Although no one would ever try to convince you that a fight pitting Fabio Maldonado vs. Joey Beltran would have any relevance on the light heavyweight division, it could still be fun. That's what fans were treated to on the main card of tonight's (Wed., Oct. 9, 2013) UFC Fight Night 29: "Maia vs. Shields" event in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
It was a bizarre bout, in some respects. Maldonado was acting in defiance after Beltran spent much of the first and early part of the second round pushing him up against the fence.
It was boring, and Fabio made his displeasure with the strategy obvious.
That may have been strategic in itself, as Beltran chose to engage far more recklessly after the taunting, leading to wild exchanges between the two. Heading into the third, the bout was still wide open.
They got nutty in the final frame, pushing forward trying to gain whatever edge they could. That included Beltran once again pushing Maldonado up against the fence, this time leading to a low blow late in the bout.
"The Mexicutioner" finished the round strong and when the horn sounded, there was blood, sweat, and disappointment.
The final scores: 29-28 Beltran, 29-28 Maldonado, and 29-28 Maldonado.
Thoughts?
For complete UFC Fight Night 29 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here.