In a close, entertaining middleweight battle, Karl Roberson took the win on two of three judge’s scorecards over Wellington Turman at UFC Sacramento.
Karl Roberson returned to the UFC middleweight division at UFC Sacramento, after a detour to light heavyweight that saw him submitted by Glover Teixeira earlier this year. In Sacramento Saturday, he had an opponent that couldn’t have been more different than Teixeira, a UFC veteran and former title challenger. Wellington Turman was making his promotional debut in Sacramento, after taking the fight in place of John Phillips.
Roberson opened things up early, but newcomer Turman fired back, and pretty soon, it seemed as if Karl Roberson and Wellington Turman were taking a page from the previous slugfest between Vettori and Ferreira. Both men connected, and after a spirited exchange, Turman opted to get the fight to the ground, moving to side control, then trying to jump into a guillotine as Roberson was standing up. Turman then worked to take the back, but instead Roberson was ale to free himself and get on top. Turman looked for an arm-bar, which Roberson then slammed his way out of!
Back on top, Roberson went to work in his opponent’s guard, and finished the round looking strong. In the second, he was able to connect with his left early, and while Turman backed him up after that, Roberson quickly reversed. However, Roberson found himself in a bad spot, with Turman working from the back to get him back and control him. A slow, gradual improvement in position and control seemed to have the round in Turman’s favor, but with just under a minute left, Roberson reversed to the top. He’d wind up eating elbows from the bottom, however, as the round came to a close.
Round three had newcomer Wellington Turman in control once again. Turman would gradually work for a submission; Roberson would attempt to explode out, only for Turman to ride his back again. Roberson slipped an arm under the neck, while trying to secure a body triangle. Roberson would free himself, land a couple big bombs, then kick at the legs of Turman in the final seconds of the round.
Roberson gets the tough split decision victory!@KarlBabyK #UFCSacramento pic.twitter.com/JIDftHLQJb
— UFC (@ufc) July 14, 2019
When it went to the scorecards, two judges gave it to Roberson, a decision that did not sit well with the crowd, despite Roberson, an American, having beaten a Brazilian.
Karl Roberson def. Wellington Turman by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
