Carlos Candelario

Carlos Candelario (126.5: Missed Weight) vs. Tatsuro Taira
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Taira (-240), Candelario (+195)

Round 1
Two weeks after we thought we would see it, we will kick this fight card off with a bout between promotional newcomers, when Japanese hotshot Taira (10-0, 0-0 UFC) battles it out with the Stephan Bonnar of Dana White’s Contender Series in Candelario (8-1, 0-0 UFC) – the latter earned a contract off of a thrilling defeat, much like how Bonnar still pocketed the contract at the end of TUF 1 due to his legendary scrap with Forrest Griffin. Even with two men making their UFC debuts, it could be a fun one to start things off. Candelario did miss weight, coming in half a pound heavy at 126.5 pounds, and it plays a factor as they do not touch gloves while referee Mike Beltran watches on. Candelario crashes in straight away to clinch up and pursue a possible takedown, but Taira shoves his man away to gain some space and look for something on the feet. Taira absorbs a solid overhand right, and he keeps his guard up while Candelario strings a few punches together. Taira turns the momentum of his opponent against him, tying Candelario up and hunting for a trip takedown. The Japanese fighter trips his man to a knee, but Candelario is able to power up and out. As he looks to break, Taira scores a left hand and a body kick. Candelario gathers himself and dives forward for a single, and Taira pushes him off again where he can work with his kicks. A leg kick scores, but a body kick is blocked from the unbeaten fighter, and he uses his own range-finding strikes to keep Candelario and an increasingly reddening nose at bay. Taira steps forward with a right hand down the pipe, staggering Candelario for a second but not backing him off, as Candelario comes back quickly with a head kick that is swatted away. Taira marks up the body with a kick, and Candelario just misses with a counter. Taira kicks high, and his counters fall short. Taira shoots in from an unorthodox single-leg takedown approach, and he trips Candelario up and puts him on the mat. Candelario works back up using the fence behind him. Taira cannot keep him there for long, but he does rip the body with a left when Candelario stands. Taira backs off and hammers the lead leg with a kick, but it is one-and-done as Candelario checks one on the outside. Candelario presses forward with punches, and he turns the corner with a single and plants the Japanese fighter on the canvas. Taira nearly defends with a choke on his way down, but Candelario is able to yank his neck free and ride out the remainder of the round on top.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Taira

Round 2
The flyweights meet in the middle of the cage to start the second frame, but they are hesitant to engage early on. They paw at one another with jabs, and a left to the body from Candelario nearly bumps into the cup. They trade high kicks, and Candelario chases a takedown but cannot get him there. A lightning-quick right hand from Taira drops Candelario down to the mat, and Taira looks to finish the job with ground-and-pound and slams him with several unanswered punches. Candelario explodes back to his feet, and Taira jumps on his back quickly and ties up a body triangle before fishing for a choke. Candelario lowers himself to the mat so that he does not have to carry the weight of another person, and Taira hangs on tight and is softening him up with punches and the occasional elbow. Taira fishes for a rear-naked choke, and Candelario considers tapping but decides not to so that he can tough it out. He miraculously slips his neck free from danger, and Taira answers him by rising up and blasting him with an elbow. Taira is relentless with his back control, threatening with chokes or staying busy with strikes, and thwarting a reversal as Candelario appears to have cleared out the cobwebs. Candelario hangs on tight to the wrists of his foe so that a choke or crank cannot materialize, and he rolls to present an unusual position that sees them both on their back somehow. Taira nails him with a right hand, and Candelario powers through to turn Taira over. Taira is slick, and thanks in part to his body triangle, he is able to take Candelario’s back again. The twisting and turning continues, with Candelario again reversing him to wind up in Taira’s guard. Taira sits up as Candelario pounds on him like a drum, and he grinds his elbow a few times for good measure in hopes of ending the round on a positive note. A few more strikes from the American conclude the second round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Taira

Round 3
The last round opens with a great deal of caution, and the first strike is a groin kick from Taira as Candelario rolls his eyes in frustration. Candelario is given ample time to recover from Beltran, but he only takes 30 seconds before getting back to it. Candelario is on the attack after the foul, swinging his way into a single. Candelario successfully drags his foe down to the canvas, but Taira turns a corner and goes after his own takedown. When Taira hits it, Candelario snatches hold of a guillotine choke. Candelario uses the choke to turn Taira over to take mount, and he releases it when he finds himself in half guard. Candelario is warned for an elbow to the back of the head, as Taira sits up to pursue a takedown. This cycle continues, as Candelario defends with a guillotine once more, but he does not have the same leverage nor steam in his arms to make it tight and dangerous. Taira does find himself in possible Von Preux position, but Candelario turns him over and falls into a triangle choke. Taira rolls all the way through to mounted triangle position, and the wild scramble that ensues leads to Taira taking the back with a tight body triangle. The unbeaten fighter never gives Candelario a moment to breathe, hunting for a neck crank or slamming Candelario with elbows and punches. Taira, comfortable in full mount with one of Candelario’s hands trapped, begins to unload ground-and-pound. Beltran keeps a close eye on the fight, and every time Candelario sits up, Taira drags him down and batters him more. Although he does not get the finish he was seeking, Taira was quite close to a stoppage toward the end and more than likely won the fight going away.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Taira (30-27 Taira)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Taira (30-27 Taira)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Taira (30-27 Taira)

The Official Result
Tatsuro Taira def. Carlos Candelario via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)