Dominance! Strickland Picks Apart Hall

Sean Strickland and Uriah Hall go to war tonight (Sat., July 31, 2021) in a main event Middleweight clash from inside UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, at UFC Vegas 33. Both men enter this bout in similar positions, riding four-fight win streaks and hoping to earn a Top Five-ranked foe next. Hall has finished three of his last four wins across the last couple years, whereas Strickland has quickly won three in a row at Middleweight since returning from a motorcycle accident. Though both men are strikers, it remains a clash between calm explosion and constant aggression.

Though not a title eliminator, one man will take another step closer to Middleweight gold. Strap in for tonight’s main event and follow along below for live updates and highlight clips:

Round One

Strickland sticks the jab early, and he’s pressuring hard right away. Strickland missing narrowly with his wide right hand, but the jab is scoring. Hall jabs back to the body, but he’s falling behind majorly on the volume just 90 seconds into the bout. Strickland is absolutely marching his foe down, and those right hands are starting to land. Hall finds a calf kicks, but Strickland gives him no space. Hard counter right from “Primetime.” Hall starting to answer more often, but Strickland is still the more active man. Big right scores from Hall in the final 15 seconds of the round.

Round Two

Hard exchange of jabs begins round two as Hall takes the center. Strickland swings big with a four-piece combination, and Hall appears stunned. Strickland swarms, but Hall covers up against the cage and defends a takedown. Hall fights off the fence and eats a check hook. Hall advances forward, lands a low kick. Double jab connects for Hall. Both men are jabbing actively until a Strickland low blow stalls the action. Hall rips a calf kick. Strickland answers with a couple solid kicks in the final seconds of the round, and he avoids a spin from Hall. Close round!

Round Three

Hall aggressive to start the third, scores with his low kicks. Body jabs from Hall. Strickland scores with some nice straight shots. Strickland lands a hard right hand and a takedown! It looks like Hall is hurt bad, and Strickland swarms with a bunch of ground strikes. Hall stays tough and works up to his feet. Strickland drags him back down but cannot keep him there. A third takedown lands for Strickland, this one in the center of the Octagon. Strickland working from half guard, looking for submissions and occasionally landing an elbow. Hall gives up his back, but he avoids the choke to survive the round.

Round Four

Hall still looks a bit hurt, but he’s swinging hard to start the championship rounds. Hard low kick lands for Hall. Strickland checks a kick, lands a jab. Strickland lands a hard series of jabs. Hall attacks the mid-section. Strickland keeps his jab flowing as Hall refuses to listen to his coach, who is begging for longer combinations. Strickland finds the 1-2, absorbs a pair of body shots. Stiff jab from Hall. Another. A Strickland right hand wobbles Hall, and he uses it to score the double leg takedown. Hall works up to his feet at the cost of knees. Strickland lands on the break, and Hall is cut. Still, he survives the round, even landing near the bell.

Round Five

Hall comes out hard, and he lands some good shots. Strickland stays evasive, finds a few lead hand shots on the counter. Big exchange of right hands. Strickland clinches briefly, and that seems to really drain the energy from Hall, whose punches immediately look more labored. These two are EXCHANGING in the phonebooth range! Strickland jams his foe into the clinch after a series of flicking straight punches. Strickland lands a big right as Hall tries to escape of the fence. Strickland is really mugging Hall along the fence with his dirty boxing, but Hall frees himself with 40 seconds remaining. His time in the center does not last long, however, as Strickland just keeps pressuring him to the final bell.

Result: Sean Strickland defeats Uriah Hall via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-44, 49-46) — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS HERE!

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For complete UFC Vegas 33: “Hall vs. Strickland” results and play-by-play, click HERE!