Timur Valiev

Raoni Barcelos vs. Timur Valiev

Round 1
One of the more highly anticipated matchups of the fight card will treat fans next, as two men on lengthy unbeaten streaks in Barcelos (16-1, 5-0 UFC) with nine and Valiev (17-2, 1 NC; 1-0, 1 NC UFC) with eight lock horns. The bantamweight horn-locking will draw oversight from referee Mike Beltran, who sees the two rising stars avoid touching horns – gloves, rather – before coming out swinging. Barcelos feints and fakes his way in, and his movements alone draw reactions out of the Dagestan native. Valiev flings a head kick that is well off the mark, and there is a tense staring contest playing out in the middle of the cage. Valiev finally reaches out with a string of jabs, and only one finds its target. Valiev shrugs off a leg kick and loads up on a right hand, but he is met with a high kick. Valiev gives him one back, and Barcelos marches in to throw but comes up short. The Brazilian scores a quick counter right hand when Valiev charges him, and he gets off a solid jab as well. They clash together without much of note, and Valiev zips a body kick out before Barcelos can stop it. Valiev attacks the calf before blitzing in with a pair of strikes, and Barcelos sees him coming and swipes him away. Barcelos whiffs with an uppercut and pushes Valiev into the wire, where he grinds him for a moment before they break apart. Both trade body kicks, and Barcelos is able to follow his with one to the inside leg. A front kick from Valiev lands straight to the body, and he steps back to avoid counter punches. Valiev chops down the lead leg, only to absorb a kick to his liver. Barcelos rings home a right hand, and he gets popped with a sudden superman punch but does not show any immediate concern. Valiev tries to dodge a few punches, and when he does, Barcelos kicks his leg. Valiev shoots in from a distance for a takedown, and the Brazilian stuffs him with his back against the cage. Valiev holds on to this position in the waning seconds, and gets off a knee to break free right before the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Valiev
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Valiev
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Valiev

Round 2
Barcelos is the first to lead off with a leg kick in the beginning of the round, and when a soaring head kick comes up short, Valiev hops forward to kick his inside leg. Barcelos tries to pin a one-two on the chin, but the Russian is out of harm’s way in time. Valiev ducks down to threaten a takedown, and Barcelos stops it and lands a right hand. Valiev ducks a huge punch and tries to fire back, and the bantamweights are elusive and energetic as they dodge and weave. Valiev sneaks in a few leg kicks, and he ducks the punches that come his way. “Lucky” scores a huge punch that was not lucky right on the chin, and Barcelos eats it like an acai bowl and stuffs the subsequent takedown attempt. Valiev tries to pin him down with another one of these looping shots, but this time, Barcelos sees it coming and evades it. Barcelos reaches out with a front kick, and Valiev responds with one to his foe’s lead leg. Single strikes are largely the method of attack so far, with one landing and the other trying to give it back. Barcelos gets cracked with a right hand in a combination, and he walks through it to score a stiff uppercut. Barcelos looks to capitalize on that with another, but it hits nothing but air. Valiev looses a leg kick and a high kick before Barcelos can react, and Barcelos is aiming with power punches that have some heat on them. Valiev hops forward and gets countered, but he slips a punch and lands one of his own. Both trade body kicks, and Valiev catches it and tries to take his man down. Barcelos rolls through and gets up, where they deliver kicks to the body. Barcelos cracks Valiev with a huge right hand, and Valiev gets knocked off his feet and chased to the ground. As Valiev sits up, Barcelos blasts him with an uppercut that nearly separates Valiev from his consciousness. Beltran implores Valiev to fight back, and Barcelos continues his barrage of strikes from on top as he climbs into half guard. Valiev survives to the bell, and struggles to get back to his feet but makes it to his corner.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos

Round 3
Valiev begins the round with a leg kick, and he might not have his wits about him but he is throwing hard right out of the gate. Valiev ducks down for a takedown, and Barcelos staves it off and aims a counter uppercut that glances off Valiev’s chin. The Russian falls off-balance throwing a right hand, and a leg kick scores shortly after. Blocking a head kick, Valiev continues to chip at his opponent’s lead leg a few more times. Valiev walks face-first into another uppercut, and Barcelos has timed the strike and watches Valiev’s head bob to land it a few times. As Valiev succeeds with a right hand, Barcelos nearly kicks Valiev’s leg out from beneath him with a kick that he turns his hips into. Valiev plants a one-two on the chin, and Barcelos’ face is showing some damage but his resolve is not shaken. Valiev puts several punches together, and he ends a combination with an elbow as Barcelos marches him down. Barcelos’ head movement keeps him out of harm’s way, but he reaches out with a right hand and gets snared into a double leg takedown attempt. The Brazilian hops his way to the fence and yanks his leg free, and Valiev circles on the outside before trying again. Barcelos stops it with ease, but he absorbs a right hand. Valiev keeps volume going, with punches, kicks, spinning back fists and whatever he can come up with at the time. Both men land power punches at the same time, and Valiev gets the worst of the exchange but it does not hurt him. The Russian backs off with a leg kick, and Barcelos replies in kind. As Barcelos lands a strike, Valiev is able to get off two or three in the same span, even if they may not be as individually damaging. Barcelos stings him with a right hand, and a left gets Valiev’s attention. Valiev is not concerned, throwing back with quick punches to keep his man at bay. Both leap at one another at the same time, and when they land, that is the last bit of offense until the final horn concludes the match.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Valiev (29-28 Valiev)
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Valiev (29-28 Valiev)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Valiev (29-28 Valiev)

The Official Result
Timur Valiev def. Raoni Barcelos via Majority Decision (28-28, 29-28, 29-28)