Leon Edwards Earns A Unanimous Decision Win Over Rafael Dos Anjos In “The Lone Star State”!
The Ultimate Fighting Championship Welterweight logjam is receiving a fresh batch of lumber tonight (Saturday, July 20, 2019). The former Lightweight king and Muay Thai/BJJ black belt Rafael “RDA” dos Anjos squares off against the ex-BAMMA 170-pound champ Leon “Rocky” Edwards in the main event of the UFC on ESPN 4. The two are meeting in AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas.
The referee in charge for this contest is Dan Miragliotta. The main event kicks off!
Leon Edwards enters first, wearing the flag of Great Britain, gray T-shirt, black shorts, and blue gloves. Rafael dos Anjos runs, wearing a black shirt, black shorts, and red gloves.
Round 1
Leon Edwards has a huge reach and height advantage. No glove touch! Both fighters in the southpaw stance. Dos Anjos misses with a right body kick.
Leon Edwards fires back with a barrage of punches. “Rocky” moves around like a cat. Fighters clinch up.
Edwards takes his rival down!
Dos Anjos defends from the butterfly guard, Edwards cannot go forward, elbow by Leon.
Dos Anjos defends well, while Edwards presses him against the cage. Edwards keeps the position for now. He passes to the half-guard. Dos Anjos defends well, he has just saved his left hand. Left elbow Edwards.
Dos Anjos trapped his left leg, and now he elbows Leon Edwards to the head, dos Anjos tries to sweep, Edwards defends well. Edwards still in the half-guard.
Dos Anjos is pressed against the cage, he looks for the Kimura, Edwards lands punches to the face over and over. Elbow Rafael. Knee to the stomach Edwards, and now he takes dos Anjos’ back and presses him against the cage. It seems “Rocky” is trying to go for another takedown.
Edwards lets him go delivers left kick, RDA defends. Great combo on both sides, now dos Anjos presses Leon against the cage. Fighters separate, low kick, right hand to the body.
Left-hand Edwards. Low kick dos Anjos. And another one, Edwards felt that! Fighters clinch up Edwards presses dos Anjos against the fence and go for a single leg, but dos Anjos stuffs it. 10-9 Edwards.
Round 2
Few kicks on both sides, great trade! Edwards misses with a big left hand, dos Anjos moves well. Front kick Rafael. Awesome fist exchange and a low kick. Edwards missed with a left hook by a hair. Few more punches.
Both fighters are landing a lot of shots. Left-hand dos Anjos. Another front kick, Edwards goes forward. “Rocky” goes for a single leg, but dos Anjos ends up on the cage. Few more elbows, two jabs dos Anjos.
Fighters trading shots, and low kicks on both sides. Dos Anjos presses the rival against the fence, takedown attempt stuffed. Dos Anjos controls this round. Another elbow, and fighters separate.
Superb counter by Edwards it was a big right hand. Dos Anjos is hurt! Front kick Edwards.
Wow, what a low kick, Edwards goes down, dos Anjos ends up in the half-guard, he could go for a Kimura!
“RDA” controls the position. Body punches dos Anjos. Edwards gets up, great defense. Low kick Edwards. 1-2 Rafael. 1-2 Leon, this turns into a great match!
Dos Anjos is bleeding heavily under his right eye. Big left Rafael, this looks great. Middle kick Leon. I think 10-9 dos Anjos.
This cut on dos Anjos’ eye looks very dangerous. Miragliotta orders the doctors to inspect the cut. Yes, dos Anjos continues, thanks, doctor!
Round 3
Edwards is cautious. Dos Anjos delivers a jab, but he bleeds a lot! Jabs on both sides. Low kick Leon. 1-2 Leon.
Dos Anjos is also very cautious. Middle kick just missed. “RDA” goes for a single leg, presses his opponent against the cage. Low kick by Rafael dos Anjos. Uppercut and hook by Rafael dos Anjos. Fighters clinched up, elbow and separation.
Dos Anjos eats shots against the fence but survives. Fighters in the clinch again, fighting for the under-hooks. And another elbow!!!
Big left hand. Brutal left punch by Leon, Rafael felt that! Superb single-leg takedown attempt Rafael dos Anjos, but Leon defends like a pro and stuffs the attempt, he reverses dos Anjos and takes his back!!!
Dos Anjos is pressed against the cage. Edwards delivers knees. Punches to the body, the crowd booed, the referee warns them to fight or he’ll separate them. Edwards keeps pressing dos Anjos against the fence. Miragliotta warns Edwards for holding the cage and separates them.
