Early on, this fight looked like it was going to tilt decisively in favor of Thiago Tavares. He was beating Sam Stout to most punches, got a valuable takedown and went strongly for a guillotine and clutched at a leglock. However, Stout began to come back in the second round – which could be scored for either fighter – and took the third while briefly wobbling Tavares.
For the most part, this was a complex clash of strategies. Stout looked to fend off takedowns and use his jabs to open up other strikes, while Tavares connected with right hands, the occasional leg kick and charged forwards for takedowns constantly. Both fighters showed signs of damage, but maintained a high work rate and an admirable degree of skill throughout.
What was the high spot of this fight?
In the middle of the second, Stout and Tavares were exchanging strikes, when Tavares dove in for a single leg, got stuffed and the two got back to striking. Tavares managed to cut Stout’s ear with a high kick and Stout landed some thudding body blows. That sequence showed the level these guys were on and is a good encapsulation of the fight as a whole.
The temptation to say the nut shot Stout landed on Tavares in the third round., which was so hard that Taveres’s pants tore, is successfully resisted.
Where do these fighters go from here?
Tavares is probably another in the “take a number and stand in line” lightweight crowd. Being given the nod by the judges in a close fight with Sam Stout is meaningful, yet all the fighters ahead of him with a win in their last fight are occupied. The standard match-up tactic of doing “Fighter with a win versus Other fighter with a win” and “Fighter with a loss versus Other fighter with a loss” gets annoying sometimes. Just stick him in the cage with Donald Cerrone and let ’em rip.
Stout has to take some measure of comfort in his performance over the last half of the fight. His slow start can be addressed and his skill level continues to improve. Once he rounds back into fight shape, a bout with Rafael dos Anjos makes sense.
Watch the fight now, later or never?
Now. This was the most entertaining of the decisions on the card and both fighters kept busy the entire time.
SBN Coverage of UFC RIO 142: Aldo vs. Mendes
More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 142 in the full entry
UFC 142 Results: Wallid Ismail Reacts To Erick Silva DQ – Matt Roth
UFC 142 Results: Six Fights To Make After Aldo Vs. Mendes – Ben Thapa
UFC 142 Results: Anthony Johnson Cut Following Loss To Vitor Belfort – Matt Roth
UFC 142 Results: Winners, Losers, And Other Thoughts – Matt Roth
UFC 142: Rosi Sexton On Anthony Johnson And The Risks Of Weight Cutting – Bloody Elbow
UFC 142 Results: Anthony Johnson ‘Likely Cut’ Following Loss To Vitor Belfort – Brent Brookhouse
UFC 142 Results Video: Jose Aldo Vs. Chad Mendes Full Fight Highlights – Bloody Elbow
UFC 142: Aldo Vs. Mendes Results And Post-Fight Analysis – Brent Brookhouse
UFC 142 Results: Jose Aldo Knocks Out Chad Mendes Then Celebrates In Crowd – Matt Roth
UFC 142 Results: Vitor Belfort Defeats Anthony Johnson By Rear Naked Choke – Matt Roth
UFC 142 Results: Rousimar Palhares Takes Home Mike Massenzio’s Leg – Matt Roth
UFC 142 Results: Erick Silva Disqualified In Fight With Carlo Prater – Matt Roth
UFC 142 Results: Edson Barboza Knocks Out Terry Etim With A Wheel Kick – Matt Roth
UFC 142 Post-Fight Press Conference Video – Tim Burke
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio – Episode 122: UFC 142 Results Review – Matt Bishop
UFC 142 Results: Thiago Tavares Defeats Sam Stout by Uanimous Decision – Matt Roth
UFC 142 Aldo Vs. Mendes Results: Gabriel Gonzaga Chokes Out Edinaldo Oliveira – Matt Roth
UFC 142 Aldo Vs. Mendes Results: Mike Pyle Knocks Out Ricardo Funch In First Round – Matt Roth
UFC 142 Aldo Vs. Mendes Results: Felipe Arantes Dominates Antonio Carvalho – Matt Roth
UFC 142: Aldo Vs. Mendes – Live Results And Play-By-Play For PPV – Brent Brookhouse
UFC 142: Aldo Vs. Mendes – Live Results And Play-By-Play For Undercard – Brent Brookhouse
About the author
