NEWARK, NJ -- This is the UFC 128 live blog for Kurt Pellegrino vs. Gleison Tibau, a lightweight bout on the Facebook portion of tonight's UFC 128 event from the Prudential Center.
Pellegrino (15-5) fought last July at UFC 116 and lost to George Sotiropoulos, ending a four-fight win streak. Tibau (21-7) lost last September to Jim Miller at a UFC Fight Night in Austin, Texas.
The live blog is below.
Round 1: Hometown favorite Pellegrino pumps out jabs against the southpaw Tibau. They're mostly testing the waters until Tibau grabs for the single-leg takedown. Pellegrino defends and Tibau has to settle for pressing Pellegrino against the cage. Two minutes in, Pellegrino pushes Tibau off and they're back to boxing. It's Pellegrino turn shooting for the single-leg. Pellegrino takes hold of it and circles around in attempt to complete the takedown, but Tibau has excellent balance and stops it. Tibau tackles Pellegrino with a takedown, but Pellegrino uses a single butterfly hook to sweep Tibau off. They clinch. Pellegrino leaves clinch and fires off punches, but none of significance connects. 10-10.
Round 2: They continue to cautiously box. Pellegrino throws the first kick of the fight at the 3:18 mark. Pellegrino lands a right hand that dazes Tibau, forcing him off balance. Pellegrino looks to finish and takes Tibau down hard. Pellegrino sits inside Tibau's halfguard and scores points with punches and short elbows. Tibau skips his hips to escape but Pellegrino holds on to stay in the top position. Tibau finally gets closed guard with one minute and 15 seconds left in the round. Tibau finds a way back to his feet with 40 seconds left. 10-9 Pellegrino.
Round 3: Tibau comes out the third round more aggressively. Tibau reaches for a double leg and Pellegrino defends. Pellegrino is fighting very cautiously as he has been doing the past two rounds. Tibau lands a left hand. Tibau shoots and pushes Pellegrino against the cage. Pellegrino pushes off. Pellegrino shoots and Tibau stuffs it. Tibau scores the takedown with under a minute to go and quickly hops over into side control. Pellegrino stands and Tibau is unable to keep him down. Pellegrino lowers for a single-leg with TIbau's back against the fence. Tibau eventually escapes and they box with a minute left. Tibau connects with a straight left. TIbau scores another takedown and ends up in Pellegrino's guard. Tibau lands left hands as Pellegrino scrambles to escape. Tibau has Pellegrino's back standing and Pellegrino rolls for a kneebar. The bell sounds. 10-9 Tibau.
I score the fight a draw. Pellegrino definitely won the second and TIbau definitely one the third. It's up to how the judges viewed the first round.
The judges score the fight 29-28 Tibau, 29-28 Pellegrino, 29-28 TIbau.
Tibau wins via split decision.
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Pellegrino (15-5) fought last July at UFC 116 and lost to George Sotiropoulos, ending a four-fight win streak. Tibau (21-7) lost last September to Jim Miller at a UFC Fight Night in Austin, Texas.
The live blog is below.
Round 1: Hometown favorite Pellegrino pumps out jabs against the southpaw Tibau. They're mostly testing the waters until Tibau grabs for the single-leg takedown. Pellegrino defends and Tibau has to settle for pressing Pellegrino against the cage. Two minutes in, Pellegrino pushes Tibau off and they're back to boxing. It's Pellegrino turn shooting for the single-leg. Pellegrino takes hold of it and circles around in attempt to complete the takedown, but Tibau has excellent balance and stops it. Tibau tackles Pellegrino with a takedown, but Pellegrino uses a single butterfly hook to sweep Tibau off. They clinch. Pellegrino leaves clinch and fires off punches, but none of significance connects. 10-10.
Round 2: They continue to cautiously box. Pellegrino throws the first kick of the fight at the 3:18 mark. Pellegrino lands a right hand that dazes Tibau, forcing him off balance. Pellegrino looks to finish and takes Tibau down hard. Pellegrino sits inside Tibau's halfguard and scores points with punches and short elbows. Tibau skips his hips to escape but Pellegrino holds on to stay in the top position. Tibau finally gets closed guard with one minute and 15 seconds left in the round. Tibau finds a way back to his feet with 40 seconds left. 10-9 Pellegrino.
Round 3: Tibau comes out the third round more aggressively. Tibau reaches for a double leg and Pellegrino defends. Pellegrino is fighting very cautiously as he has been doing the past two rounds. Tibau lands a left hand. Tibau shoots and pushes Pellegrino against the cage. Pellegrino pushes off. Pellegrino shoots and Tibau stuffs it. Tibau scores the takedown with under a minute to go and quickly hops over into side control. Pellegrino stands and Tibau is unable to keep him down. Pellegrino lowers for a single-leg with TIbau's back against the fence. Tibau eventually escapes and they box with a minute left. Tibau connects with a straight left. TIbau scores another takedown and ends up in Pellegrino's guard. Tibau lands left hands as Pellegrino scrambles to escape. Tibau has Pellegrino's back standing and Pellegrino rolls for a kneebar. The bell sounds. 10-9 Tibau.
I score the fight a draw. Pellegrino definitely won the second and TIbau definitely one the third. It's up to how the judges viewed the first round.
The judges score the fight 29-28 Tibau, 29-28 Pellegrino, 29-28 TIbau.
Tibau wins via split decision.
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