Yana Kunitskaya

Ketlen Vieira (138: Missed Weight) vs. Yana Kunitskaya

Round 1
Our co-main event comes in a catchweight, after Vieira (11-1, 5-1 UFC) missed weight by two pounds before taking on “Foxy” Kunitskaya (13-5, 1 NC; 3-2 UFC) in what should have been at bantamweight. The women will be joined in the Octagon by referee Jason Herzog, and there is a sign of respect shown between the two as they touch gloves. Vieira comes out firing, throwing punches straight into a takedown attempt. Kunitskaya greets her with a knee up the middle as she stops the takedown, and the Brazilian redoubles her efforts to drag the fight down the canvas early. Vieira lands a few strikes up close, and a trip attempt turns into an arm drag that puts Kunitskaya on her backside against the cage wall. The Russian fighter wall-walks back to her knees and then standing, before getting off several short knees in the clinch. Kunitskaya is content to throw strikes in the close proximity, and Vieira twists to go for a throw but cannot get the fight where she wants it. Kunitskaya turns her around as she starts to work more knees, and when she lifts one high, Vieira hits a takedown as she pushes Kunitskaya in the center of the cage. The Brazilian climbs over into half guard, where she forces Kunitskaya to scramble and nearly give up her back. Vieira hops over to acquire mount, but at the last second, Kunitskaya pulls her back out. Vieira is a woman possessed in seeking out this position, and she manages to take mount for seconds before Kunitskaya recovers position. Vieira keeps heavy shoulder pressure to keep Kunitskaya flat on her back, and only takes short punches while advancing back into mount. Kunitskaya is forced to defend with inaccurate punches, and she locks down Vieira’s leg to keep her in the half guard, but is unable to recover any better position. Vieira postures up to start landing strikes, and Kunitskaya drags her back down while introducing an elbow to the nose of her opponent. The round ends in this top position for Vieira.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Vieira

Round 2
There is a glove touch to begin this round, and Kunitskaya lands a heavy kick to the knee that makes Vieira recoil her leg. Kunitskaya puts a combination together, and Vieira does not want to bother with standing strikes so she ties the fight up in the clinch. This time, Kunitskaya is the one leading the dance as she stuffs a takedown, and she works a few clinch strikes before turning a Vieira trip attempt into a takedown of her own. Vieira maintains a close guard while Kunitskaya works the body from above, and Vieira throws her legs up quickly to pursue any sort of submission or sweep she can locate. Vieira fishes for an omoplata to get out of this precarious position, and she rolls through for an armbar, but the Russian sees it and stops it from happening. Kunitskaya fights off Vieira’s offensive guard, but Vieira inches her legs up to get a triangle choke started. Kunitskaya pushes the legs down and lands sporadic punches from above, but any explosive strikes are halted when Vieira attacks some form of submission. When Kunitskaya sits up, Vieira is ready to throw up an armbar, so Kunitskaya stays heavy and punches through it. Vieira keeps turning into a leglock position, and she locks on to a heel hook as Kunitskaya climbs to her knees. Vieira uses this maneuver to stand back up, and Kunitskaya is ready to bully her back into the cage wall. Kunitskaya scores several short knees in the clinch until Vieira goes for a trip, and Kunitskaya stops it from succeeding again and even takes Vieira’s back standing up. Kunitskaya knees the thigh and punches the body, so Vieira drags the fight down and falls down while searching for a kimura. Kunitskaya knees the body several times, and she drops down some dramatic elbows to the side. When Vieira muscles back up, Kunitskaya slings a head kick at her. The two separate, and the round ends while Kunitskaya is going for another.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kunitskaya
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Kunitskaya
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Kunitskaya

Round 3
The glove touch opens the final round, and Kunitskaya starts kicking from a distance while Vieira looks to gather herself. The Brazilian shoots in for a double leg takedown, and Kunitskaya falls to her back as she considers a guillotine choke, but there is nothing there. Vieira climbs easily over to half guard and nearly secures mount, only to be content briefly in three-quarter mount. The position is what Vieira is after instead of doing damage, as she has not thrown a great deal of strikes whenever she gains the advantage on the ground. From the other side, Vieira looks for an arm-triangle choke, and the cage wall is preventing Vieira from stepping over to lock it up. As Kunitskaya tries to buck the position, Vieira takes mount. The Russian rolls to her side and pulls Vieira back to half guard, only for Vieira to tie up an arm-triangle choke again that allows her to step into mount. Kunitskaya rolls and gives up her back, but she keeps Vieira trapped against the wire so that the Brazilian cannot gain leverage for a choke. As Kunitskaya continues to turn any was she can, she cannot free herself from back control. Vieira fishes her arm under Kunitskaya’s chin but there is not enough room for a choke, and all the while, Kunitskaya smacks her in the face with her left hand. Kunitskaya throws wildly and gives up her neck, and Vieira sees the opportunity to take the choke. The Russian fights the choke off, and she explodes out of the position to twist into top position. Kunitskaya starts slamming her fists and elbows into Vieira’s head, and she finishes the round in style doing some damage with top strikes. A few elbows slash a major cut open on the top corner of Vieira’s forehead, and the blood starts flowing immediately. Kunitskaya concludes the fight on top, desperately trying to turn the tables and force a finish. Time expires before she can get it, but Vieira is busted up and swelling fast.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vieira (29-28 Vieira)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Vieira (29-28 Vieira)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Vieira (29-28 Vieira)

The Official Result
Yana Kunitskaya def. Ketlen Vieira via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)