Mario Bautista was able to win out by unanimous decision in an entertaining fight with Ricky Simon tonight at UFC Fight Night 234 in Las Vegas.
Round One:
Leg kick for Simon. Now an inside leg kick. Glancing kick to the groin from Buatista, but Simon is ok to continue.
Outside leg kick for Bautista as he circles. Right hand for Simon. Nice one-two from Bautista. He goes for a flying knee that may have landed even though he lost balance afterwards.
Now Bautista throws a knee to the body, but at the same time Simon is going for a takedown and lands it nicely.
Simon in Buatista’s half-guard and then passes to side control. Bautista rolls to his knees though and stands while throwing punches.
Calf kick for Simon as Buatista tries to work the jab. Simon back in on another takedown attempt, but Bautista scrambles up quickly.
Knee strike from Bautista lands. Simon clinches up and presses him into the cage. Buatista able to break free.
Low kick for Bautista. Now he pumps out the jab. Bautista swings a big punch but misses.
Body kick for Bautista. Simon starting to back off as Bautista presses forward with a flurry of punches.
Now it’s Simon who lands a big left hook that floors Bautista as he was trying to throw a knee. He goes to ground with him and looks to get the back, but Bautista is able to stand back up and seems ok.
Round Two:
Spinning head kick for Bautista misses. Calf kick for Simon. Bautista catches Simon with a punch and lands another, but Simon is able to back up and reset.
Double jab for Bautista. Left hand for Simon. Couple of punches off the guard for Bautista. He tries for a big hook, but Simon ducks under it nicely.
Simon in on a takedown and works for it against the cage. Bautista defending for now though. They break apart and Bautista has a flurry of punches.
Punch lands for Bautista. Now a couple of punches to the body for him. Good head movement from Simon to evade a few punches.
Right hand for Simon. Solid body kick from Bautista. Knee to the body for him. Now an uppercut. Jab for Simon and then rips to the body. Two-punch combo from Bautista.
Jab for Simon. Simon tries for a takedown, but Bautista defends it well. Bautista works behind the jab now.
Cuffing left hook from Simon and then tries to drive into a late takedown, but it’s stuffed again. Bautista lands a final strike of the round.
Round Three:
Simon throws the jab. Body kick for Bautista. Simon lands. Nice right hand from Bautista. jab for Simon. Single-leg attempt from Bautista doesn’t work but he throws a knee afterwards. Simon now goes for a takedown of his own, hoists Buatista up on his shoulder and marches him right across the Octagon and slams him to the mat.
Simon in a high half-guard now, but Bautista gets him back to butterfly hooks and then scrambles to his feet.
Nice uppercut from Simon in the pocket. Jab for Simon. Bautista coming forward with light punches. Bautista lands another punch. Now an uppercut too.
Body punch for Bautista. Simon attempting a takedown, but Bautista stuffs it. Simon resets and then goes for another takedown against the cage that also doesn’t pay off.
Bautista with nice volume here in the boxing department. Bautista marching forward and lands a few straight punches. Simon works for the takedown yet again and Bautista is defending really well, then is back on the offense.
More straight punches for Bautista. Simon tries to land a knee to the head from the clinch but it misses. Bautista trying for a takedown as the round ends.
Decision:
This as an action-packed and well contested fight then, but though Simon was able to floor his opponent late in the first round it was Bautista who had the better of the action overall. Impressively he even managed to outwork Simon as well as stuff many of his takedowns too in order to earn a unanimous decision victory (30-27 x2, 29-28).
