Karol Rosa got the better of Nora Cornolle on the mat tonight at UFC On ESPN 71 to win by unanimous decision.
Round One
Cornolle with punches to the start. Low kick from Rosa. Calf kicks from Cornolle now. She tries for the clinch, but Rosa moves away.
Straight punch for Rosa. Calf kick for Cornolle, but Rosa fires back with a brief combo of punches. Jab for Cornolle and another punch behind it, but Rosa then connects with a left-hook counter.
Rosa clinches up against the cage. She’d like a takedown, but Cornolle eventually breaks free.
Low kick for Cornolle. She lands another couple and then Rosa fires off punches on the counter. Rosa clinches against the cage again.
The action stalls a bit then a nice body-head combo for Rosa. They separate now, but Rosa is quickly back into the clinch. Cornolle with elbow strikes to break away from the position.
Rosa into the clinch again, but doesn’t stay there as long this time before backing out. Again Rosa clinches in the final seconds of the round and Cornolle tries to land a couple of sneaky knees upstairs.
Round Two
Hooks for Rosa and then lands a nice takedown. Cornolle tries for a kimura while Rosa gets to half-guard and lands some body strikes.
More body punches from Rosa and Cornolle tries for a few elbow strikes to the midsection too. Cornolle gives up completely on the kimura attempt and now Rosa is trying to improve her position on top while still working some body strikes.
Now it’s Rosa who is trying for a kimura of her own, but it was just a diversion and she suddenly gives up on it and passes to full mount. Rosa immediately trying to set up an arm-triangle choke, but Cornolle defends against it. Rosa eventually gives up on that. Cornolle trying to turn to her back, but Rosa still keeping her down and tries for a rear-naked choke late in the round before settling for landing some ground-and-pound blows.
Round Three
Leg kicks for Cornolle. She lands another. Rosa with a nicely timed takedown to get back into half-guard.
Rosa happy to stay in control on top and land the occasional ground-and-pound strike. Cornolle with a few strikes from her back now.
Rosa trying to gradually pass guard, but Cornolle gets her back to full guard. Only momentarily though as Rosa gets to half-guard again. Cornolle looking to get to her knees, but Rosa into mount and landing solid ground-and-pound late in the final round.
Decision
Rosa gradually took control of this fight with her superior ground game, with long spells of control in the final two rounds sealing a comfortable unanimous decision victory (30-27, 29-27 x2).
