Joe Stevenson vs Javier Vazquez
Featherweight
Showtime in the red/black trunks.
Daddy in the black/white trunks.
Circle to open. Jabs by Vazquez.
Stevenson down, but in guard and immediately goes for an arm. Vazquez is fighting. Stevenson has it tight, but not with much leverage. But he’s not letting go. Vazquez tried to pick him up, but then jumped in on Stevenson’s left arm. Same basic position, but Vazquez with control from the top. No strikes, little action now.
Crowd booing.
They are positioning, but no offense on either side.
Ref stands them up.
Boxing, circling, slow.
Overhand by Stevenson misses, as does Vazquez. Brief misses, Stevenson laughing.
Stevenson bouncing. Another overhand miss and a slight take-down attempt by Vazquez.
Jabs by Vazquez. He went for a right, then a take-down, and got it. He’s on top, but Stevenson pushing him off. Vazquez in side, but Stevenson has him locked up. Vazquez with weak punches to the side.
Slowed down. Stevenson has him tied up from th bottom.
That’s it for Round One.
Tight circling to open. Jabs by Vazquez.
Misses by Vazquez, both missing.
Jab by Vazquez.
Weak overhand by Vazquez. Lots of head movement, but all circling. They threaten and exchange. Shot by Stevenson, but nothing on it. Stevenson eats a punch. Now Vazquez eats one. Stevenson hit.
Wild uppercut by Vazquez.
Stevenson goes for a single-leg, backs Vazquez to the cage. Lifts him up, but Vazquez with a standing Guillotine. Both down, but Stevenson brings them back up quickly.
Stevenson bulls him into the cage.
Vazquez leg trip and takes him down, on top, near the cage. Vazquez has his back by positioning. Rear Naked try, but Stevenson out before anything happens.
Stevenson flips them over, and both are standing. Stevenson animated, but neither are doing much.
Overhand misses by Stevenson.
Almost a cartwheel kick at the end, but not much on it, by Stevenson.
End of Second
very even round. I'd have Vazquez leading though.
Both at each other, but same style. Punch by Vazquez to the chest.
Boxing match, feint by Stevenson for a take down.
Nothing really connecting here. Low kicks.
Vazquez ties him up and throws a knee but not much there. No one really wants this one.
Brief standing clinch, but both push off.
Still circling at 3:00
Stevenson a little more aggressive, but the boos are raining.
Stevenson more animated, but Vazquez seems in control, just tossing jabs here and there. Stevenson now pushes Vazquez to the cage, but nothing. Still circling. Low kick by Stevenson. Body punches, but not enough on them. Stevenson ate a punch. Another.
Booing.
1:00 left
Knee try by Stevenson.
More boos. Weak punches and weak clinch attempts.
Uppercut attempts by Vazquez.
It’s over.
Weak fight. Just never really got interesting. Stevenson runs around the Octagon, but he’s done less than Vazquez … that’s what the fight comes down to, I think.
Official Announcement.
30-27, 29-28. 30-27 for Vazquez
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Tyson Griffin vs Manvel Gamburyan
Featherweight Bout
Tyson Griffin out to the theme from Rocky.
The Anvil vs Tyson Griffin
Circling, but more deliberate than that last fight. Low kick attempt by Griffin. More forcefulin the circles. Leg kick by Gamburyan. Back at him by Griffin. Brief exchange, and Gamburyan basically tackles Griffin down. Griffin sitting at the cage, though, and Gamburyan tries to muscle him up, Griffin bulling him into the cage now. Slow but they are pushing each other.
Low kick by Griffin. It’s slowed up though. Griffin grabs a leg, but releases.
Still clinched up. But Gamburyan takes him down, and now on his back. Griffin up. Gamburyan on his back, but falls off. Griffin with a front face lock. Punches underneath, but nothing on them.
Clinch in the cage again.
Low kicks by Gamburyan. Knee to the thigh by Griffin.
Still in a clinch, Griffin trying to go low, but getting blocked. Griffin has the left leg, but Gamburyan showing great balance. Still clinch. Knee by Griffin
Here we go Steelers chant… the energy is draining from the crowd.
End of Round One disrupts the Steelers chant.
More aggressive than last round, but still circling. Front kick by Gamburyan. Trading punches. Gamburyan throws another one or two, but back to circling.
4:00 and not much.
Swing and miss by Gamburyan. Circling. Low kick by Griffin misses. Circling.
Step, step low kick by Griffin.
Overhand by Gamburyan misses. Griffin gets a brief take-down.
Low kick by Griffin. Hard, low kick. Gamburyan misses a swing.Low by Griffin, punch by Gamburyan. Sprawl by Griffin to block.
2:15
Trade punches.
Big swing by Griffin but mostly blocked. Griffin tripped up, but Gamburyan cannot follow. Low flying knee by Griffin, turns into a low blow with his foot.
Crowd on Gamburyan for calling for a timeout, but that did seem to clip him.
Touch gloves.
Jab, jab punch by Griffin, but not much on it.Griffin aggressive now. Then drops back. Low dance by Griffin. Gamburyan swinging and missing. Couple shots by Gamburyan without much. Couple of punches by Griffin.
:30
Jabs by Griffin. Low kick. Gamburyan on defensive. Another Low blow?
Crowd not buying it. But replay shows a low blow right between the legs.
Gamburyan angry and selling.
End of Round Two
Not a vey good fight.
Assistant Commish in the Octagon in Griffin's corner for what that's worth.
Swinging away now, but nothing really connecting. Almost one by Gamburyan. Sprawl by Griffin, now both down (I think Gamburyan got that one) but both up quick. Pace picked up, that’s for sure.
Body shots by Griffin.
Low kicks traded.
Low kick by Griffin, Gamburyan backing up, but Griffin gets a cinch and it stalls. Griffin pushing Gamburyan into the cage. Gamburyan going for a kimura standing. Griffin stumbles, Gamburyan on him and into the cage.
Now Griffin with more control, but Gamburyan with a waistlock into a takedown. But Griffin reverses and has his back briefly. Both up, Griffin bulling him, but not too active.
2:00
Griffin with knees to the thigh, which seems a dangerous strategy at this point.
Clinch, Gamburyan seemed to take him down.
Back up, cinch.
Gamburyan with some punches, Griffin with a kick. Weak by Griffin, miss by Gamburyan.
Griffin stuffed a takedown, almost grabs a check.
:30
Griffin with a standing Guillotine. Much more active in the 3rd, but not exciting.
Both jogging around the Octagon.
Very close, I'm thinking Gamburyan because of the take down attempts and more success, but Griffin had more control at times.
Official Decision: 29-28, 29-28, 29-29 for Griffin.
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