Katyln Chookagian again emerged victorious via unanimous decision in her rematch with Jennifer Maia tonight at UFC On ESPN 32.
Round One:
Step-in jab from Maia. Push kick from Chookagian. Exchange of punches in close. nice right hand from Chookagian and then gets her head out the way. Nice connection.
Calf kick for Maia now. Now a jab from her. Jab for Chookagian. She lands one again. Now a calf kick. Push kick to maintain distance. Good one-two from Maia as she finds her range early.
Hard push kick from Chookagian sends Maia reeling backwards off-balance. Chookagian looking for a hook that misses and Maia lands a leg kick.
Calf kick from Chookagian. Two left hands from her. Leg kick from Maia. One-two from Chookagian and then feeling out for a body kick.
Right hand from Maia, but Chookagian then works for a takedown and lands it. Chookagian working from half-guard here and being patient as she stays mindful of Maia’s submission game.
Nice pass to side control from Chookagian. A couple of knees to the body now. She attempts a pass to full-mount but that doesn’t pay off and instead Maia is able to scramble back up to her feet.
However, Chookagian presses her into the cage and that’s where the round ends.
Round Two:
Both ladies start the second round throwing strikes. Chookagian with a left hook. Maia steps in with a right hand. She looks to land again and Chookagian times that nicely to work for a body lock and marches her opponent over to the cage.
They jockey for position now against the cage and then break free to striking range. Body punches from Chookagian. Now a right hand. Leg kick for Maia as Chookagian punches upstairs.
Jab for Chookagian, but she does have some blood to her right eye from an earlier punch. Maia working into the clinch against the cage, but then Chookagian reverses the position and tries for a trip. Maia gets back to the advantageous position though and looks for knees as they then break away.
Push kick from Chookagian. Jab for her and then tries for the body lock, but doesn’t get it this time. Maia with a flurry of short punches in close.
Head kick attempt from Chookagian almost gets through. Straight punch from Chookagian. Big knee upstairs seems to connect for her.
Maia working for a takedown against the cage, but it’s Chookagian who is able to take her off-balance and bring her to the mat. Chookagian on the turtled up Maia’s back, but is quite high up and in danger of falling off.
Chookagian able to adjust enough to stay on her back in the final seconds of the round.
Round Three:
Swings and a miss from both ladies. Maia steps in with a punch and Chookagian tries to counter with a knee upstairs.
Nice three-piece combo for Chookagian. Now a left hook to the jaw. The jab lands too. Maia trying to pressure, but is being greeted by strikes when she gets into range.
Maia attempts a body kick and Chookagian caught it but didn’t work the takedown afterwards. One-two for Chookagian.
Chookagian overreaches with punches and Maia retaliates with punches of her own. One-two from Chookagian. left hand for her. Chookagian continuing to control the range with her straight punches.
Jab lands for Chookagian and then a harder one soon after. Jab and a leg kick for Chookagian. Maia with a flurry as she tries hard to make something happen.
Overhand right for Maia and a counter-right from Chookagian. leg kick for Maia. Short right hook lands for her. Solid right hand from Chookagian after a body punch.
Push kick from Chookagian. One-two for Maia. Another push kick from Chookagian. Body kick from Maia. Solid one-two from Chookagian and Maia’s face is becoming increasingly bloodied.
Jabs continue to land for Chookagian. Leg kick from Maia as Chookagian was also looking for a kick, and that’s it, we’re headed to the judges for a decision.
Decision:
A hard fought fight then with Maia trying hard to gain the upperhand, but Chookagian’s crisper strikes from range and spells of control on top help her to a unanimous decision victory (30-27 x3).
