Gian Villante’s pressure and punching power helped him to earn a split decision win over Francimar Barroso tonight at UFC 220 in Boston.
Round One:
Villante with a punch to the body. Now a big overhand right that lands, but Barroso takes it well. Body punch for Barroso now.
Another hard right hand connects for Villante who is throwing with authority early. Uppercut from Barroso. This time a right from Villante just clips his opponent.
Villante goes to the uppercut and connects. He’s finding a home for most of his punches so far and Barroso is not enjoying this.
Jab for Barroso. Left hook for Villante. Leg kick for Barroso. Now a front kick to the body. Villante continues holding the center of the Octagon and walking him down though. Barroso stumbles of his own accord. Big leg kick for Barroso. Punch to the body for Villante.
Back to the right hand Villante goes, but doesn’t connects as cleanly this time. Solid kick to the lead leg from Barroso.
Leg kick for Barroso and one in return from Villante. He loads up with right hands, but doesn’t find the target this time. Good leg kick again for Barroso.
Villante unelashes a series of punches as Barroso is backed up against the cage, but he fires back with a punch of his own.
Round Two:
Barroso punches to the body. And again. Left hook for Villante. Now a leg kick. Barroso with a leg kick. A few jabs for Villante and then lets the right hand go to. Barroso with a solid counter as Villante looks for more offense.
Another exchange and VIllante gets clipped with a right hand, but immediately after he lands an illegal strike to the groin that forces a brief stoppage for Barroso to recover.
Back to it they go and Villante lands a solid leg kick. Right hand and a few jabs for Villante. Another right lands hard. Villante continues to be the fighters pushing forward, though Barroso does land a nice body kick.
Right hand for Villante. A few punches for him and a right hand by Barroso. leg kick for Barroso. Villante digs to the body with a couple of punches. Villante tries to go upstairs and Barroso lands to the midsection.
Right and a left hand for Villante. Now a solid right to the body. He attempts a head kick, but it misses. Slapping strikes from Villante to end the round.
Round Three:
left right for VIllante as he immediately starts pressuring his opponent as he did in teh previous 10 minutes. Clipping left hook for Barroso.
Series of punches from VIllante after a leg kick from Barroso. Good body kick from him too now. Body punch for VIllante. Another solid kick from Barroso.
left hook connects clean from Barroso. Now a big punch from Villante staggers Barroso backwards. leg kick from Barroso is greeted by a right hand from Villante.
jab for Barroso. Now a leg kick and a body kick. Jab for VIllante. Two punches from VIllante to one from Barroso. Right hand lands for Villante.
Barroso feeds him a right hand now. Body punch from Villante. Right hand to the nose from Villante. Low leg kick from Barroso. Now a punch to the body. Not a great deal of urgency from either man as the round fizzles out at the end without any further fireworks.
Decision:
This seems like a fairly straight-forward one, but the judges have reached a split decision. However, it’s rightly Gian Villante who does walk away with the victory in the end (30-27 x2, 28-29).
