Vinc Pichel looked in fine form tonight at UFC On ESPN 29 as he outstruck Austin Hubbard to earn a unanimous decision victory.
Round One:
Right hand for Pichel to start. Now a leg kick that knocks Hubbard off his feet momentarily. Hubbard gets back up and clinches against the cage, but Pichel turns into him and they separate soon after.
Both look to kick at the same time. Straight punch from Hubbard. Push kick from Pichel. Thunderous calf kick from Hubbard and then Pichel lands one of his own with less of an impact.
Front kick from Hubbard. Push kick from Pichel. Hubbard lands the straight right. Low kick for him. Now a push kick. Calf kick from Pichel and then another.
Straight right from Hubbard. He unleashes a brief flurry of strikes. A couple of kicks to the midsection from Hubbard.
Another solid calf kick from Hubbard and Pichel returns fire. Pichel lands a punch and then the low kick behind it again. Eyepoke to Pichel forces a brief stoppage.
Back to it they go. Straight right and a low kick from Hubbard. Now a right again. Inside leg kick from Pichel. Now one to the thigh.
Solid body kick for Hubbard. Now a left hook from Hubbard as Pichel also connects. Leg kick from Pichel knocks Hubbard off his feet again and he lands a few strikes before he gets back up again.
Round Two:
Hubbard feels out with the jab and then a front kick. Hard low kick from Pichel. Pichel active with his hands, then another big leg kick. Hubbard looks to stifle this momentum as he tries for a takedown, but Pichel stuffs it and then gets back to striking range.
Hubbard with a right hand. Pichel with the leg kick again. Grazing right hand from Pichel. He goes for a leg kick again and this time whiffs it and goes off-balance for a moment.
Pichel with an inside low kick. Movement from Pichel and then another calf kick as Hubbard lands a punch.
Hubbard looks for a takedown, gets to the back and partially brings him down, but Pichel is able to shake him off and scramble back up.
Pichel lands a big punch and hurts Hubbard. Pichel looking to capitalize, but Hubbard hanging tough. Pichel lands another nice punch. Hubbard retaliates with an uppercut.
The action slows down a bit now. Pichel lands a spinning kick to the calf, believe it or not.
Pichel working constant movement here. Then he steps into a big knee, but Hubbard times it and manages to work a takedown off the strike.
Pichel works a leg lock attempt and then just stands with it instead. Back to striking range. Nice right hand for Pichel. Now one to the body. Pichel working for a takedown as the round ends.
Round Three:
Kick to the body from Hubbard. Leg kick for Pichel. Hubbard with a big low kick of his own. Pichel wades in and lands a big punch, then goes into the clinch against the cage.
Couple of elbows in close from Pichel. Now he hoists Hubbard up, but can’t get him down as Hubbard shows off excellent balance.
Flying elbow from Pichel. He steps into range again and Hubbard is able to clinch up and bring him down. He’s got his back. Pichel stands and Hubbard immediately attempts to drag him back to the mat, but they land with Pichel in a position to work his way on top, which he does.
Hubbard looking to scramble, but Pichel keeps him down. Elbow lands for him. Hubbard looking for a triangle choke, but Pichel quickly brushes that aside.
Pichel lands a strike and Hubbard stands, with Pichel staying clinched to his back. Knee to the back of the leg from Pichel. Hubbard manages to turn and get back to the center of the Octagon.
Uppercut lands for Hubbard. Big leg kick for Pichel buckles Hubbard, but he then manages to grab the leg and work a takedown off it. Nice recovery from him.
Hubbard looking to make something happen on the mat, but Pichel pushes him away with his feet and stands.
Pichel starts throwing bombs and lands a big punch. Hubbard grins and then Pichel wades forward again and lands a kick, while Hubbard starts throwing back in the final seconds.
Decision:
Good performance from Pichel then, throwing big punches and punishing leg kicks throughout, hurting Hubbard at times, but not finding a finish, which instead leads him to a clear unanimous decision victory (30-27 x3).
