Featherweights Danny Silva and Kevin Vallejos kicked off the main card at Saturday’s UFC Vegas 108.
Silva and Vallejos both entered the fight with a single loss on their resume: Silva to Canaan Kawaihae, Vallejos to Jean Silva. That, of course, was about to change.
Vallejos held center early, working his kicks and firing hands, looking to hem Silva in. Silva would work from the outside, with both men finding openings at times. Later in the opening round, Vallejos closed the distance, taking Silva to the fence and getting a body lock in place. The clinch didn’t last, and Silva pressed as they returned to more of a stand-up battle, showing off a bit of fancy footwork and feints before landing a takedown right at the end of the round.
Round two saw Silva press forward, feeling a bit of a confidence boost perhaps after taking over at the end of the opening frame. Vallejos, however, soon settled in again, holding center, firing kicks, and bursting forward with punches in bunches. Silva looked to duck in on a takedown, but Vallejos turned the tables, took Silva to the fence, then fired an elbow off the break. Vallejos found a home for his left late in the round, then connected with a right. Silva pressed back. Vallejos went to the body. Silva kicked, Vallejos came over the top. Lots of action in the back half of an entertaining second round.
The third round opened with Danny Silva pressing, ducking under a punch, and looking for a takedown only for Vallejos to easily fight it off. Moments later it was Vallejos landing his own, explosive takedown; he then had to keep a scrambling Silva from reversing. End result, they were soon back on the feet. Near the midway mark of the round, things really opened up, with Vallejos tagging Silva, and Silva answering back. Both men still had gas in the tank, firing at will. Silva was taking a somewhat dangerous approach, at times sticking his chin up, goading Vallejos and chirping at him. Vallejos, however, was connecting more, and appeared to have better accuracy. Towards the final minute, Silva looked to tie up, but that didn’t last. He did display some solid movement, and would tap his chin after each Vallejos shot landed. A Silva knee also proved dangerous. Yet Kevin Vallejos, chin tucked, stayed busy, firing a spinning back fist over Silva just as he level changed at round’s end.
This one was headed to the judges, with all three siding with Kevin Vallejos.
Official Result: Kevin Vallejos def. Danny Silva by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
