Francisco Trinaldo managed to battle his way to a unanimous decision win over Jim Miller tonight at UFC fight Night 119 in Brazil.
Round One:
Both men swinging hard to start and Trinaldo connects with a left hand over the top. Miller catches a kick and takes Trinaldo down with it, but then the Brazilian scambles nicely to end up on top.
Trinaldo has Miller pressed to the cage, but is working from his full guard for now. Trinaldo stands up, lands a kick and then backs away.
Back at striking range Miller misses with a punch to the head, but does land to the body. Leg kick for Miller. Nice takedown under a punch from Miller in the center of the Octagon.
Not too much happening here with Trinaldo doing a nice job of locking down Miller’s attempts to get offensive and in teh final seconds of the round the referee stands them back up.
Round Two:
Miller with a grazing right hand. Both fighters exchanging at clsoe range. Trinaldo just touches Miller with a front kick upstairs. Jab for Trinaldo.
Right hook connects for Miller. Trinaldo stuffs a takedown attempt from Miller. Jab for Miller, but there’s a big counter-left hand from Trinaldo that lands clean.
Inside leg kick from Miller. Trinaldo with a knee strike. Body punch from the Brazilian. Now a leg kick. Miller steps into a right hand.
They move into the clinch briefly with Trinaldo landing a knee to the midsection. Another knee for ihm. Body punch for Miller. One-two for Trinaldo.
Miller brings Trinaldo to the mat while working a guillotine choke, but Trinaldo is very aware of that and immediately moves to half-guard to relieve the pressure and gets free, enabling him to work from top control.
Trinaldo working some ground and pound elbows now from half-guard to end the round.
Round Three:
“I’ve got nothing,” a tired Miller told his corner inbetween rounds, so let’s see how he gets on in the final five minutes.
Miller steps in to a jab and eats a punch. Trinaldo with a leg kick. Nice jumping knee attempt from Trinaldo and Miller attempts to work a takedown off that, but it’s the Brazilian that ends up on top.
It’s not long before they are back up again and Trinaldo lands a punch to the body. Miller with a leg kick. Another body punch from Trinaldo.
Left hand from Trinaldo gets through. Miller looks to clinch up, but it doesn’t last long. Jabs for Trinaldo and an elbow. Miller tries for the clinch against the cage, but Trinaldo reverses the position.
Trinaldo backs away and they go back to striking range. Miller tries a kick, but Trinaldo catches it, takes him down and settles into his guard.
Trinaldo with a few grinding elbows to the head. He move sto half-guard in the final 10 seconds of the round and we’re headed to the judges.
Decision:
Trinaldo was able to edge out Miller on the feet and the mat tonight, while also besting him in the cardio department too as he picked up a unanimous decision verdict from the judges (29-28 x3).
