UFC 149 – James Head outworks Brian Ebersole on route to a tight split decision win
UFC welterweight prospect, James Head tonight ended the run of veteran, Brian Ebersole inside the octagon wining their UFC 149 fight in Calgary, Alberta, Canada via split decision after employing a more reactive strategy.
Ebersole shoots in immediately and Head defends it. Both men return to the feet. Ebersole shoots in again and once again Head defends and we’re back to the feet. Big knees from Head in the clinch. Head shakes off another takedown attempt. Head goes to the body before switching to knees and elbows in the clinch. Nice combination from Ebersole ends with a left to the jaw. The two exchange before Ebersole shoots in again. Head defends nicely. Head snatches a guillotine but Ebersole works his way free. Ebersole in half-guard with just over a minute remaining. Head almost with a sweep. Big punch from Ebersole before Head shoves him off. Cartwheel kick from Ebersole goes wrong and Head winds up on top pounding away to the bell. MMABay scores the round 10-9 Ebersole.
Ebersole shoots but Head defends. The two return to the feet and Ebersole throws down. Head stalks Ebersole back to the cage but Ebersole lands a nice straight left-hand. The two men clinch and Head lands a knee to the body. Double under-hooks for Ebersole but he fails to drag the fight to the ground. Head swings for the fences but doesn’t really land anything significant. Ebersole shots in but Head defends. Nice uppercut from Ebersole lands. Nice right hand from Head in the clinch. Body shot from Head before landing a fluch knee to the face. Ebersole manages to secure a takedown, winding up in the guard of Head. Thirty seconds remaining. Shoulder strikes from Ebersole. Nice sweep from Head before moving to half-guard. MMABay scores the round 10-9 Ebersole.
Ebersole shoots but it’s stuffed again. Nice right hand from Head. Ebersole shoots but Head stuffs it and looks to take the back. Ebersole defends and the two return to the feet. Another takedown attempt by Ebersole is stuffed. Nice combination from Head ends in a knee to the body. Nice left hand from Head followed by a knee to the body. Head takes the back of Ebersole and looks to control but Ebersole reverses it and forces his opponent to scramble back to his feet. Ebersole shoots in again but it’s easily stuffed. Hard to score a round like this. Another shot from Ebersole but no dice. Body kick from Ebersole, answered by a combination from Head. Head rolls for a D’Arce but winds up in his back eating hammer-fists with fifteen seconds to go. MMABay scores the round 10-9 Ebersole.
The judges scored the bout 29-28, 28-29, 29-28 in favour of Head.
By Michael Pepper. (Follow me on Twitter)
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