Darren Elkins got the better of Daniel Pineda by unanimous decision in a bloody battle on tonight’s UFC Fight Night 245 main card.
Round One:
Elkins circling and feeling out with punches to keep range. Pineda picks his moment to land a spinning kick to the body that lands flush.
Elkins in for a takedown, but there’s a scramble here as Pineda threatens with a guillotine and rolls with it. Multiple rolls here with Pineda still working the choke, but all credit to Elkins for managing to work out of that and end up on top for good measure.
Elkins patient now as he works inside Pineda’s guard. Elbow, hammmerfist and occasional punch from Elkins. Pineda working over to the cage while bleeding from cuts to the eyebrows.
Pineda stands up and immediately goes for another guillotine choke and drops with it. Cue more scrambling action as Elkins again finds his way out of this tough spot, though this time it’s Pineda who ends up in top position.
Pineda stands over Elkins and then goes back down. Pineda looking to pass guard, but Elkins ends up working on top. Good work from Pineda to scramble and now he’s dropping down some heavy elbows late in the round. Both men already wearing a lot of damage here, with Pineda’s nasty cuts above both eyes and big mouse under his right eye particularly prominent.
Round Two:
Pineda pressing forward immediately and whiffs on an uppercut. Pineda lands a low kick that takes Elkins off his feet for a moment.
Pineda lands a body shot and Elkins punches upstairs. Jab for Elkins as he circles on the outside. Solid right hand for Pineda. Body-head combo for Elkins.
Elkins tries to clinch up but eats punches from Pineda. They break apart. Elkins with a left hook. Overhand for Elkins. Backfist from Pineda, but Elkins counters with a takedown.
Pineda works for the guillotine from his back and tries to transition on top with it, but Elkins prevents it and settles on top.
Pineda trying to stand but Elkins is clinching his back. He gets up anyway and manages to break free.
Good uppercut from Pineda. A couple of jabs for Elkins. Short hook from Pineda as they exchange in close. Body kick for Pineda. He lnads a hook, but Elkins goes for the takedown. Pineda yet again works the guillotine. Elkins escapes that, but from his back now Pineda is trying for another submission.
Nothing doing though and now Elkins is in Pineda’s guard in the center of the Octagon. A couple of solid elbows from Elkins. Now another series of them land to the head. Two more land hard ust before the round concludes.
Round Three:
The doctor checks Pineda’s swollen right eye before the start of the final round. He’s ok to continue though.
Elkins in on a takedown, but Pineda manages to get back up immediately. Straight punch lands for Elkins. Now he’s going for another takedown. Pineda stands and Elkins loses control for a moment and that enables Pineda to get on top.
Scramble ensues and Pineda stays on top for now. Elkins on his knees and stands though, then back to striking range.
Front kick to the body for Pineda. Elkins in on a takedown but Pineda stuffs it. Back on the feet Elkins lands a series of punches to the body then backs up.
Jab for Pineda. Missed overhand from Elkins. Leg kick for Pineda floors Elkins for a moment. Right hook from Pineda back on the feet.
Elkins drives in and clinches up against the cage. He lands a few knees to the thigh. Pineda reverse the position then gets back to striking range.
Heavy left and right hooks from Elkins. Another leg kick from Pineda drops Elkins. Back on the feet Pineda drops down with a guillotine choke, but Elkins defense continues to be excellent and before long he’s on top in Pineda’s guard.
A few strikes land for Elkins on Pineda’s blood-soaked face. Elkins not just opting to keep Pineda down rather than going for strikes and rides out the remaining seconds in the round.
Decision:
Both of these veterans gave everything he had here as expected in a hard-fought, bloody battle. In the end though, despite good striking and multiple guillotine choke threats from Pineda it was Elkins who imposed his will on the bout, opening up multiple cuts and swelling on his opponent’s face in the opening round and continuing to display the stronger wrestling and grappling chops along with that nasty ground-and-pound to win by unanimous decision (29-28 x3).
The 39-year-old Pineda announced his retirement from the sport after the fight, his third unanimous decision loss in a row. He bows out with a 28-17 (+3nc) record, including the impressive stat that all 28 of his career wins came inside the distance by either strikes or submission.
