Petr Yan was able to fight to a unanimous decision victory over Marcus McGhee in the co-main event of UFC On ABC 9 this evening in Abu Dhabi.
Round One
Missed low kick from McGhee. Jab for Yan who takes the center of the Octagon early here. McGhee just out of range with a side kick to the body.
Yan pressuring but still patient offensively. Missed low kick from the former champ. He tries to time a right hook, but McGhee was backing up.
Low kick from Yan knocked McGhee off-balance for a moment. Now a left hook from Yan catches McGhee.
Low kick for Yan. Missed right hook from McGhee. Body kick for McGhee. Left hand gets through for McGhee after Yan misses with one.
Leg kick for McGhee. He tries to flurry, but misses and Yan responds in close with a number of uppercuts.
A couple of left hands get through for McGhee and then a low kick. Grazing hook from Yan. Calf kick for McGhee. Knee for McGhee to the body and eats a counter.
Good combination of punches in close from Yan. Jab for Yan, but McGhee lands a few hard punches in return. leg kick for McGhee.
Round Two
Yan ducks under punches from McGhee and then lands a straight right. A couple of misses from Yan enables McGhee to duck under and go for a takedown attempt, but Yan fends it off.
Right hand gets through for Yan. Now McGhee responds with one of his own. Uppercut and a left hand for McGhee lands nicely. He scores to the body too.
One-two for McGhee. Low kick for McGhee and punches from Yan. McGhee clinches up but Yan digs to the body.
Big punch for Yan put McGhee back on his heels for a moment. Knee to the body in close from McGhee.
Hard hook lands for Yan in close. McGhee bleeding now. McGhee getting right back to work though at close quarters. Big right hand for Yan.
Body punch for McGhee. Punches from McGhee off the guard. McGhee lands to the body and Yan fires off a counter hook. Good knee from Yan as he pours on the pressure.
Low kick for Yan. Now a good right hand. McGhee misses on a knee attempt. Jab for Yan. Grazing hook now. More punches off the guard from McGhee and then one to the body.
Knee to the body for McGhee. Spinning kick attempt from him. Right hand for Yan late in the round.
Round Three
Body punch for Yan and McGhee still active too as he works a few punches and low kicks. One-two for Yan. Yan works to the body then head.
McGhee tries to reach for a takedown, but Yan backs him away with strikes. Solid body shot for Yan. Upstairs he goes with a flurry then back to the body.
McGhee showing plenty of heart here though, no sign of quit in him. Yan clinched up now and is around to McGhee’s back. Knees to the back of the thigh from Yan. More of the same as we reach the last half of the final round. A couple of knees up towards the head, then a trip takedown, but McGhee stands back up and they are back in the same position again.
More knees to the back of McGhee’s leg. McGhee finally able to turn around, but still in the clinch here. McGhee able to reverse the clinch and now he’s the one trying to fashion a takedown attempt. Yan strikes his way out of that.
Head kick attempt from Yan almost gets through. Slick trip for Yan and then immediately goes for a kimura. McGhee able to scramble back to his feet, but Yan has his back again as the fight ends.
Decision
McGhee gave a solid account of himself here, but as the fight went on Yan was increasingly stamping his authority in the striking exchanges, and then opted to shut his opponent down in the clinch in the latter stages of the fight to ensure he emerges with a unanimous decision victory (29-28 x3).
