Home-field advantage wasn’t enough for Kurt Pellegrino, who dropped a split decision to Gleison Tibau at UFC 128. Pellegrino rocked Tibau in the second round, but couldn’t finish, and Tibau used his overwhelming size to stifle the smaller Pellegrino in the bookend rounds.
What was the high point of the fight?
With just over three minutes left in round two, Pellegrino landed a combination which stumbled the Brazilian. Pellegrino followed up with strikes from half-guard, but couldn’t accumulate enough damage to put Tibau away.
Where do these guys go from here?
Gleison Tibau promised a new version of himself in this fight, but he looked like his old self — patient, deliberate, and a heavy reliance on his size advantage. This win further solidifies his gatekeeper status between the good and the very good at 155 pounds. He’s in line to fight an up-and-comer like Ross Pearson or Curt Warburton, both of whom recently won fights.
Kurt Pellegrino might want to consider a move to featherweight. While owning a 7-5 UFC record, he has yet to beat a quality first- or second-tier lightweight in the organization.
Watch it now, later, or never?
You can get away with skipping this one. Imagine how Tibau and Pellegrino fight then play it out in your head. Yeah, I’m sure you nailed it.