Muhammad Mokaev struggled to get his wrestling going against Alex Perez tonight at UFC Fight Night 238, but was still able to fight his way to a unanimous decision victory.
Round One:
Missed low kick from Mokaev to start. He does then connect with one to the inside of the leg. Glancing low kick from him.
Uppercut lands for Mokaev. Perez lands a low kick. He slips on a front kick attempt to the body, but quickly gets back up.
Perez darting forward with punches but not finding the mark. Reaching right hand for Perez. Mokaev lands a knee to the body. Now he’s looking for a takedown, but Perez fends it off and gets back to striking range in the center of the Octagon.
Body punch from Perez. He misses a low kick. Mokaev clinches up and goes for a takedown, but Perez is scrambling nicely to prevent hitting the canvas.
Back to striking but Mokaev bursts into a low takedown attempt that Perez again stuffs nicely.
More punches from Perez comes up short as Mokaev slides out of range. Jab lands for Mokaev as Perez comes forward.
Mokaev working on a single leg close to the cage. Perez defending for now. Mokaev continues working for this and peels Perez off the cage and does get him down, at least partially. Perez still being tricky to deal with here, but Mokaev does then manage to secure the takedown.
Mokaev in a high half-guard near the end of the round and starts unloading a series of punches to the head and keeps going until the horn sounds.
Round Two:
A few missed punches on each side and then Mokaev swoops in for a takedown. He ends up spinning around to Perez’s back. He’s now working for a takedown against the cage but Perez fends him off.
Low kick from Perez knocks Mokaev off-balance. He rights himself and then tries for a takedown but nothing doing.
Front kick to the body for Perez and then a nice punch. Mokaev drops down for a takedown and partially has him down. Perez back to his feet. Mokaev still has the back clinch though.
Half the second round remaining. Perez foils a takedown and an is now sprawled on him and threatening to go for a guillotine choke if Mokaev isn’t careful how he proceeds. Mokaev adjusts though and works for another takedown, but they then separate and look to strike.
Uppercut to the body from Mokaev. Now a front kick. Perez punches his way into the clinch against the cage. Mokaev tries for a takedown and Perez sprawls on him and is again threatening to work on a guillotine as the round ends.
Round Three:
Jab for Mokaev. He lands it again. Nice right hand from Perez and Mokaev’s takedown attempt off that is stuffed yet again and Perez is back in that sprawl position thinking about a choke.
However Mokaev does well to improve his position and now he’s working on a takedown against the cage. Big suplex for Mokaev to get Perez down. Perez quickly back up and Mokaev can’t bring him down a second time so they go back to striking range.
Again Perez throws punches, Mokaev ducks in for a takedown and again Perez sprawls to stuff it.
Back up they go, then it’s rinse and repeat as Mokaev tries for the takedown and gets sprawled on again. Mokaev fails on another takedown attempt.
Mokaev working punches but then the same scenario again finds Perez working his sprawl game. Back up, a couple of punches from Mokaev, another failed takedown attempt. Back up, a knee from Perez then sprawl from him on the takedown. Mokaev nicely shunt around to Perez’s back in the final seconds of the round.
Decision:
Perez did a good job of foiling many of Mokaev’s takedown attempts, but nevertheless he still did enough to earn a unanimous decision victory (29-28 x3).
