Rose Namajunas was able to get the better of Miranda Maverick in a competitive co-main event scrap tonight at UFC On ESPN 69.
Round One
Push kick from Namajunas. She lands that again. Low kick for Maverick. Jab from Namajunas. Another kick to the body for her. Low kick from Maverick.
Exchange of punches and Maverick connected the better of the two there. Inside leg kick for Maverick. Namajunas steps in and lands a punch.
Right hand connects for Namajunas. Clipping left hand from Maverick knocked Namajunas off-balance for a moment, but she’s ok.
Constant movement from Namajunas. She lands a punch and avoids a spinning backfist response from Maverick.
Namajunas times an entry into the clinch to look for a takedown. Maverick defends this against the cage though and breaks free.
Head kick attempt from Maverick misses. Left hook counter for Namajunas as Maverick came forward. Body kick for Maverick. Step-in left hand from Namajunas.
Namajunas backs off to avoid punches, but Maverick does land a kick as she continues to press forward.
Round Two
Flurry of punches from Maverick. She misses a head kick and Namajunas tags her on the counter. Another couple of punches land for Namajunas.
Body kick for Maverick. She lands another body kick on the other side now. Side kick to the body for Namajunas. Well-timed trip takedown from Namajunas now in the center of the Octagon.
Namajunas working from Maverick’s full guard for now. Maverick starts to get her legs up trying to work for a potential submission, but Namajunas is wise to it. Namajunas adjusts and now switches to half-guard. Maverick works to her knees. Namajunas stays tight on her and then hops onto the back as she stands.
Namajunas quickly slides off the back, but then is able to drag Maverick back down to the canvas. Bit of a scramble and Namajunas takes the back more securely.
NAmajuns working for a rear-naked choke attempt now, but Maverick escapes and then immediately goes on the offensive with a submission attempt of her own, working for an arm triangle choke. This choke looks tight as she shifts off to the side, but Namajunas shows her grappling skill to manage to scramble and escape that choke before the horn sounds.
Round Three
Namajunas comes forward with strikes, but Maverick counters with a possible takedown, then settles for clinching against the cage.
Maverick seems like she’s going to go back to striking range, but then drives back into this clinch. Namajuna able to break free.
Body kick for Namajunas. Suddenly a left hook from Namajunas drops Maverick out of nowhere. Namajunas able to get on top and is in half-guard now, but is staying patient rather than going all-out for the finish.
Half the round remaining. Control from Namajunas and then starts to try to set up an arm-triangle choke. She quickly gives up on that and settle for controlling again.
Maverick scrambles and looks like she’s going to counter with another submission attempt, but this time Namajunas is able to prevent that and stay on top.
Namajunas in Maverick’s full guard now with less than a minute remaining. Final 10 seconds and Maverick is trying to land hammerfists from her back.
Decision
A good back-and-forth battle here and it’s Namajunas who emerges with a unanimous decision victory (30-27 x2, 29-28).
