Round 1 - Referee Herb Dean in the cage. Caceres with an early front kick Side kick follows and left hand. Figueroa tries to answer but slips. Caceres moving loosely and lands a powerful low kick to the cup. Figueroa collapses and rolls over and over until he hits the cage. There was a loud pop on the shot, and Figueroa is in obvious pain. Still, after a few minutes to recover, we fight on. Quick restart, and Caceres staggers Figueroa with a punch. Caceres firing kicks from all angles. A straight left lands, as well. High kick scores, and Caceres is on a roll. Figueroa pushing forward, and he lands a high kick. Caceres hits the deck, and Figueroa leaps in to finish. Caceres ties up the action, and Figueroa backs away to stand. Halfway into the round. Good action early. Caceres looks OK and wrestles the fight to the floor. He transition to the back but can't get the finish. Figueroa sneaks back to his feet. Caceres stays tight ad works again to the back. He has a body triangle and seeks submissions. Less than a minute. Caceres moves to mount, then the back when Figueroa rolls free. Caceres looking for the choke but can't get his arm under the neck. Round ends on a scramble, and MMAjunkie.com gives the round to Caceres, 10-9, despite being dropped early.
Round 2 - Caceres with a few early, flashy kicks. Figueroa chases with big punches, but Caceres moves away. Figueroa says he's hit low again, but Dean says it's clean, and we fight on. Caceres lands a high kick. Figueroa looks a little wobbly, perhaps tired. Caceres misses a spinning kick. Figueroa ducks into a high kick. Caceres slips and can't follow. Caceres again kicks the cup, and Figueroa drops in pain. Figueroa again takes his time to recover. Figueroa's corner is unhappy with the blow. Figueroa moves to the cage and decides again to fight on. Caceres paces the entire time, and Dean deducts two points for the infraction. They start quick, and Caceres lands an early knee. Halfway in, and he drags the fight to the floor again. He moves immediately to the back and starts looking for the choke. Caceres again gets a bodylock and is in compete control. Still, Figueroa is defending for the moment. He's certainly not countering. Caceres tries for an armbar, then a triangle choke. It's not there to begin, but he keeps cinching. Figueroa somehow pulls free and stands. Round ends. Caceres takes it on the MMAjunkie.com card, but with the deduction, it's Figueroa, 9-8.
Round 3 - Figueroa opens with snapping low kicks. He looks tired, but he's pressing forward. Caceres now kicks the legs and attacks with his hands. Caceres looks to have gas in the tank. Figueroa kicking to the legs and body. Right hand for Caceres. He follows it up, and Figueroa staggers. Caceres again jumps to the back, this time from a standing position. Caceres works the left hand onto the chin and tries to squeeze. The choke isn't there. Figueroa dives forward, shaking Caceres off, but Caceres won't relent. Caceres returns to the back. Figueroa avoids a few submission attempts and lands a few right hands while settling into top position. Caceres keeps working his legs high. Figueroa falls back for a kneebar that's not there. They stand, and Caceres gets the back again. Round ends in this odd fight. MMAjunkie.com sees the final round for Caceres, 10-9, awarding him the fight 28-27. Edwin Figueroa def. Alex Caceres via split decision (28-27, 27-28, 28-27).
UFC 143: Alex Caceres vs Edwin Figueroa
leeroy will win.
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