Natalia Silva got the better of former flyweight champion Alexa Grasso over three rounds tonight at UFC 315 to earn a unanimous decision victory.
Round One
Calf kick for Grasso and a higher kick in response from Silva. Now a low kick from Silva. She lands an inside leg kick as Grasso connects with her jab.
Body kick for Silva. Silva dodges a kick and then unleashes a few punches that come off the guard. Jab for Silva. She tries to a land a couple of hooks off a kick from Grasso.
Low kick for Silva. Step-in jab from Grasso. Front kick to the body from Silva. Now a regular body kick. Silva with a head kick attempt, but slips to the mat after missing. Grasso drives in trying to keep her down, but Silva stuffs that and gets back to the feet.
Jab lands for Grasso and Silva counters with a hook. Side kick to the head from Silva connects. Jab for Grasso. Push kick to the body from Silva.
Another head kick attempt from Silva just comes up short. Double jab from Grasso. Calf kick and a spinning head kick behind it from Silva that doesn’t land.
Left hook for Silva. She misses with another head kick. Jabs exchanged in the final seconds of the round.
Round Two
Double jab for Grasso. Kick to the thigh from her now. Leg kick for Silva. Silva continues to threaten with the head kick even if it doesn’t get through the guard.
Another double jab for Grasso. Silva working the check hook. Low kick for Silva and then circles back and forth. Short flurry of punches from Silva while reversing.
Grasso punches off a kick from Silva and looks to apply pressure. Constant movement from Silva though. Head kick attempt from Silva and then lands a hook.
Jab for Silva. Grasso struggling to close the distance on Silva here. Kick for Grasso. Head kick attempt followed by a right hand from Silva.
Constant left and right movement from Silva. Then in the final seconds Grasso finally gets into range and unleashes a barrage of hard punches, but Silva responds in kind. Both landed good shots there, but Grasso is wearing it more as she goes back to her corner with some swelling to her head.
Round Three
Grasso applying pressure straight away and mixing things up with punches and the occasional kick. Grasso into the clinch now against the cage looking for a takedown.
Knees to the body from Grasso. Silva turns Grasso into the cage. She breaks free with an elbow and returns to striking range.
Silva back to circling. She lands a solid right hand. Grasso stepping into range with straight punches. Jab for Grasso. Calf kick for her.
Calf kick from Silva now. One-two from her. Now a push kick to keep Grasso at bay. A side kick to the body also keeps her range. Grasso tries to burst forward but eats a counter.
Jab for Grasso. Silva gets through with a kick upstairs as Grasso was coming forward and now she has some blood to her left cheek.
Inside leg kick from Silva and then a spinning kick that doesn’t land. Hook for Silva and punches from Grasso in the final seconds.
Decision
Good performance from Silva here as she managed to frustrate Grasso with her constant movement, while also consistently landing clean strikes in all three rounds to earn a clean-sweep unanimous decision victory (30-27 x3).
