Sunday night, UFC Fight Night 112: Chiesa vs. Lee went down in Oklahoma City, OK at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. The main card, which opened with the return of Hall of Famer B.J. Penn taking on Dennis Siver, saw welterweights Tim Means and Alex Garcia do battle in the second fight of the evening. Could “The Dirty Bird” Means get back to his winning ways at UFC Oklahoma City?
After a feeling out period in the first, Garcia managed to touch Means with a combo that certainly got the American’s attention. Means survived, pushed his opponent up against the fence and landed a big knee. Means threw a leg kick, still recovering from the big shots he took earlier in the round. Later in the round, Means opted to go to the body of Garcia, mixing things up and no doubt hoping to wear his opponent down.
The second round turned into a battle for position. Means kept at his opponent’s body, but neither fighter was really in danger at any point. Garcia chose to shoot in for a takedown against the cage that likely used up more energy than it was worth, and by the end of the second frame, the crowd was voicing its displeasure at the action, or lack thereof, in the cage.
Garcia shot in very early to open the third round, lunging for the leg of Tim Means, but Means was having none of it and pulled free. A second shot, however, had a different result, as the pair hit the floor, but a quick scramble and Means was back up. Means was still ripping the body, strikes that had to be adding up and taking their toll. In the final minute, both men stepped it up, with Garcia throwing two and three punch combos, while Means threw his jab high and chewed up the legs of his opponent with kicks.
Means landed a glancing jump knee and body kick before the end of the round, and should have done enough to secure the decision.
Tim Means def. Alex Garcia by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
