Yair Rodriguez settled the score with Jeremy Stephens tonight in the co-main event of UFC On ESPN 6, earning a unanimous decision victory.
Bookmakers can’t split Yair Rodriguez and Jeremy Stephens as they both enter the fight at -110 odds.
Round One:
Rodriguez attempts a flying side kick to start that just whistles past Stephens face. Both men letting out some anger in their early strikes, but then they engage in a clinch and Rodriguez presses Stephens into the cage.
Hard knee to the body from Rodriguez. He’s trying to work a trip, but it’s Stephens who reverses the position. ROdriguez tries for the hip toss, but Stephens defends it successfully.
Spinning kick from Rodriguez misses. Kick lands for Rodriguez. Low kicks to the left and right from Rodriguez.
Now a body kick from Rodriguez. He lands it again. Right hook for Rodriguez. Rodriguez really letting his hands go with power, but Stephens is throwing to counter.
Solid punch down the middle from Stephens. Rodriguez with a leg kick and then a front kick. Jumping knee from Rodriguez, but then Stephens clinches up against the cage looking for a takedown.
They break free with Rodriguez missing a spinning elbow. Into the clinch goes Rodriguez now. Stephens tries for an elbow inside as they separate again.
Leg kick for Rodriguez. jab lands for Rodriguez. Spinning kick to the body doesn’t land cleanly for Rodriguez. He lands with punches.
Punch lands to the head from Stephens, but then ROdriguez returns with one of his own and that knocks Stephens to his back, but he seemed more off-balance than anything and stands back up straight away.
Both men still eager to exchange in the closing seconds of the round.
Round Two:
Acrobactic spinning kick from Rodriguez to start the second misses. Outside leg kick from Rodriguez. Now a hard body kick and that folds Stephens.
Rodriguez follows him down throwing ground and pound. Stephens seems to regain enough strength to try to defend himself but he’s still under a sustained offensive barrage here.
Rodriguez throwing everything at him and Stephens is only barely managing to stay active enough to keep the referee at bay.
Rodriguez thinks about a choke, but then goes back to ground and pound, landing hammerfists. Rodriguez now trying to lock up a d’arce choke. He gives up on that and focuses on keeping Stephens down.
However Stephens does stand back up and lands a knee upstairs. Stephens wading forward trying to throw punches. He lands a punch.
Side kick to the body for Rodriguez. Stephens marching forward though and is able to bring Rodriguez down.
Elbow strike lands for Stephens. Rodriguez trying to work a triangle choke. Rodriguez giving up on that and trying to stand now as Stephens lands some hard knees.
Rodriguez gets away from the cage and tries to land another body kick, but doesn’t connect this time.
Round Three:
Rodriguez motions for a glove tap at the start of the round, but Stephens shakes his head, he’s not interested.
Stephens lands a big punch and starts hurling huge hooks, but Rodriguez backs away out of danger for now.
Leg kicks for Rodriguez. Right hook lands for Stephens. Body kick from Rodriguez doesn’t land well and Stephens is able to grab ahold of it and then take Rodriguez down.
Rodriguez back up, but Stephens still in looking to bring him down again.
Elbow strike for Stephens on the break. Stephens punches and then goes into another takedown and lands it.
Hammerfists from the bottom from Rodriguez. Stephens trying to pass guard and does get to half guard.
Stephens lands a few short punches. He’s trying to work some hard elbows now. One minute to go and he lands a couple of left hands.
More short elbows from Stephens. More elbows landing to the head and some body punches too. Stephens postures up and lands a punch. Final seconds and this fight is heading to the judges. After all the bad blood between them pre-fight, the two fighters show good sportsmanship at the fight’s conclusion.
Decision:
A good fight then and in the end it’s Rodriguez’s work in the first two rounds of the fight that helps him on his way to a unanimous decision victory (29-28 x3).
