Cat Zingano

Cat Zingano vs. Ketlen Vieira

Round 1
Zingano lands an outside leg kick and reaches out with a long right hand, but Vieira is waiting with a quicker counter right hand that lights up the American in the opening seconds. Zingano tries to clinch and is denied by Vieira, who quickly disengages and circles to her right. Switching stances, Zingano gets blasted with a right hand as she stands southpaw, then goes back to orthodox. Zingano looks to clinch again but can't keep hold of Vieira as they fight on the fence. Now it's Vieira pressing forward, backing up Zingano to the wall. Zingano reverses momentum for a trip takedown -- but Vieira barely hits the ground before she jumps back to her feet. Zingano is finding success with some body kicks, but her right hands are wild and flailing, easily dodged and countered by the speedier, more technical Brazilian. The bantamweights clinch up with 1:45 on the clock, and Zingano stings Vieira with a sharp knee to the midsection. Vieira hits a trip takedown, landing in Zingano's butterfly guard and rapidly advancing to mount. Zingano pushes her back to half guard, but Vieira can still land right hands from this position. Vieira goes for a mounted crucifix but can't secure it before the end of the round.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Vieira
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Vieira
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Vieira

Round 2
Zingano touches Vieira with a lunging left hand, then tries to clinch up in the center of the cage. Vieira, however, takes the opportunity to toss Zingano over her hip, sending "Alpha Cat" crashing to the mat in the middle of the Octagon. Vieira moves straight to full mount, where she begins framing up an arm-triangle choke, squeezing Zingano's head and left arm. Zingano bucks and explodes out of the dangerous position, so Vieira stands and tries to advance again. Vieira winds up coming down to Zingano's half-butterfly guard, once again wrapping up the American's head and left arm. Zingano tries a kimura from the bottom, can't get it but manages to stall Vieira's advances on top. Vieira stands with 1:35 on the clock, now comes down to Zingano's butterfly guard. Zingano is shifting on the bottom, trying to secure Vieira's left arm for another kimura try, but Vieira has the arm buried. Vieira pulls out the left arm with 20 seconds left and socks Zingano in the face.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Vieira
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Vieira
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Vieira

Round 3
Zingano lands her first strike of the round, a slapping left high kick to the face, then tries to tack on some follow-up punches. Zingano throws an inside leg kick, it gets checked, and the BJJ stylist comes up limping on her left foot. Vieira immediately recognizes that her opponent is injured and takes Zingano straight to the ground at the base of the fence. Vieira stands, dodges upkicks from Zingano and then comes down to half guard on Zingano's right side. Vieira flattens out Zingano with chest-to-chest top control, once again coming close to an arm-triangle choke. Referee Jason Herzog calls for work, so Vieira stands again and kicks at the prone Zingano's legs. Vieira kneels down in Zingano's guard and feeds the American short left hands as they hit the halfway point of the final round. Thirty seconds later, Zingano picks the ankle of Vieira and trips the Brazilian to her knees. Zingano tries to capitalize on the mistake, but Vieira recovers quickly and takes outside position in a clinch on the fence. Zingano lands a few knees to the body in the clinch but can't escape the heavy pressure of Vieira, who takes a look up at the clock with 70 seconds remaining. Referee Herzog restarts the bantamweights in the center with 40 seconds left to fight. Vieira is looking slow and tired as Zingano throws wild arm punches in her direction. Vieira clinches and copes with Zingano's last-gasp offense to send this one to the judges.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Vieira (30-27 Vieira)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Vieira (30-27 Vieira)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Vieira (30-27 Vieira)

The Official Result
Ketlen Vieira def. Cat Zingano via Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) R3 5:00