Roxanne Modafferi stayed competitive on the feet with Andrea Lee tonight at UFC Fight Night 177, but it was her significant periods of control on the mat that helped her on her way to a unanimous decision victory.
Round One:
Jab for Modaferri. Lee looking to return fire. Lee’s mouthguard slips out and forces a brief stoppage.
Leg kick attempt from Lee, but Modaferri catches it and takes her down. Lee manages to get back up though. In the clinch in the center of the octagon they both trade punches and then separate.
Jab for Modaferri. Inside leg kick from Lee. Another leg kick lands. Modaferri presses forward with a flurry of light punches.
Modaferri again looking to come forward, but Lee uses the momentum to bring her to the mat instead with a head and arm throw
Modaferri is a savvy veteran on the mat though and is able to work her way towards a takedown and then presses Lee up against the cage. She has the body lock and then brings Lee to the mat.
Modaferri in half-guard and going for control here for now. A few punches and elbows landing for Modaferri now as Lee works to her knees. Modaferri continues to land punches. Lee moves to improve her position and after getting her head free has Modaferri’s back. Modaferri stands and Lee presses her to the cage as the round ends.
Round Two:
Glancing left hand for Modaferri and punch in return from Lee. Modaferri lands again. Head kick attempt from Lee is blocked.
leg kick for Lee and a counter punch from Modaferri. Another leg kick. jab for Modaferri. Lee getting busy with punches that don’t quite land, but the kick behind it does.
Body kick attempt from Lee and then a leg kick. Moving backwards she lands a jab. Nice left hand for Lee. Now a body punch. Left lands for Modaferri now. In close Modaferri lands a right, but so does Lee.
Glancing overhand from Lee. Modaferri moving forward with punches. Left hand for Lee and then a low kick. Now to the body with a kick. A punch lands too.
Outside leg kick from Lee. Lee with a thai clinch and lands a couple of knees and then drags Modaferri to the mat. Modaferri up quickly though.
Jab for Modaferri and then into the clinch. She goes for the takedown, but Lee ends up on top. Modaferri quickly back up.
spinning back elbow from Lee and that seemed to hurt Modaferri. Lee looks to land more, but Modaferri digs deep and throws hard punches back. Lee continues forward anyway though looking to land more of her strikes.
Leg kick for Modaferri. Right hand for Lee. Body kick attempt from Lee, but Modaferri catches it and gets a takedown. Lee trying for a triangle choke, but Modaferri gets out of that. Lee keeping her legs up to keep Modaferri at bay though. Modaferri trying to land some ground and pound, but unable to get off anything meaningful.
Round Three:
Left hook lands for Lee. Now a nice inside leg kick. Two more leg kicks to the inside and outside of the leg lands.
Modaferri with a couple of punches. Uppercut for Lee. Inside leg kick from Lee. Then to the outside. Jabs for Modaferri. Glancing left hook from Lee and then an uppercut. She lands a punch to the body too.
Body kick for Lee. Another kick lands. Now to the inside of the leg. Modaferri still fresh, but not able to land as frequently as Lee right now.
Jabs for Modaferri. Inside leg kick for Lee. She comes forward throwing punches, but Modaferri moves out of range.
Punch and then an inside leg kick for Lee. Spinning elbow attempt again from Lee, but this time it misses and it allows Modafferi to get into the clinch and then secure a takedown.
Modafferi in half-guard now. Lee fights back to her knees and then stands. Very important for her in such a close fight. However, Modafferi does well to bring her back down and is in half-guard again.
Lee trying hard to get space to stand again, but only has 40 seconds to do so. Modaferri tries to pass guard, but loses position and Lee ends up on top just as the final round ends.
Decision:
Close fight then but it’s veteran campaigner Roxanne Modafferi who emerges with her hand raised via unanimous decision (29-28 x3) and that’s another nice win to add to her lengthy resume.
