A middleweight bout between former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans and veteran Dan Kelly took place on tonight’s UFC 209 main card in Las Vegas.
Round one begins and both men paw with the jab early. Rashad lands a leg kick. He comes forward with a right. Kelly takes a low stance and presses forward with a right. Evans avoids and then charges forward with a high kick that is blocked. He lands a hard leg kick. Kelly circles and then comes forward. Rashes catches him with a leg jab. Kelly lands a nice counter right while Evans charged forward. Rashad takes a step back but seems to be ok. Rahsad circles and then pumps two jabs in the face of Kelly. He goes to the body with a right hand. Kelly catches Rashad with a left hand that appears to stun him. Evans takes a couple of steps back but then charges forward in an attempted takedown. Kelly defends and then almost gets Evans to the floor. They break free from the clinch and Kelly presses forward with a left. Evans lands a nice counter uppercut. Still, Kelly presses forward and lands a right. Evans circles and then leaps in with an uppercut. He is circling back and forth so Kelly chooses to go after him with a takedown. It is not there but they engage in the clinch. Kelly lands a good left on the break. Evans lands a hard leg kick to end round one.
OHHHH @DanKellyJudo CRACKS Evans w/ the left here in the first! #UFC209 pic.twitter.com/fB0UWC3aFX
— UFC (@ufc) March 5, 2017
Round two begins and Kelly chases after Evans with some left hooks. He finds a home for one. He leaps in with a right and they lock up. Kelly with a judo throw but Evans is able to stay on his feet. They break and Evans presses forward with a right. Kelly connects with a hard shot that appears to stun Evans. He immediately attempts to lock up. He does and they trade shots in the clinch. Kelly breaks free and Evans catches him with a punch and then a kick. Dan charges forward and lands a leg kick. Rashad accidentally pokes him in the eye. The referee steps in and stops the action. Kelly recovers and we restart. Dan with a good kick to the body of Evans. Rashad fires back with a leg kick and then another. Kelly eats it and presses forward while landing some shots in the clinch. They break and Rashad connects with a right. Good footwork from Evans here. He shoots in and gets a takedown. Kelly immediately stands up but Evans has his back. Kelly breaks free and avoids an attempted head kick from Evans. Dan comes forward and lands a body kick. Evans attempts to go upstairs but Kelly catches the kick and presses him up against the cage. Shots from Kelly. Evans circles off the fence and lands a right. The horn sounds to end round two.
.@SugaRashadEvans lands the nice body kick, but @DanKellyJudo gets in the clinch, then lands the right hook! #UFC209 pic.twitter.com/jSS1DeYE0o
— UFC (@ufc) March 5, 2017
Round three begins and Kelly lands a left and then comes forward with another. He clinches up with Rashad and scores a trip. Evans goes down to a knee and then immediately pops back up. Rashad is pawing with the right hand but Kelly responds with a leg kick. Rashad with a nice uppercut and then a right hand. Kelly with a leg kick and then another. Rashad lands a left. He comes forward with a right. Kelly catches him with a foot sweep. Rashad pops back to his feet and lands a body kick on Kelly. Dan presses forward with a right and then a left. The fighters seem happy to engage in the pocket. They are trading punches now. Kelly with some uppercuts from the clinch. They break and Evans throws a had kick which is blocked. Kelly comes forward and lands a right hand. He tosses Evans but Rashad is able to stay up. Good punches from Kelly here. He is pressing the action but Evans catches him with a stiff right. He follows that up with a knee to the body. A good uppercut inside from Kelly. He lands another. Rashad shoots for a takedown but grabs the pants of Kelly. The referee steps in and warns Evans not to do that. We restart and they just begin throwing bombs. Both men connecting but Evans landing the harder shots. The horn sounds to end the fight.
https://twitter.com/ufc/status/838244140349415424
Dan Kelly def. Rashad Evans via split-decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)