Thiago Santos edged out a unanimous decision victory over a more cautious than usual Johnny Walker tonight at UFC Fight Night 193.
Round One:
The light-heavyweight main event is underway in Las Vegas.
Inside leg kick for Walker. Santos attempts a head kick that’s blocked. Cautious start overall as we go past the minute mark with just those two strikes.
Another inside leg kick from Walker. Wheel kick attempt from Santos misses. Santos looks for an oblique kick but misses.
Inside leg kick again from Walker. He goes to that technique yet again. Two more land. Kick to the upper body from Santos.
Front kick to the body attempted by Santos and then a head kick upstairs that also comes up short.
Front kick to the body from Walker. Santos still trying to find his range against the taller, rangier Walker.
Side kick to the knee from Walker. Front kick to the body from Santos. Inside leg kick from Santos now. Santos just short with a couple of punches as he finally lets his hands go towards the end of the round.
Round Two:
Body kick for Santos to start round two. He tries for that again without a clean connection. Inside leg kick for Walker.
Takedown attempt from Walker, but they both hit the mat and then stand back up. Santos looking to throw heavy leather as the fight starts to heat up.
Big leg kick for Santos. Push kick now from him that’s almost caught. Santos with a high kick that grazes across the upper chest of his opponent.
Santos pressing forward and Walker misses with an overhand counter. Inside leg kick from Walker. Santos times a hard body kick nicely.
Again Santos steps into a heavy body kick. Now he throws a hard punch too. Inside calf kick from Walker. Switch kick to the body from Walker as he starts to move forward more frequently.
Outside low kick from Santos. Inside kick from Walker. Walker was looking to press forward there at the end of the round, but Santos utilizes side to side movement to put him off.
Round Three:
Leg kick for Walker. Exchange of leg kicks now. Oblique kick for Santos. Now a high kick attempt. two calf kicks for Walker.
Front kick to the body from walker. Head kick seemed to partially land for Santos, but Walker is ok. Santos steps aside to avoid a front kick from Walker.
Santos tries to lands a one-two, but gets caught by a quick counter from Walker.
Santos blasts Walker with a right hand down the pipe. Body kick for Santos. Calf kick from him. Oblique kick attempt from Santos, but eats a counter from Walker.
Leg kick from Walker, but Santos clocks him with a punch in return. Leg kick for Santos. Another leg kick from Walker and again he gets caught with a counter punch.
Well into the final minute of the round and Santos is circling around Walker. He attempts a head kick that doesn’t pay off. Santos managing range well at this stage in the fight and is a bit more effective with his offense, but neither man is letting their full offensive arsenal go at this stage.
Round Four:
Inside kick for Walker. Body punch from Santos. High kick from Walker then back to the leg kick. Oblique kick attempt from Walker is greeted by a bigger leg kick from Santos.
Outside leg kick from Walker. Head kick attempt from Santos and then follows up with a punch. Kick from Walker.
Jumping knee thrown out by Santos. Leg kick for Walker and then an oblique kick behind it. Push kick now to keep range. Walker just misses with a big punch.
Body kick from Walker. Outside leg kick for Santos. Walker misses on a lunging oblique kick and Santos lands a leg kick counter.
Walker lands a body kick, but it’s caught by Santos, who then scores a solid punch in return.
Hook lands for Santos. Walker marauds forward and lands a low kick. Two-piece combo upstairs connects for Santos.
Walker comes forward and Santos just comes up short with hard punches. Both men looking to kick in the final seconds of the round.
Round Five:
Inside leg kick from Walker. He tries for a question mark kick, but Santos backs up. Thigh kick from Santos.
Oblique kick from Walker. Santos lands a solid overhand as Walker was swinging too. Huge left hand from Santos lands flush, his best punch of the fight, but Walker takes it.
Head kick attempt from Walker. Leg kick for Santos. Santos retreats as Walker closes the distance. Spinning kick to the body from Santos, but doesn’t land cleanly. Hard body kick for Santos. Walker charges forward trying to connect.
Front kick to the body for Walker. Push kick for now now. Wheel kick from Santos misses. Walker tries to set up a spinning backfist but aborts on it.
Inside leg kick for Santos. Olbique kick from Walker. 30 seconds left. Head kick from Santos partially gets through. Capoeira kick from Walker misses.
Spinning head kick misses from Walker. Santos with a jumping head kick attempt.
Decision:
There wasn’t as much action as expected here and it was a closely contested fight, so the judges have a hard time here.
However, the judges are unanimous in their decision that Santos was the winner, with his heavier-hitting offense and forward pressure seeming to give him a slight edge (48-47 x3).
