Rafael dos Anjos and Kevin Lee engaged in a gruelling grappling battle tonight at UFC Fight Night 152, with RDA eventually emerging victorious in the fourth round via an arm triangle choke.
Round One:
The main event of the evening is underway in Rochester.
Hard kicks exchanged to start. Punch from Lee. Now a hard head kick that’s blocked. Lee manages to knock RDA over and gets on top.
RDA soon back up though and against the cage he manages to get himself free and get back to striking range.
Lee working punches again now and then a kick. RDA looking to counter. Lee goes back in on a takedown attempt against the cage.
Lee abandons that for now and just works the clinch. Lee tries for the takedown again and then back to the clinch work. RDA tries to reverse the position but is unable to do so.
Knee to the body from Dos Anjos and an uppercut from Lee. RDA tries for a knee upstairs, but stumbles on it and has to get back up.
Back to striking range with Lee landing some crisp straight punches. RDA with a kick upstairs that just graces Lee’s head.
Both fighters looking to exchange, but then RDA manages to land a takedown of his own. Lee looking to get quickly back up, but has to be careful of a choke attempt. He does work upright though and presses RDA back against the cage to end the round.
Round Two:
Front kick to the body from lee only glances. Hard strike from dos Anjos. Lee in on a takedown against the cage. He picks up RDA and slams him, but Dos Anjos does have a guillotine in here.
Lee gets free of that and they go back upright. Lee back into the clinch though looking for the takedown. It doesn’t work though and they go back to striking range.
Head kick from RDA glances Lee’s head again. Now Dos Anjos is in on a takedown attempt. He doesn’t quite land it, but is able to work in the clinch for a bit before they return to striking range.
Lee with a head kick that’s blocked. Straight for Lee lands and then more punches behind it. Back into a takedown attempt against the cage from Lee.
He’s not able to get him down for now though. RDA trying for a kimura then sprawls to defend the takedown. Back on the feet Lee is trying for yet another takedown.
Not much action here, but control from Lee. Right hook for Lee, knee from RDA and then more punches for Dos Anjos. Another kick for Dos Anjos and a hook from Lee, then Lee goes in on the takedown attempt, but it’s stuffed.
Standing back up Lee stays clinched up and throws a couple of punches.
Round Three:
RDA out the blocks quickly to start the third round with a strike. Body kick for Dos Anjos and one in return from lee that lands harder. Punch snaps back Lee’s head, but he punches too.
RDA manages to get a takedown in the center of the Octagon and is in side control immediately. Lee works to his knees and then stands, eating a knee to the body as he does so.
RDA giving Lee a taste of his own medicine by grappling against the cage. However, Lee scrambles, takes RDA’s back and thinks about a submission attempt.
He gives up on that and RDA manages to get back on top and then with Lee on his knees takes his back. Lee stands back up, but RDA lands a takedown.
Lee working for a kimura and then manages to stand, but RDA keeps him pressed to the cage looking for another takedown.
Lee now in place to work for the takedown and lands it. RDA gets to his knees. Lee takes his back. RDA stands, Lee gets him back down.
RDA manages to scramble on top, but Lee is soon back up and presses him to the cage again. A really gruelling back-and-forth grappling battle here.
Round Four:
Jab for RDA. Another lands as Lee targets a front kick to the body. Solid front kick to the midsection from Lee now.
Jab again for Dos Anjos. Now a left hook. Leg kick attempt from Lee, but it lands to the groin and forces a takedown.
One-two for RDA. Right hand for Lee. RDA connects again, but misses an uppercut. He lands a big leg kick and Lee’s leg completely buckles it.
Lee shakes his head and then lands a leg kick of his own. Lee gets into the clinch, moves around to partially get RDA’s back, but can’t quite secure it and RDA escapes.
Body kick for Lee. Leg kick for RDA and then the jab. Takedown attempt from Lee, but while it doesn’t work out he gets RDA pressed to the cage.
Knee to the body from RDA. Lee backs up. Left hand for RDA. Body kick for Lee. RDA in on the takedown against the cage, but gives up on it immediately.
Kick for RDA. Lee tries for a single leg takedown, but it doesn’t work out and he falls to the knees and then is slow to reset, giving RDA the opportunity he needs to get on top.
RDA quickly moves on top and goes for an arm triangle choke. It’s in tight and that’s it, Lee taps out and so Rafael dos Anjos gets the submission victory at 3.47mins of the fourth round.
