Gian Villante narrowly emerged victorious over Ed Herman in a stand-up slugfest at UFC Fight Night 138 this evening.
Round One:
Left hand for Hermand to start, but it’s not long before Villante lands a big one of his own. Heavy leather being thrown early here with Villante’s strikes looking the more telling.
Body kick for Villante is partially caught. Both men just miss with big swings. Right hand for Herman. Jab for Villante.
Herman already bleeding from a cut near his left eye and he’s pawing at it. Head kick attempt from Villante blocked.
left hand to the chin from Villante. Very big right hand from Villante seems to put Herman on his heels. He follows up with more big shots, but Herman hangs in there and throws back.
Left hook for Villante. leg kick for Herman. Now a body shot and punches upstairs from Herman. Jab for Villante. Shots just winging over both fighters heads. Herman lands a solid jab. Now a jab from Villante. Herman connects with a right hand to end the round.
Round Two:
Both men just missing with punches as they put their heads off-center. Both landing here now. Herman with a short flurry of strikes.
Body punch and left hook for Villante as Herman lands a right. Jab for Herman. Uppercut for Villante as Herman lands a punch too.
One-two for Villante. leg kick for Herman. Left hook for Herman. Jab for Villante. Another jab for Villante and Herman responds with a leg kick.
Right hook for Herman. Now a leg kick. Mouthpiece falls out for Herman and there’s a brief stoppage for him to get it in.
Three punches land for VIllante. Now an overhand right connects. Villante with a left hand. Now a grazing punch. Short right for Herman seems to momentarily wobble.
Leg kick for Herman. Right hand for Villante and looks for the left. Another right hand connects before the round ends.
Round Three:
Leg kick for Villante. Jab for Herman. Villante with a jab now. Push kick from Herman. Back to the jab for Herman. Right hook for Herman.
Left hand connects for Villante, but misses with the right behind it. Leg kick for Villante. Left for Villante. Punches missing from both men as they tire. Stepping jab from Herman and a hook counter from VIllante.
Left hand for Villante. Body kick for Herman. He tries a takedown attempt but nothing doing. One-two for Villante as Herman goes for a kick. Villante trying for a takedown, but it’s defended. Knee from Herman in the clinch.
Both men throwing tired kicks to end the round.
Decision:
Very close fight here then and that’s reflected in the scorecards, with Villante emerging victorious by split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29).
