Two undefeated heavyweights joined the UFC on Saturday, as AJ Frye and Guilherme Pat faced off at UFC Vegas 112, the final event of the year for the promotion.
It was another attempt by the UFC to bolster its heavyweight ranks, though both Frye and Pat were criminally inexperienced, with records of 6-0 and 5-0 respectively.
Pat opened the fight with heavy outside leg kicks, immediately finding success at range. Frye wanted no part of the striking exchanges and looked to close distance early, pressing Pat against the cage. That position yielded little for Frye, however, as Pat consistently did his best work in space, steadily chewing him up and visibly busting up Frye’s face.
Whenever Frye came forward, Pat was landing nearly everything he threw. Pat showed sharp movement, dipping off to the side and firing short, effective combinations. Frye managed to pin Pat to the cage a few times, but he failed to inflict any real damage. Late in the round, Pat landed a big shot that snapped Frye’s head back to close out the frame.
In round two, Pat opened with a flurry and again forced Frye toward the cage. It became clear Frye could absorb punishment, as he was taking the worst of nearly every striking exchange. His only moments of control came from pressing Pat against the fence, though it appeared more defensive than offensive, a way to survive rather than to deal damage. He was never able to maintain that position for long, and Pat quickly got back to work with his hands.
Despite his success at range, Pat continued to allow Frye to push him to the cage, giving him opportunities to hang around in the fight. Entering round three, Pat fought as if he was hunting a finish, upping the pace and landing damaging elbows that further busted Frye up. Frye again found brief moments of respite against the cage, but not enough to fully recover. After the early third-round flurry, Pat was visibly fatigued. The difference was that Frye lacked the finishing ability and endurance to capitalize on it.
Guilherme Pat def. AJ Frye via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
