Vinc Pichel used his wrestling to good effect tonight in the final two-thirds of his fight with Roosevelt Roberts to earn a unanimous decision victory.
Round One:
Pichel with a body punch to start and then a low leg kick. Roberts lands a leg kick too.
Another leg kick for Roberts now. Straight right for him. Outside leg kick for Pichel.
Roberts moves in with a few strikes. Body punch for Pichel. He comes up just short with a right hand.
Pichel into the clinch now and presses Roberts against the cage, but then he reverses the position.
They don’t stay in the clinch long though. Right hand for Roberts. Pichel moves in and Roberts launches into a flying knee upstairs.
They clinch briefly and then break apart. Punch for Pichel and then in on a potential takedown attempt against the cage.
Knee for Pichel and then Roberts reverses the position and starts looking for a single leg.
Pichel battling to stay upright and is successful in that regard. Then he lands a body punch and then a leg kick.
Hard right hand for Roberts and then a counter from Pichel. Roberts with a takedown attempt against the cage and he lands it and dumps him on his head.
Now Roberts takes Pichel’s back. Pichel back up though. Four-punch combo from Roberts.
Pichel pressing forward and works some strikes of his own as the round ends.
Round Two:
Leg kicks for Pichel. Now a body punch. Again to the leg with a kick. Jab for Roberts.
Inside low leg kick for Pichel. Body kick misses from Roberts. One-two and then a hard leg kick from Pichel.
Roberts lands the straight right. Overhand right for Pichel and then drives in for a takedown and it’s initially blocked by Roberts, but Pichel works the trip and gets him down at the second attempt.
Pichel locking up Roberts legs inbetween his own here close to the cage.
Short uppercuts from Pichel. Roberts kicks Pichel away and gets back up, then immediately goes for the clinch against the cage.
Roberts backs away and Pichel launches a punch then goes to the center of the Octagon.
Inside leg kick for Pichel. One-two from Roberts and follows it up with a knee and into the clinch.
He tries for a takedown, but it doesn’t pay off and they go back to striking range.
Straight punches from Roberts. Body punch from Pichel and it’s countered by a big knee from Roberts.
Roberts trying for a single leg, but Pichel rolls with a kimura attempt. ROberts stays on top though as they go down and tries to take his back.
Pichel scrambles though and manages to get on top, then lands some shorts elbows from half-guard.
Roberts trying to stand in the closing seconds of the round, but Pichel adjusts and slides into full mount.
Round Three:
Overhand right for Pichel and then a kick. Straight punch from Roberts. Three-piece combo for Roberts.
Pichel moves in for a takedown and does well to land it. He’s straight into half-guard.
Upkicks from Roberts here to try and get space, but Pichel does well to stay on top.
Roberts tries to wall walk, but Pichel isn’t thrown off by it. Pichel has Roberts arm isolated now. Roberts starts to rise up. Pichel tries or a guillotine choke. He tries to pull guard with it and it doesn’t pay off so he gets on his feet again and continues to crank.
Roberts is out of that move, but Pichel lands punches almost immediately. Roberts trying to fire back, but Pichel is in the ascendancy for now.
Pichel able to take Roberts down again. He gets to the back. He’s got the body triangle now and then moves well into full mount.
Pichel tries for an arm triangle, but Roberts defends. Elbows for Pichel. Roberts gives up his back. Roberts trying to stand and Pichel stays latched on, but is close to sliding off his back.
Roberts shakes him free in the final seconds, but there’s not enough time for him to do anything to stop this one heading to the judges scorecards.
Decision:
Good fight for Pichel here, turning up the heat in the later rounds with his wrestling to emerge with a unanimous decision victory (29-28 x3).
