quickly drives back up. Final seconds of the round and Connelly threatens with a jumping knee upstairs.
Round Three:
Both men throwing punches without anything landing significantly. Connelly with a low kick. One-two from Elkins.
Elkins clinches and lands a short elbow. Jumping knee to the midsection from Connelly. Connelly clinching up now and lands a hard elbow.
Again Connelly lands a solid elbow. Elkins with a hook. Another clinch from Elkins after failing on a takedown attempt and Connelly scores with an elbow again.
Both men landing elbows. GOod uppercuts connect for Elkins. Real urgency from Connelly as he drives forward into the clinch again and lands light punches to the body and head. Elkins with punches in close too.
Body punch from Elkins. Connelley lands, but hard three-piece combo fromes firing back from Elkins.
Elkins lands a takedown near the center of the Octagon. Connelly looking for elbows from his back. He rolls to his knees, but Elkins is on him and hops onto his back and pulls him onto him while sinking in the body triangle.
Punches from Elkins as Connelly struggles to defend himself and is leaking blood. Elkins goes for a rear-naked choke and it looks tigt, but Connelly guts it out and manages to escape. Elkins still firmly locked onto his back though and goes back to landing strikes as the round ends.
Decision:
A competitive battle here then, but while both men had their moments, Elkins industrious performance on the feet and the mat earns him a unanimous decision victory (30-27 x3).
