A promising bantamweight scrap arrived on Saturday’s UFC Vegas 84 main card, as Ricky Simon looked to fend off the surging Mario Bautista.
Simon was ranked #13 in the division to start the night and looked to bounce back from his TKO loss to Song Yadong in April, while the unranked Bautista had won five straight.
Ricky Simon opened up the fight by immediately closing the distance and taking the centre of the cage to try and push Bautista back. Bautista returned fire and landed a flying knee but Simon ate it, and proceeded to take him down not long after. Bautista was able to get back up and landed a few shots on Simon. Simon continued to attempt to takedown Bautista, while Bautista continued to throw knees up the middle to deter Simon from doing so. Bautista landed a few good shots, and then Simon dropped Bautista with a left hook as Bautista attempted another flying knee and attempted to take the back but Bautista popped right back up at the end of the opening round.
Bautista opened the second round finding his range and countered Simon with a big strike that forced Simon to take a back-step. Simon managed get deep in a shot but Bautista was able to defend it and break free from the clinch and land a shot off the break. Bautista continued to land more effectively on the feet than Ricky Simon for the last two minutes of the second round; both corners were unsure of the scorecards, and realized the third round could be pivotal.
A little bit of blood began to trickle out of Bautista’s nose, and Bautista initiates a shot, but Simon reversed it, picked Bautista up, carried him over to his corner and slamed him down. Bautista effectively used his guard and was able to get back up to his feet. Incredible skills and pace on display between two prospects. Bautista continued to get the better of Simon on the feet, tagging Simon and not getting hit, and proceeded to defend two takedown attempts and pushed down the gas pedal, and began unleashing strikes and crisp combinations.
Mario Bautista saw his hand raised, and proceeded to call out Rob Font. A fight with #9 ranked Font, or #10 ranked former division kingpin, Dominik Cruz could be in the near future for the newly ranked Bautista.
Official Result: Mario Bautista def. Ricky Simon by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
