Montel Jackson did enough to eke out a unanimous decision victory over Daniel Marcos in an uneventful fight tonight at UFC ON ESPN 67.
Round One
Early leg kicks from Jackson. Now one from Marcos. Lunging right hand gets through from Marcos. Big foot sweep from Jackson to land a takedown.
Jackson in Marcos’ full guard with plenty of time to work. Marcos gets his legs into play and manages to push Jackson off and stand. Jackson stays on him against the cage though while working for another takedown. Marcos defending for now though.
Jackson backs off now. Winging punch from Marcos just misses. Marcos moves in but Jackson clinches and turns him into the cage.
Jackson attempting to bring him down, but Marcos escapes. Jackson back in and lands a trip, but Marcos is straight back up and now he’s pressing Jackson into the cage.
Marcos patient and then goes for a double-leg and lands it nicely. Now it’s Jackson who manages to work back to his feet and Marcos stays on him. Final 10 seconds of the round and they get back to striking range but don’t engage.
Round Two
Low kick for Marcos. Inside low kick for Jackson. Now a jab from him, and again. Another jab and then Marcos tries to bursts into his own attack without success.
Marcos able to move in and land a takedown in the center of the Octagon though. Jackson attempting to work the butterfly guard to his advantage and manages to find some room to stand back up.
Inside leg kick for Marcos. Jab for Jackson. Inside leg kick for him. Now a straight left. Inside leg kick from Marcos. Marcos steps into a switch kick to the body.
Jab for Jackson. Takedown attempt from Marcos and has to settle for working from the clinch against the cage. Jackson pushes him away to get back to striking range.
However, Marcos quickly closes the distance again and brings him back to the clinch against the cage while trying to work for a takedown.
Marcos manages to pull Jackson off the cage and then land a takedown, but Jackson gets up immediately and now he’s the one pressing Marcos into the cage.
Round Three
Inside leg kick from Marcos. One-two for Jackson. Jab for him. Right hand from Marcos. Jackson swinging now, missing with most, but landing a couple of times as things start to liven up. However, then Jackson goes into the clinch. They start to work apart and Jackson throws a kick.
Jackson works a takedown, but Marcos is straight back up. They jockey for position against the cage and Marcos lands a takedown of his own.
Jackson rolls to his knees and looks to stand up against the cage, which he does. Marcos still clinched up though. Marcos backs up. Body kick for him.
Marcos back into a takedown again as they stall against the cage. Not much happening here, which has been the story of the fight for the most part.
Jackson eventually gets away. He throws a knee. Marcos backing up now. Marcos with a backfist that misses and Jackson brings him down. Marcos back up, but Jackson is working for a d’arce choke now and brings him down as he looks to finish it off. Marcos able to survive that and escape though.
Marcos clinching up now late in the round, but then lets go to lands a few punches to the body. Jackson with a final punch as the round ends.
Decision
An underwhelming fight here then with little in the way of notable action, but in the end it’s Jackson who was the more active of the two overall and he emerges with a unanimous decision victory (30-27 x3)