Natalia Silva proved to be the faster, more technical striker tonight at UFC Fight Night 242 as she constantly worked off the backfoot against Jessica Andrade’s constant pressure to emerge with a clean sweep victory on the scorecards.
Round One:
Inside leg kick for Silva. Both swing and miss with punches. Body punch for Silva and then circling back and forth. Andrade tries to close the distance, but Silva moves away.
Missed punch from Andrade is greeted by two in return from Silva on the counter. Andrade wades in throwing punches and again Silva is waiting ready to throw her own.
Andrade looks to land to the body and then upstairs, and Silva lands a punch too. More circling from Silva. Jab for her. Hook from Silva, but then two hooks from Andrade.
Silva mixes in a kick with her punches. Silva with an aggressive couple of punches but gets tagged by one from Andrade. Andrade tries to capitalize on that, but Silva side-kicks her and knocks Andrade off-balance with it.
More pressure from Andrade now as she backs Silva up against the cage and throws punches. Silva navigates her way back to the center of the Octagon.
Missed punches from Andrade, a couple of cleaner strikes from Silva. Inside calf kick for Silva. Strikes from Andrade which Silva counters by clinching up and looking for a knee.
Superman punch lands for Andrade as the round comes to a close.
Round Two:
Andrade right back to putting Silva on the back foot close to the cage. Spinning kick to the leg from Silva. She lands a jab then circles to the center of the Octagon.
Low kicks from Andrade as Silva unleashes a flurry of punches. Andrade into the clinch now against the cage. Silva lands a knee and then reverses the clinch before returning to the center of the Octagon.
Jab for Silva. Andrade forward and Silva clinches, works a knee and then backs away.
Missed leg kick from Andrade. Now a nice jab from Silva. Andrade clinches up against the cage. She’s trying for a takedown, but Silva prevents it and breaks free.
Silva with a front kick to the body and then a spinning kick to the midsection too. Andrade drives back into the clinch against the cage. Silva able to get away again.
Andrade targets the body. Punch lands for Silva that troubles Andrade, who swipes at her face and looks uncomfortable. To her credit she quickly puts that aside and gets back to business.
Silva lands a jab and circles. Hooks to teh body from Andrade. Andrade with a jab. Hooks now from Andrade.
Andrade pressures and lands a combination to the body and then head. Side kick upstairs from Silva. Andrade with a flurry against the cage and then eats a punch from Silva.
Andrade back into the clinch late in the round. Elbow strike from Silva.
Round Three:
Calf kick from Andrade and a body kick in response from Silva. Three-piece combo from Silva off the back foot.
Calf kick for Silva as she circles constantly. Another low kick, a punch and then a kick to the body.
Another three-piece combo from Silva. Andrade clinches up against the cage. Silva circles away. Spinning head kick from Silva. She goes for another kick upstairs.
Another fast, agile kick to the head from Silva but just glances the target. Andrade looking to apply pressure and Silva tries for a front kick upstairs. Another head kick attempt doesn’t quite land.
Andrade with a punch. Silva circles. Andrade into the cage clinch position again. Silva able to bundle Andrade to the mat for a moment, but she’s straight back up and still clinching.
Silva gets away. She lands a jab and then avoids punches from Andrade. Andrade won’t stop pressing forward even though she’s now bleeding from the nose.
Punch for Andrade then clinches. Another short flurry from her. Silva moves away. Andrade’s pressure is relentless as she continues to barrel forward trying to find a home for her punches, but Silva continues to move away from most of it as the round draws to a close.
Decision:
Silva was able to play matador to the bull for three rounds here to earn a unanimous decision victory (30-27 x3) and extend her UFC winning streak to six fights.
