Rafael dos Anjos Defeats Kevin Lee Via Arm-Triangle Choke!
Ultimate Fighting Championship Welterweight Octagon warriors Rafael “RDA” dos Anjos and Kevin “The Motown Phenom” Lee are squaring off now (May 18, 2019) in the main event of UFC Fight Night 152 from inside Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York.
Our referee in charge for this intriguing bout is Dan Miragliotta. Here we go!
Round 1
Fighters don’t touch gloves, Lee goes for a high kick immediately.
Lee drops dos Anjos with a great overhand right, what a punch!!!!
Lee follows him to the fence but dos Anjos somehow manages to survive, gets back to the fence, grabs a single leg. Fighters separate, and Lee lands a good straight right punch. Body kick Lee. “The Motown Phenom” goes forward, looks for a double leg.
Dos Anjos defends well, but Lee persistently pushes him against the fence. Fighters exchanging clinch strikes, Lee is doing a great job pressuring the Brazilian. Fighters break, body kick Lee, and Kevin again clinches up.
Dos Anjos misses a high kick, but Lee hits him with a great knee. Dos Anjos changing levels goes for a double leg. Success! Lee somehow gets out, ends the first round pushing Rafael against the fence. I think 10-9 Lee.
Round 2
Dos Anjos lands a big opening strike but Lee doesn’t give up, he clinches the Brazilian and pushes him against the cage again. Lee slams dos Anjos to the mat, the Brazilian uses a guillotine choke to attempt to get back on his feet.
Dos Anjos defends with a Kimura attempt, and lands a brutal kick!
Now dos Anjos takes Lee down.
Lee somehow finds the way to the fence, the two separate. Lee misses with a high kick but pushes dos Anjos towards the cage. The Brazilian defends but Lee continues pressuring him.
Lee looks for a double-leg now. Fighters break, and Lee connects big body kick with a nasty right hook. Lee shoots, stuffed by dos Anjos. Lee presses dos Anjos against the cage, the end of the round. I’d say 10-9 dos Anjos, but it was a close one.
Round 3
Dos Anjos opens the round with a long straight left, Lee fires back with a kick. And another one, front kick to the body Lee.
Dos Anjos shoots in, success, great double leg takedown!
Lee gets back to his feet, but now the Brazilian pushes “The Motown Phenom” against the cage. “RDA” goes for a single leg but Lee neutralizes it. Dos Anjos continues pressing Lee. Lee gives up his back but somehow manages to get back to his feet.
Double leg takedown Rafael dos Anjos!
Lee gets up again and pushes dos Anjos towards the fence. Knee to the body dos Anjos.
Another successful takedown by the Brazilian!
But now Lee takes Rafael’s back, this is turning into a great grappling match. “RDA” slips his way out of trouble. Again Lee finished the frame by pushing dos Anjos against the cage. 10-9 dos Anjos.
Round 4
Knee followed by a right hand, Lee. Front kick Lee, followed by a great counter from dos Anjos, nice left. Both kick at the same time dos Anjos takes one to the groin.
1-2 dos Anjos, met by a straight right. Inside low kick, it seems Lee was knocked down for a second. Now Lee fires back, what a great match!
Nice double leg Lee, under Rafael’s right hand. Lee looks for the opponent’s back, dos Anjos turns his face towards Lee, the two separate. Body kick Lee, low kick Rafael. Lee looks for a single leg, Rafael gets under-hooks, lands a knee. Body kick by Lee again, but now Rafael tries to shoot in.
Body kick Lee, who shoots off of a dos Anjos low kick.
Lee looks exhausted, now dos Anjos takes the advantage. He is in the full mount, looks for the arm-triangle. It’s all over, a submission win for Rafael dos Anjos!!!
Check out the highlights below:
No time wasted!@MoTownPhenom DROPS dos Anjos! #UFCRochester pic.twitter.com/CJFDbm2gFC
— UFC (@ufc) May 19, 2019
4️⃣ takedowns already!@RdosAnjosMMA is putting in work! #UFCRochester pic.twitter.com/CVjoHzPcUt
— UFC (@ufc) May 19, 2019
😵 😵 😵 #UFCRochester pic.twitter.com/ErDCp2phkN
— UFC (@ufc) May 19, 2019
BACK IN THE WINNER'S CIRCLE! #UFCRochester pic.twitter.com/BYROGCJTyc
— UFC (@ufc) May 19, 2019
Who do you want next for @RdosAnjosMMA? #UFCRochester pic.twitter.com/3lxrZo23Mu
— UFC (@ufc) May 19, 2019
Pros reaction:
#RDA had time to get use to 170lb. I can see @MoTownPhenom having a lot of success at welterweight once he gets use to competing bigger
— Platinum Mike Perry (@PlatinumPerry) May 19, 2019
Lee still fairly young. Did some good things but fought at a exhausting pace for anyone and it cost him. RDA back in the win column with a big finish and showed he’s still among the elite circle. That circle is full of killers at 155 or 170 lbs#UFCRochester
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) May 19, 2019
What a welterweight scrap. Those 5rd fights are not a game. Congrats to @RdosAnjosMMA on the performance #UFCRochester
— Max Griffin (@MaxPainGriffin) May 19, 2019
Beautiful performance @RdosAnjosMMA 👏👏 @ufc
— Lando Vannata (@GroovyLando) May 19, 2019
Good fight @RdosAnjosMMA I look forward to earning a fight with you one day #Oss
— Platinum Mike Perry (@PlatinumPerry) May 19, 2019
Beautiful display of MMA and heart from both these guys. Amazing fight. @ufc @RdosAnjosMMA @MoTownPhenom
— Kyle Bochniak (@KyleBochniak) May 19, 2019
Beautiful display of MMA and heart from both these guys. Amazing fight. @ufc @RdosAnjosMMA @MoTownPhenom
— Kyle Bochniak (@KyleBochniak) May 19, 2019
Final Result: Rafael dos Anjos submits Kevin Lee via arm-triangle choke (round 4, 3:47)
Rafael dos Anjos improves the score to 29-11 MMA, 18-9 UFC, Kevin Lee drops to 17-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC.
