[ad_1]
The main event at UFC Las Vegas 14 was seen as a turning point in Rafael dos Anjos’s career. With the hindsight of four defeats in his last five fights, the Brazilian returned to lightweight (70 kg) this Saturday (14) and defeated Paul Felder by unanimous decision of the judges.
Best in all rounds, the former lightweight champion was left with plenty of attack, aggression, and good fitness. By dominating the center of the Octagon in virtually every 25 minutes played, knocking down at least once in each of the five rounds, and displaying the versatility that led to him winning the title in 2015, the athlete left no doubt to the judges. Victory by unanimous decision.
With the result, the veteran gets rid of the sequence of two losses that bothered him and sends a clear message to the category, which recently saw champion Khabib Nurmagomedov announce his retirement. As a highlight, one of the judges pointed to Felder’s victory, which surprised the American himself.
For his part, scheduled for the showdown just five days in advance to replace Islam Makhachev, Felder has reason to celebrate. With great willingness, the American appreciated the confrontation and fulfilled the wish, by entering the Octagon with a large mustache, to honor his father, who died in 2017 after months of treatment for pancreatic cancer.
The struggle
Although he managed to fall in the middle of the first round, Dos Anjos was unable to score any forceful blows when he was on the ground. Therefore, his permanent superiority was essential to guarantee the advantage in the jury papers.
Owner of the center of the octagon and with greater volume of blows, the Brazilian only had to deal with a few counterattacks, especially a rotating elbow that opened his eyebrow. Other than that, his domain was complete. Dos Anjos 10 x 9 Felder.
In the second round, the American came back better and hit the former champion’s face with crosses and heads. In turn, RDA made use of more versatile combinations, including waistline attacks, high kicks, and a takedown that helped it gain a new partial advantage. Dos Anjos 20 x 18 Felder.
On the third lap, the Brazilian’s physical advantage became apparent. Tireless, Rafael did not stop walking forward and pressed his rival at all times, facing him once again on the grid taking advantage of the volume of blows. In the last minute, a cinematic clash sealed another set for the former champion. Dos Anjos 30 x 27 Felder.
More balanced than previous rounds, the fourth stage featured a sigh from the American, who tried to reverse the pressure he suffered by forcing Rafael to walk backwards. With more attacks, Felder surprised and even knocked down the Brazilian. Minimal advantage. Dos Anjos 39 x 37.
With both athletes tired and at a faster pace, the fight lost power in the final five minutes. Aware of the advantage, Dos Anjos took down early and tried harder to keep his opponent face-up on the ground. Upstairs, his sharp jiu-jitsu was present in transitions and in complete mastery of the stage. Dos Anjos 49 x 46.
Look at the results of UFC Las Vegas 14:
Rafael dos Anjos defeated Paul Felder by split decision;
Khaos Williams knocked out Abdul Razak Alhassan in the first round;
Ashley Yoder defeated Miranda Granger by unanimous decision;
Sean Strickland knockout Brendan Allen no 2nd round;
Cory McKenna defeated Kay Hansen by unanimous decision;
Kanako Murata defeated Randa Markos by unanimous decision;
Tony Gravely won Geraldo ‘spartan’ by split decision;
Alex Morono defeated Rhys McKee by unanimous decision;
Don’Tale Mayes defeated Roque Martinez by unanimous decision.
