The fighters started the action feeling each other out with kicks that didn’t really land. As the first minute ticked away, Fernando Gonzalez landed a nice body kick as Lorenz Larkin regained cage control and began to work his patented front teep kicks to the body and thigh. Gonzalez fought back with single hooks at times but nothing significant came from them.

Larkin landed a perfect low leg kick that Gonzalez countered on with a good left hook but it didn’t get though Larkin’s defense. “The Monsoon” Larkin was picking and moving with his shots, employing his game but when Gonzalez found an opportunity to flurry he took it and each traded strikes for a brief moment. Larkin quickly got back to controlling the pace and working his kicking game.

Once Gonzalez got Larkin backed up on the cage he attacked aggressively but again, nothing really getting through. Right at the ten-second mark, Gonzalez landed a very nice left hook-leg kick combo that forced Larkin to fire back as the round ended.

As the middle round started, Larkin landed a snapping leg kick almost immediately. Gonzalez continued to try and close distance but Larkin’s movement and ability to strike on the backfoot made it very difficult. At this point, Gonzalez was walking down Larkin and just looking for the one big shot with no setups. Gonzalez did manage to find moments in close where he landed but it was mostly more of the same from Larkin, he was just getting pressured this round.

As round two wound down, the two fighters began to engage aggressively, each tagging one another.

Round three was another quick starting round for Larkin with his kicks. He even threw a nice switch kick but Gonzalez defended it well. Early on, the round looked more like the first with Larkin controlling the action with his mobility. Larkin was getting much more active with his offense in the middle of the round which gave Gonzalez some better opportunities to land but Larkin’s escape ability after combos were just making it too difficult for Gonzalez to land cleanly.

Gonzalez found a moment to get Larkin backed up again and each started to really open up with their punches, Larkin winging two big uppercuts that didn’t land.

At the twenty-second mark, Larkin landed a huge left-right combo that stunned Gonzalez as he backed up to the cage where Larkin started to throw elbows while Gonzalez did his best to fight back. The time expired and Gonzalez survived.

Result: Lorenz Larkin def. Fernando Gonzalez via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 1/26/2018.