Rafael Natal wasn't able to finish Tor Troeng in their middleweight fight Wednesday night at UFC Fight Night in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
But it wasn't for a lack of trying.
Natal dropped Troeng with a ferocious right hand to the chin early in the second round and got a deep guillotine in round three. But Troeng, in a tremendous display of heart, managed to work his way out of trouble both time and go the distance.
In the end, Natal got a unanimous decision victory, earning scores of 30-27, 30-27, and 29-28.
More Coverage: UFC Fight Night 28 Results | UFC news
Download MMA Fighting iPhone App
Natal got the better of Troeng in the first round, but didn't come close to finishing until the second, when he sent Troeng crashing to the mat with the gigantic right. Natal swarmed Troeng, but referee Leon Roberts did a commendable job seeing Troeng was able to continue.
In the second, Natal grabbed a standing guillotine and immediately took it to the ground. While it was tight, Troeng gave Roberts a thumbs up, then managed to shake loose of the choke.
Natal, a Brazilian who now trains in New York City, improved to 17-4-1 with wins in his past three fights and five of six. Troeng had a five-fight win streak snapped and dropped to 16-5-1.