A key bantamweight tilt between Raphael Assuncao and Aljamain Sterling served as the featured bout of tonight’s UFC on FOX 23 prelims in Denver, Colorado.

Round one begins and Sterling lands a low kick to start. He misses with a follow up high kick. Assuncao pumps his jab but it does not find a home. Another good leg kick from Ajamain. Assuncao responds with a hard leg kick of his own. He follows that up with a nice right hand. Sterling circles out and lands a low kick. Assuncao with a lot of forward pressure here. He lands a nice combination. He throws a low kick but it lands flush to the groin of Sterling. The bout is momentarily stopped so that Aljamain can recover. He does and we restart. Raphael lands a nice right hand and then a inside leg kick. Sterling replies with a low kick. Assuncao continues his forward pressure and lands a hard low kick. Sterling circles out. Aljamain comes forward and the fighters trade kicks. Sterling goes to the body with a kick but Raphael catches it and lands a right hand and then another. He lets go of Sterling’s foot and Aljamain immediately tries to go upstairs with a kick. It is blocked. Both men lands crisp jabs. Assuncao charges forward with punches. Sterling grabs the clinch and round one comes to an end.

Round two begins and both men trade low kicks early. One from Assuncao lands low and we have a brief break for Sterling to recover. Upon restart Sterling throws a high kick which is blocked. Raphael with a nice straight right. He catches Sterling with a left and Aljamain slips to the floor. Sterling is back up and presses forward with a combo. He eats a leg kick. Raphael with another nice right. He catches a Sterling kick and lands another. Aljamain returns fire with a left. Sterling with a nice low kick and then a front kick that misses. He shoots in for a takedown but it is not there. Assuncao goes to the body with a jab. Big swing and a miss from Aljamain. He throws a kick but Raphael catches it and lands a right hand. A nice superman punch from Assuncao finds the mark. The fighters trade low kicks to end round two.

Quick counter landed by @RaphaAssuncao and he drops Sterling for a moment in the second! #UFCDenver pic.twitter.com/SfONZbxUfR

— UFC (@ufc) January 29, 2017

Round three begins and Assuncao is quick to land a left hand. Sterling comes forward with a pair of hooks but neither find the mark. Raphael with a good kick to the body. Sterling eats it and then chases after him with punches. Assuncao misses with an overhand right. Sterling shoots in but the takedown attempt is stuffed. Both fighters land solid left hands. Assuncao with a leg kick. Sterling attempts to shoot in but there is nothing there. He misses with a left hand but connect with a follow up leg kick. Assuncao lands a left and Sterling fires back with a right. A nice front kick scores for Aljamain. Raphael with a nice jab to the body. Sterling throws a high kick but it is blocked. Both men land hard leg kicks. Sterling takes a look at the clock. 40 seconds remain. Sterling with a pair of nice body kicks. Assuncao with a hard leg kick in return. The fighters exchange jabs. Round three comes to an end.

The left hook is landing often for @Funkmaster_UFC here in the third! Close fight! #UFCDenver pic.twitter.com/N9X7Acb3nw

— UFC (@ufc) January 29, 2017