Popular flyweight Joanne Calderwood beat another fan favorite in KGB Lee at UFC 242, in a very closely contested fight.
A hotly anticipated women’s flyweight battle served as the featured televised prelim at UFC 242. Andrea Lee (or KGB Lee, if you prefer) was perfect in the UFC to date. The former Legacy FC and LFA flyweight champ was 3-0 entering her fight with Joanne Calderwood Saturday. ‘JoJo,’ for her part, was 3-1 in the UFC’s flyweight division (counting an early bout with Valerie Letourneau, before the weight class was officially launched).
Round 1:
KGB and Jojo went right to work in Abu Dhabi, immediately exchanging, both women landing. Calderwood attacked the legs. Both ladies kept trading. No hesitation, no second thoughts early as they continued to throw down. The pace would slow a little, but both would continue to find success. Lee fired a leg kick to set up a punch upstairs. Calderwood would go on the attack; Lee would land a knee in a clinch. JoJo’s nose was bloodied, but she was giving as good as she was getting. Lee targeted the body, whiile Calderwood countered with a knee.
It was Joanne Calderwood who decided to mix things up, landing a takedown. While Lee would escape, Calderwood would cut her open with an elbow off the break. Lee then caught a kick, putting her opponent on the canvas. Lee moved to side control, and was able to land a couple of elbows, trapping Calderwood there for the remainder of the round.
Cageside Press scored the round 10-9 for Andrea Lee
Round 2:
Calderwood fired off a leg kick early, and an exchange of kicks followed. This time, it was KGB Lee shooting for a takedown first, planting Calderwood on her back. When Calderwood did make it back up, she’d lost a good chunk of time, which had Lee out front in the round. Calderwood, as in the first, landed a big elbow off the break however. She’d then work in a kick, fend off a KGB attack, and drive forward for a takedown of her own. Lee, however, fought that off, with her back to the fence. They’d move back to center with thirty seconds left in the round; Calderwood would drive forward for a takedown, this time landing it.
Cageside Press scored the round 10-9 for Andrea Lee
Round 3:
With the fight still up in the air, Calderwood opened on the offensive, attacking Lee’s lead leg some more. She mixed in kicks to the body, while Lee looked to have slowed a step. She’d come on with a spinning kick, but didn’t have much behind it. A takedown attempt had her pushing Calderwood into the fence, but she couldn’t finish. Instead, Calderwood reversed. Lee went tothe body, then shot for a single leg, finishing it with a trip. Lee then mounted JoJo’s back as Calderwood was standing up. However, KGB was forced to jump off as she was too high and at risk of winding up on her back.
Back on the feet, they clinched along the fence, Calderwood going to the body and Lee firing an elbow. Lee tried another takedown but came up short. A third attempt allowed Calderwood to land an knee that at least partially connected as Lee covered up. Calderwood then worked for a takedown, but Lee was straight back up. They finished by exchanging in a clinch, and went to the scorecards.
Cageside Press scored the round 10-9 for Calderwood
Official Result: Joanne Calderwood def. Andrea Lee by split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
