Jeremy Stephens conducted a leg kick clinic on Gilbert Melendez tonight at UFC 215, flooring him multiple times withe the technique over the course of the fight to earn himself a unanimous decision victory.
Round One:
Hard leg kick from Stephens to start the fight. Melendez looking for a one-two. A couple of straight punches get through for Stephens.
Melendez pumping out the jab, but Stephens responds with another solid leg kick. More jabs from Melendez, another kick for Stephens. And another one.
Low leg kick again from Stephens and now Melendez responds with one of his own. Melendez’s lead leg is already swollen and red looking.
Hard right hand for Melendez. Stephens blasts him with that low kick kick yet again and Melendez’s leg caves and he falls to the mat. For a moment it looked like that might be a wrap, but Melendez guts it out and gets back to his feet. Stephens tags him with a series of punches to the head.
Real heart being shown by Melendez, but you’ve got to wonder how much longer he can continue. Stephens lands there again and Melendez crumbles to the mat again.
Melendez stays down this time and Stephens opts to go down into his guard and tries to land some ground and pound as the round comes to an end.
Round Two:
Before the round starts the referee gets the doctor to check on Melendez’s leg, but he’s deemed to be fit to continue for now.
Melendez trying to pressure his opponent and lands a few punches. However, Stephens then goes to the vulnerable legs again. Melendez has switched stances, but that means his other leg will now take a beating too.
Stephens opens up with punches to the head, then a kick upstairs that’s blocked, then back to the legs again.
Melendez caught with a kick to his badly hurt left leg and for the third time he’s floored by it. He’s right back up though. Stephens almost gets through clean with a head kick.
Stpehens working punches too though and then a hard body kick. Punches off the gloves from Stephens, but then a good uppercut gets through.
Punch and then the low leg kick puts Melendez down for a fourth time, but it’s very close to the end of the round, so he’s able to survive despite Stephens trying to get something going on the mat.
Round Three:
Melendez still in that switched stance in the third. Stephens the busier on offense and lands a nice combination of punches and then a body kick.
Melendez with a right hook. Kick to Melendez’s other leg. Melendez pressing forward, but Stephens lands a punch to the body. Stephens still putting a good amount of power into his punches. Cuffing right hook lands. And another.
Melendez floored for a fifth time by the leg kick and rolls immediately to his feet, which earns him a touch of the gloves as a mark of respect from his opponent.
Stpehens tagging Melendez to the head solidly. Now a ripping body shot. Melendez trying to trade, but Stephens ruthlessly goes for that leg and there’s a wince of pain as Melendez collapses. Back up he goes, and soon after he’s back down courtesy of yet another attack to that limb.
Luckily for Melendez there’s not long to go in the fight and he’s rewarded for his toughness by hearing the final bell, but that was a very tough night at the office for him and his left leg is an absolute mess from that beating.
Decision:
No prizes for guessing the wineer here. Stephens destroyed Melendez’s leg and he’s rewarded with a unanimous decision victory (30-26 x2, 30-25).
