After 15 hard-fought minutes,
Dong Hyun Kim won a close unanimous decision against
Nate Diaz at
UFC 125.
The crowd booed the decision, but it was the right one, and it improved Kim's record to 14-0-1. Diaz falls to 13-6.
After they traded leg kicks for the first minute of the fight, Kim took Diaz down and got on top of him. Diaz has an effective guard and stays active on his back, but Kim was able to pull away from danger every time Diaz attempted a submission, and I thought Kim was in control for enough of the first round to earn a 10-9 round.
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UFC 125 Fight Night Photos
Gray Maynard shakes up Frankie Edgar with a right at UFC 125 on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
James Law for FanHouse
James Law for FanHouse
UFC 125 Post-Fight Photos
Gray Maynard looks to finish Frankie Edgar in the first round at UFC 125 on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
UFC 125 Post-Fight Photos
Gray Maynard punches Frankie Edgar at UFC 125 on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
UFC 125 Post-Fight Photos
Frankie Edgar rocks Gray Maynard with a right hand at UFC 125 on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
UFC 125 Post-Fight Photos
Gray Maynard and Frankie Edgar trade punches at UFC 125 on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
UFC 125 Post-Fight Photos
Gray Maynard shakes up Frankie Edgar with a right at UFC 125 on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
UFC 125 Post-Fight Photos
Gray Maynard punches Frankie Edgar at UFC 125 on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
UFC 125 Post-Fight Photos
Frankie Edgar punches Gray Maynard at UFC 125 on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
UFC 125 Post-Fight Photos
Brian Stann def. Chris Leben at UFC 125 on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
UFC 125 Post-Fight Photos
Brian Stann def. Chris Leben at UFC 125 on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
UFC 125 Post-Fight Photos
Brian Stann def. Chris Leben at UFC 125 on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
UFC 125 Post-Fight Photos
In the second round Kim tripped Diaz and put him on his back again, and it was much of the same, with Diaz spending most of the round on his back with Kim on top of him, but Diaz also threatening with submission attempts. Again, I gave the round to Kim, 10-9.
Early in the third round it was Diaz who got the takedown and was starting to take control. Unfortunately, the fight was paused for a moment when Diaz landed a knee to Kim's head while Kim still had a finger on the ground, which is against the rules. The referee gave Kim a couple minutes to recover, but it was Diaz who went on the attack, pouring on the striking in the final moments of the fight. But while that was enough to win the round, it wasn't enough to win the fight, as all three judges scored it 29-28 for Kim.
