While it didn't necessarily deliver on its "Fight of the Night' expectations, a lightweight bout between Brazil's Thiago Tavares and Canada's Sam Stout proved a solid and technical affair.
But after three hard-fought rounds, Tavares ultimately scored another victory for Brazil.
The preliminary-card bout was part of UFC 142 and concluded a on FX prior to the pay-per-view main card. It took place at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro.
Tavares scored a series of takedowns in the first round and attempted a rolling guillotine choke, but Stout reversed, took top position and got back to his feet. With distance, Stout landed some solid punches, but Tavares answered in kind before the round ended.
Tavares struggled for takedowns in the second, but Tavares' striking – while less technical – proved as effective. In fact, a head kick from Tavares opened a cut near Stout's temple that leaked blood throughout the fight. Stout landed a few body shots in the waning seconds, but like the first, the second round proved close.
With the fight up for grabs in the finale frame, Stout connected on an inadvertent low blow that prompted a timeout. On the restart, Stout fended off a takedown and delivered a knee, and he then fended off another takedown. Stout, though, couldn't put together any sustained attacks while standing, and Tavares matched him punch for punch and kick for kick down the stretch. However, Stout buckled Tavares with a right hand in the final 15 seconds of the fight, and he did further damage with a couple follow-up shots, but the attack was cut short by the final horn.
In the end, Tavares got the judges' nod via unanimous decision, though the scores weren't initially red.
Tavares (17-4-1 MMA, 7-4-1 UFC), who collapsed to the mat and wept in joy, is now 3-1-1 since a 1-3 skid that nearly cost him his UFC career. Stout (17-7-1 MMA, 6-6 UFC), who was fighting for the first time since the death of longtime trainer and friend Shawn Tompkins, suffers a setback after a 4-1 run that included three "Fight of the Night" performances.
"This was my first fight without Shawn," Stout said. "It was definitely an adjustment not having him in my corner. I hope Shawn would be proud.
"I thought I took rounds two and three, but I just struggled to find my rhythm. My head wasn't in it in the first round. I had a slow start, and I have no one to blame but myself for that."
Up-to-the-minute fights results include:
• Thiago Tavares def. Sam Stout via unanimous decision (no scores given)
• Gabriel Gonzaga def. Ednaldo Oliveira via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 1, 3:22
•Yuri Alcantara def. Michihiro Omigawa via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
•Mike Pyle def. Ricardo Funch via TKO (knees and punches) - Round 1, 1:22
•Felipe Arantes def. Antonio Carvalho via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
