This is the UFC Fight Night 38 live blog for Michael Prazeres vs. Mairbek Taisumov, a lightweight bout at Sunday night’s UFC event at the Ginasio Nelio Dias in Natal, Brazil.
Prazeres, is 1-1 in the UFC, will face Taisumov, who won his UFC debut at UFC Fight Night 34 earlier this year, on the main card.
Check out the UFC Fight Night 38 live blog below.
Round 1: Mario Yamasaki is the third man. They touch them up, and Taisumov in orthodox stance orbits Prazeres. Prazeres with fingers splayed holding his hands out like a man walking through fog. Both feel each other out. Prazeres comes in with a combination, and hooked up with a right on the end of the exchange. Now Taisumov ties him up and they waltz to fence, but Prazeres throws Taisumov from the clinch. He moves quickly into mount. Taisumov able to recover half-guard, but Prazeres is staying active and takes it into a north-south. Prazeres in side mount. Taisumov able to create enough room to stand back up. Immediately Prazeres rolls back in, and ties Taisumov up along fence. As Taisumov maneuvers, Prazeres goes for a takedown and Taisumov blatantly grabs fence. Ref didn’t see it, and it’s only a temporary reprieve as Prazeres dumps him anyway. Into mount again, and this time raining punches down, setting up an armbar. Taisumov Thrusts hips, and Prazeres lands in his guard. Prazeres is throwing punches and now comes in with acute elbow. Staying very busy in guard, lots of strikes. Taisumov doing all he can to keep Prazeres from advancing, but Prazeres into mount momentarily. Now a point deduction being issues from Yamasaki for an illegal kick, it looks like. Knee was on ground. We’re back at it for the last couple of seconds, and first round ends. MMA Fighting scores R1 for Prazeres, 10-8 (with point deduction)
Round 2: We’re back at it. Taisumov moves in with lunging one-two, nothing lands, and now eats a huge right hand after trying a high kick. Prazeres loses his balance, and he’s on his back. Now Taisumov measures his way, and jumps into his guard. He stays there a moment, then backs out, but not letting Prazeres up…at least not immediately. Now he comes in with errant right hand. He bounces back up, and now Yamasaki allows Prazeres to stand. Big exchange, but little landed right in middle of cage. Knee from Taisumov lands. Another exchange, and against Yamasaki deducts another point from Taisumov for grabbing the fence. Wow. His natural inclination is to grab that fence on the takedowns; can’t seem to help himself. Back at it. Taisumov waving a jab out there, and then eats an overhand right — and now another. Prazeres lands a straight right, and then a left hook. Good clean crisp striking on the fence from Prazeres. Jabs from Taisumov, who is still changing levels and trying to find a point of entrance in the striking game. Prazeres moving forward and swiveling his hips threatening to throw. He’s stalking Taisumov down, and towards end of the round comes again up top with a kick. MMA Fighting scores R2 for Prazeres 10-8 (with point deduction; 20-16 overall)
Round 3: Taisumov kicks his thigh kick and lands a good straight right. Great combo from Prazeres, lands a right hook then a left. Taisumov able to thwart a takedown. Now Prazeres bulls his way into Taisumov and pushes him back on fence, bringing his knees up in the clinch. Taisumov just can’t get anything going. Frustrating fight for him. Now Yamasaki steps in yet again, and warns Taisumov that if he grabs the fence again it’s a disqualification. Taisumov protests. This time no point deduction. They are back at it. Very nice counter uppercut from Taisumov that time as Prazeres waded in with a right. And again, he lands an uppercut. Prazeres from range drops a big left hand onto Taisumov’s chin, and chases him across the cage in pursuit of follow-ups. Back to center. Prazeres looking a little tired, but just as I write that he shoots for a takedown, and after a few heaves is able to get it. Taisumov is on his back, and Prazeres easily advances right into mount. Crowd in Brazil loves it, chanting approval. Taisumov able to recover enough to get him in guard, and now scrambles back to his feet after pushing off with his heels. Time running out on Taisumov. Prazeres lands a punishing right hand, and now Taisumov ties Prazeres up and posts him on fence. The clacks signal an end to this one, as the two exchange at the end in the center of the cage. MMA Fighting scores R3 10-9 for Prazeres (30-25 overall for Prazeres)
UFC Fight Night 38 officials results: Michael Prazeres def. Mairbek Taisumov via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-25)