LAS VEGAS – it wasn’t a classic Donald Cerrone thrill fest, but it was a convincing victory nonetheless.
The popular lightweight nicknamed “Cowboy” won his sixth straight fight over the past 14 months, outclassing upstart Myles Jury at UFC 182 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The judges’ scores were 30-27 across the board.
The opening round was a reminder that the Jackson’s MMA veteran, while popular for his knockout skills, is also a submissions whiz. Jury caught a Cerrone kick and turned it into a takedown.
More Coverage: UFC 182 Results | UFC news
Download MMA Fighting iPhone App
From there, though, Cerrone turned the round into a clinic on how to work from the bottom. He worked an omplata, transitioned into a body triangle, landed a rear-naked choke, and ultimately went for an armbar as the horn sounded.
Round two was mostly contested in the standup. San Diego’s Jury, who took a 15-0 record into the bout, seemed to show Cerrone too much respect and never really got his offense untracked. Cerrone turned Jury’s left thigh red with brutal kicks.
in the third round, Cerrone turned the heat back up. He landed a head kick that would have knocked most people out, but Jury absorbed it. Near the end of the round, Jury hit the deck and tried to coax Cerrone to the ground, but the “Cowboy” instead peppered him with brutal kicks.
Cerrone improved to 26-6 with one no-contest.