Niko Price’s better cardio helped him get the better of Alex Morono in the long run tonight at UFC 302, leading to a unanimous decision victory.
Round One:
Low kick for Morono to start. Jab for him. Body punch from Price. Exchange of punches in close.
Right hand for Morono. Low kick for Morono, but Price counters with a punch that knocks him off-balance and gets the takedown.
Morono able to work an omaplata though and then manages to work to a crucifix position. Price does well to escape that and get back to his feet. Morono stays on him tough and brings him back down, taking his back.
Morono tries to move into mount, but it doesn’t pay off for him and Price is able to get on top. Morono able to get back to his feet. Morono lands a couple of solid punches off his back foot.
Price misses on a loaded up uppercut. He lands a strike afterwards though. Morono connects on a few punches.
Head kick attempt from Morono is blocked. Price with a left hand. A few swings and misses from both men and then a nice punch lands for Morono.
Both fighters loading up on big strikes and Morono throws in a spinning backfist attempt in there, but nothing connects.
Round Two:
Body kick for Price. Now an inside low kick for him. Right hand gets through for Morono. Inside leg kick for Price.
Right hand from Price and Morono stumbles for a moment but seems ok. Right hand over the top from Price. Now a right hand lands for Morono in close.
Short uppercuts land for Morono on the back foot. Right hand for him. He lands another right. Thumping right hand from Price seems to hurt Morono. Now Price is able to land a takedown.
Hammerfists for Price as Morono is trying to set up submission attempts. Morono able to get back to his feet instead. Morono dropping down with a guillotine attempt, but Price gets out and lands punches.
Hammerfist from Price and Morono tries for a submission off his back then stands. Morono able to work around to Price’s back and eats an elbow strike.
Now it’s Morono who is trying to work a takedown off the cage. Price reverses the clinch though. Morono goes down trying for a guillotine choke again, but nothing happening from that so Price settles on top. A few elbows from Price land before the end of the round.
Round Three:
Overhand from Price. Now a body kick. Right hand for Morono now. Grazing left hook from him. Body-head combo from Price.
Jab for Price. Inside leg kick. Jab for Morono but he looks quite gassed. Body kick for Price. Sloppy work here. Kick and a clubbing right for Price.
Price lands a good uppercut. Now an easy takedown for him. Hammerfists for Price. Morono able to stand back up. Price tags him with a couple of punches.
Push kick to the body from Morono. Punch for Price. Labored punches from Morono. He lands a right hand while off-balance. A few punches and a body kick land for Price.
Missed spinning elbow from Morono. Missed punches and a high kick from Price. Price should focus on accuracy rather than just power here, but that’s not his game so he continues to whiff on punches in the remaining moments of the fight.
Decision:
Morono’s striking work looked the cleaner of the two fighters early in the fight, but as the rounds went on he began to run out of steam and that enabled Price to gain the upperhand, leading him to a unanimous decision victory (29-28 x3).
