Justin Willis got the better of Chase Sherman tonight at UFC Fight Night 128 in a heavyweight clash that went the full 15 minutes, before ‘Big Pretty’ was declared the winner by way of unanimous decision.
Round One:
They both start trading punches at close range in the opening 20 seconds of the fight. Big kick to the body for Sherman, but Willis catches that, though he doesn’t manage to get his opponent to the mat off of it.
Right hand connects solidly for Willis. Massive straight left from Willis and Sherman was rocked by that and stood still momentarily in shock, then started bouncing around on his feet again and shakes it off.
Sherman gets the better of another exchange, landing a solid punch, but it doesn’t have the same kind of impact. More heavy hands thrown by Wilis, looking dangerous, but then a leg kick goes stray to the groin and causes a brief stoppage.
Back to it they go and Willis lands another big left hand that drops Sherman. Willis follows him to the floor and starts hammering away with ground and pound strikes. Sherman showing his toughness here though to survive the storm and then struggle back to his feet.
Now Sherman is trying to fire back, but Willis is showing a lack of respect for his power and is just teeing off when he gets the chance, with each punch he lands threatening to be a fight-ender.
Willis with a muay thai clinch and lands a knee upstairs. Now he goes into the clinch and lands a couple of big uppercuts. Sherman works him over to the cage though and lands foot stomps. Now a knee strike to the body and a shoulder shrug.
Round Two:
Leg kick for Sherman. Left hand gets through for Willis. Head kick attempt from Sherman is blocked. Now a one-two connects.
Now a big left and right lands hard for Willis. left hand down the pipe puts Willis on his heels. Eyepoke from Sherman forces a brief stoppage for Willis to recover.
Willis back to landing that heavy left hand again. Clubbing right hand and another left now. Sherman with a front kick to the body.
Left elbow from Sherman. Right hand for Willis. Another body kick for Sherman. Right and a left for Willis. Back to the body kick for Sherman.
Body punch for Willis. Head kick attempt from Sherman, but Willis blocks it and bundles him to the mat. Willis in Sherman’s full guard now with a little over 90 seconds remaining.
A little ground and pound from Willis, but nothing too strenous as he looks to conserve his energy.
Round Three:
A couple of punches land for Sherman and Willis returns fire. Nice jab for Willis. One-two for Willis. He catches a body kick from Sherman and presses him up to the cage. Nice elbow strike for Sherman in close though and then they separate.
A rare miss with the left hand in close from Willis and Sherman lands a body kick. Now Sherman clinches up and marches his opponent over to the cage.
Sherman works a couple of elbow strikes. Willis gets away though and returns to the center of the Octagon. Willis throws a couple of punches, but it’s not long before Sherman clinches up and goes back to the cage again.
Again Willis backs out. Sherman with a body kick. A couple of punches from him. Willis with a body punch. Kick upstairs from Sherman and then a punch.
Now its Willis who initiates the clinch against the cage. 30 seconds to go and they back out to the center of the Octagon. Right and a left lands for Willis. Kick for Sherman. Willis into the clinch and Sherman lands an elbow. Willis tired now, but there’s not enough time left for Sherman to capitalize.
Decision:
A strong showing from Willis in the first round then and also continued to hold the advantage in the second, so despite getting back into the fight in the third round, Sherman comes up empty handed as Willis secures a unanimous decision victory (29-28 x3).
