Looking to bounce back from a controversial split decision loss against Maycee Barber, Andrea Lee stepped in against Natalia Silva at UFC 292 on Saturday.
The card featured on the early prelims, with “KGB” Lee looking to shake off the “gatekeeper” label. But it was Brazil’s Silva instead who continued to impress.
The fight began with both women taking the centre of the Octagon with Lee looking to get her kicking game going. Silva returned with a few kicks of her own whilst also feinting the kick constantly. A counter low-kick came from Lee as she moved forward momentarily. As Lee continued to push forward, Silva cracked her with a lightening fast two punch combo, finishing with the left hook.
Not long after, Lee began stumbling after absorbing a straight right hand. Silva pushed to try and get the finish, but Lee survived. Again Silva tried to land a heavy right high kick, followed by a right hand. After feinting constantly again, Silva saw an opening for the lead leg high kick whilst landed hard on the guard of Lee. The two women traded right hands and Lee’s nose began to pour claret. Silva finished the round on top after dominating for all of five minutes, landing yet another lead kick.
After controlling the opening round, Silva looked to continue that in the proceeding moments of round two, yet again landing kick after kick. The most surprising part was that Lee didn’t look to change levels at any point to try and expose Silva on the ground. Because of this, she continued to get out-struck on the feet. Despite that, Andrea continued to push forward and the two traded kicks, Lee’s front kick being the one that landed with more damage. Halfway through the round after floating around the Octagon, Silva landed a double jab and a left hand. Silva once again finished the round by landing a heavy kick.
The corner gave Lee the advice to try and get the fight to the ground to impose herself on the kick heavy Silva. As the Brazilian moved laterally, she continued to land kicks on her back foot, doing enough to halt the forward pressure of Lee. Despite Lee’s corner advising her to take it to the ground, she didn’t attempt a single takedown, not only in the final round but throughout all 15 minutes. Again a lightening fast combination of strikes came down the middle for the defenceless Lee. Similarly to the first two rounds, the 26-year-old finished with a kicking attack.
Official Result: Natalia Silva def. Andrea Lee by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
