Ricardo Lamas left it late to find a finish against the always tough Darren Elkins tonight at UFC Fight Night 140.
Round One:
Lamas takes the center of the Octagon to start. Head kick partially lands for Lamas. Now he lands a big takedown, but Elkins is quickly back up and presses him to the cage. Elkins already sporting a cut to the face.
Elkins still working for the takedown and landing a few punches inside too. Lamas breaks free though. Leg kick for lamas.
Now a left hand. Lamas stepping into the low kick. He tries for a spinning kick to the body, but it just misses. Uppercut then a high kick attempt from him.
Elkins with a right hand and then a kick behind it. He moves into the clinch against the cage again. The trade knees in the clinch and then Lamas nicely reverses the position.
Lamas trying for a takedown, but Elkins again reverses against the cage before they break free.
Head kick blocked from Lamas. leg kick for him. Body work for Elkins. Right hand and a body kick for him. Another punch-kick combo for Elkins.
jab for lamas. Not a spinning kick to the body. Elkins works a takedown. Lamas to his knees and then to his feet as Elkins lands a knee and then slams Lamas back to the mat. Elkins thinking about a rear-naked choke, but doesn’t go for it with only a few seconds of the round remaining.
Round Two:
Leg kick for Lamas. Body punch from him, uppercut for Elkins. Another exchange in close. jab for Lamas. Now the leg kick again.
Very nicely timed takedwon from Lamas and lands it in the center of the cage. Elkins does well to get back to his feet quickly though.
Head kick partially lands for Lamas, but Elkins almost catches it. Body kick for Lamas. One-two for Elkins. Overhand right for him.
Leg kick for Lamas. Head kick for Lamas but no power behind it and it allows Elkins to work a takedown. Lamas working for a sweep though and manages it.
On his knees Elkins eats a few punches. They scramble as Elkins tries for a heel hook, but Lamas lands strikes and then they go upright.
Lamas with a flying knee and it lands, but Elkins eats it well. Low leg kicks for Lamas and one seems to really have hurt Elkins and he staggers. Lamas recognises it and blasts that leg again, and sure enough Elkins staggers again.
Elkins also soaked in blood around one eye from earlier damage, but there’s simply no quit in him and he’s soon back into the battle and works into the clinch against the cage.
30 seconds remaining. Short punches for Elkins. They break apart. Big head kick from Lamas. Elkins tries punches and a head kick behind it that don’t find the mark.
Round Three:
Jabs for Elkins to start. A grazing right hand too. Lamas lands that low kick again, but Elkins takes it. Another lands.
Elkins clinches momentarily. Left hook for Elkins. Elkins presses forward but has to stuff a takedown attempt. Elkins into the clinch, but lamas quickly reverses.
Elkins breaks free with a clubbing left hand. Right hand for Elkins and then a grazing left. lamas clinches and lands a knee to the body.
Lamas spins into a takedown attempt and for a brief moment has Elkins down. Back on the feet Lamas lands a low kick again. Into the clinch and a short elbow from lamas.
Back at striking range Elkins lands an uppercut. Very nice double leg takedown from Lamas. He secures side control and then lands a big elbow strike to the head.
Lamas stands up over Elkins. Elkins lands an upkick. Lamas trying to get back into his guard, but Elkins keeps him at bay with strikes for now.
Lamas drops in with a left hand on the already blood-soaked Elkins and then a series of nasty elbows, followed by a few hammerfists that make up the referee’s mind that it’s time to bring this fight to an end, handing Lamas a late TKO victory at 4.09mins of the final round.
