Khalil Rountree edged out a hard fought split decision victory over Dustin Jacoby tonight at UFC Fight Night 213.
Round One:
Front kick to the body from Jacoby. Rountree steps forward with a big flurry and a left hand gets through.
Another quick punch from Rountree lands. He threatens with the right hook. Jacoby looking for a head kick that’s blocked.
leg kick for Jacoby. Massive winging punch from Rountree misses. Quick jab for Jacoby and another swing and a miss from Rountree.
Body kick for Jacoby and then a double-jab. Outside leg kick for him. Left hook over the top from Jacoby as Rountree was looking for his own.
Leg kick for Rountree. Some of his big strikes are still missing though. Punch from Jacoby. Rountree with a flurry, but doesn’t connect clean.
Body punch for jacoby. Leg kick from Jacoby and a punch from Rountree. Low kick for Rountree. Nice uppercut from Jacoby.
Rountree misses a leg kick. Jacoby with an uppercut. Good one-two for him. Solid straight left for Rountree. Rountree winging some hooks, but hits thin air.
Body punch for Jacoby. leg kick for Rountree. Jacoby working the jab and then just gets his head out of range from a big counter.
Final seconds of the round and Rountree lands a big left and just misses with an elbow.
Round Two:
Low kick for Jacoby. Now one from Rountree. Rountree starts to land several jabs. Jacoby avoids a hook and then lands one of his own.
Jacoby tries to go for an elbow but it doesn’t pay off. Nice left hand lands for Jacoby. Jacoby peppers Rountree with punches as he hides behind his guard.
Leg kick for Jacoby. Rountree misses with a head kick. He comes up short with punches too. Jacoby pumping his jab through the guard.
Low kick from Jacoby. Now one from Rountree. He tries to land a knee. Left hand lands for Jacoby and almost eats a counter. Knee strike to the body from Jacoby.
Grazing left hook from Rountree. Head kick from Rountree almost lands clean. Chopping leg kicks from Rountree.
Leg kick for Rountree. Straight left for Jacoby. Rountree connects nicely with a left hand.
Jacoby opts to clinch against the cage, but Rountree backs away. Jabs for Jacoby. Body punch and a left hook from Jacoby.
Right hook from Rountree. Now a body punch. Head kick attempt from Jacoby. Left hand over the top from Rountree.
Round Three:
leg kick for Rountree. Trading in close Jacoby lands a nice punch to the body. Again he’s able to land that. Rountree with a flurry to the body and head.
Big punch lands for Rountree. Now a quick jab. He loads up on a punch and leaves his head out afterwards and Jacoby almost punishes him with a head kick attempt.
Nice right hand from Jacoby. Now a leg kick and just avoids a big punch. Jab for Jacoby. left hand for Rountree. Now a leg kick.
One-two for Jacoby. Hard left hand over the top from Rountree. Jacoby attempts to clinch, but gets caught by a couple of knees upstairs.
Jacoby lands a jab. left hand from Rountree. Hook from Rountree. In close Rountree lands a knee to the head.
Rountree working his jab now. Jacoby lands a right hand. Left scores again for Rountree. Jacoby with a jab.
Knee to the body from Jacoby. Left hand for Rountree. Jab for Jacoby. Knee upstairs for Jacoby.
Big hook lands for Rountree and he tries to follow up on that. Now Jacoby is coming forward with a flurry. We’re headed to the judges!
Decision:
Jacoby appeared to be the slicker technician in the early rounds here, while Rountree was loading up on his strikes and was being made to miss. However, Rountree started to get into his groove later in the second round and in particular in the final five minutes, landing some of the biggest strikes of the fight along the way.
In the end it’s down to the judges and they emerge with a split decision verdict and it’s Rountree who gets the win (29-28 x2, 28-29). Perhaps a bit fortunate there, but he certainly gave a good account of himself in the third round.
