Welterweights Chidi Njokuani and Carlos Leal served as the featured preliminary card bout at Saturday’s UFC Houston, a credit no doubt to their explosive finishing ability.
While both were coming in off losses, Njokuani had 15 stoppages by KO/TKO, and Leal had 11 of his own. The forecast, as a result, called for bonus money.
Round 1 – Njokuani started with a flurry of leg kicks, spamming them along with teeps to the body. Leal looked to close the distance with some big hooks, landing well and pushing the pace with his boxing. Leal threw bombs with long combinations, mixing in some body work but landing constantly to the head. Njokuani couldn’t work off the cage, but still found a way to land some kicks despite the drowning pressure. The kicks were unable to deter Leal’s combinations, which were coming in full force. Leal unofficially landed 60 significant strikes with a minute on the clock. Njokuani kept a crazy pace with his kicks to match, mixing to all three levels as the action-packed round came to a close.
Round 2 – The pace slowed to start the second round, although Njokuani continued to land quick leg kicks. Leal shot for a takedown, but was confined to control on the cage. Njokuani forced a separation with a big knee, but Leal returned with a big straight right hand that knocked Njokuani off balance. Leal continued pressuring him into the cage, grabbing him and controlling the clinch before securing a takedown. Njokuani worked back to his feet, but was trapped on the fence and unable to break the grip. Leal dropped for a leg lock late, but ate a knee to the body on the way up.
Round 3 – After the crazy pace slowed, Njokuani became the aggressor and went back to his kicks. Leal’s volume picked back up, and his combinations came with full force once again. Five, six punch combinations were a staple of Leal’s boxing in the fight. Njokuani landed a nice elbow into a knee, followed by a slick trip. The volume on both sides was absurd, but Leal’s punches never seemed to stop. While his defense was lacking a bit, his head movement only improved as the fight went on. Njokuani landed a big knee but Leal remained unfazed, sitting in the pocket and exchanging until the final bell.
The volume and pace from both men, especially Leal, was insane. The Brazilian landed 60+ strikes unofficially in the third round, as well as the first. This was the very clear Fight of the Night to this point of the card.
Official Result: Carlos Leal def. Chidi Njokuani by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