Nasty uppercut! Front kick Edwards! Good takedown attempt dos Anjos, but he only presses Edwards against the fence. Edwards reverses him, great match! The low kick missed by an inch. 10-9 Edwards.
Round 4
Rafael dos Anjos pulls back. Edwards is cautious too. Right-hand Edwards. Jab dos Anjos, Edwards misses with a counter. Right-hand Edwards again. Now a great exchange on both sides.
Left middle kick Rafael. Strong right punch by dos Anjos. Awesome punch followed by a low kick. Great jab counter by dos Anjos, he looks better in round four.
Left low kick Edwards, dos Anjos misses with a left hook. 1-2 Rafael. Great exchange, 5-6 strong strikes on both sides. Elbow and knee Edwards.
Low kick Edwards, headshot followed by a body punch dos Anjos. The Brazilian circles and misses with a left low kick. Left-hand Edwards, great boxing. Superman punch Rafael dos Anjos misses.
Body punch followed by a right hook and a low kick dos Anjos. The Brazilian fights well.
Flying knee dos Anjos, but Edwards catches him and takes him down, world-class counter by the Brit!
Leon Edwards is in the side control, he presses dos Anjos against the cage. Oh, dos Anjos got up, now Edwards goes for a single leg but changes his mind and keeps pressing his opponent towards the fence. This was close, unsure.
Round 5
Fighters touch gloves! Dos Anjos goes forward, Leon counters him. Dos Anjos needs his mouthpiece hah! The ref restarts the contest, and an outstanding exchange on both sides, this is war!
Dos Anjos clinches up and presses “Rocky” against the cage, Leon Edwards does a superb reversal, what a great move. Dos Anjos escapes well, and now both fighters are circling.
Strong strike Leon, great 1-2 combo. Right hook Rafael but he eats a counter. Great movement by Edwards. Dos Anjos lands amazing left hook but Leon counters well and presses him against the fence, and takes him down.
The Brazilian got up almost instantly but Leon took his back well. Fighters separate. Dos Anjos complained to Miragliotta, unsure why.
Left-hand Edwards. Dos Anjos has to go for all or nothing. Another left punch by Edwards. Front kick Edwards to the body. Dos Anjos had both under-hooks in for a second but Leon defended well, awesome trade on both sides, big right hook lands!
Middle kick dos Anjos, but Edwards catches his leg and presses him against the fence. Edwards took him down for a second, but dos Anjos almost instantly got up. Edwards controls his back well. Dos Anjos is still tucked against the cage, but he survives. Another flying knee attempt, Leon counters well and takes him down. The end of the match, 10-9 Edwards.
Final Result: Leon Edwards defeats Rafael dos Anjos via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46×2)
Check the highlights below:
Time to step up.@Leon_EdwardsMMA gets the shot he's been looking for at #UFCSanAntonio! 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/dqPdKN0Ga1
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) July 21, 2019
Touch glo… okay.
Let's do it! #UFCSanAntonio pic.twitter.com/ze9T1xMro9
— UFC (@ufc) July 21, 2019
💪 Slicing elbows from @Leon_EdwardsMMA! #UFCSanAntonio pic.twitter.com/r913rcgKfH
— UFC (@ufc) July 21, 2019
Split 'em wide open 😯@Leon_edwardsmma #UFCSanAntonio pic.twitter.com/m26haQiutS
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) July 21, 2019
Leg kick after leg kick 👀
They're adding up for @RdosAnjosMMA. #UFCSanAntonio pic.twitter.com/UE8cZlEoTB
— UFC (@ufc) July 21, 2019
A smooth counter 🔁@Leon_EdwardsMMA turns RDA's knee to the takedown! #UFCSanAntonio pic.twitter.com/n5SNC9Rrat
— UFC (@ufc) July 21, 2019
5️⃣0️⃣-4️⃣5️⃣
4️⃣9️⃣-4️⃣6️⃣
4️⃣9️⃣-4️⃣6️⃣A top contender for sure! #UFCSanAntonio pic.twitter.com/Hpd0UvDmee
— UFC (@ufc) July 21, 2019
Is it time to settle the beef!? #UFCSanAntonio pic.twitter.com/xIlH38WuOi
— UFC (@ufc) July 21, 2019
Rafael dos Anjos drops to 29-12 MMA, 18-10 UFC, Leon Edwards improves the score to 18-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC.
