Yana Kunitskaya wins close unanimous decision over Ketlen Vieira at UFC Vegas 19
Ketlen Vieira vs. Yana Kunitskaya Preview:
We have a very much anticipated main event coming tonight, February 20, 2021, as top five heavyweights Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis headline UFC Vegas 19.
Co-headlining the event came a clash between ranked women’s bantamweight talents Ketlen Vieira (No. 6) and Yana Kunitskaya (No. 7).
Vieira rebounded from her first career setback in September with a unanimous decision victory over Sijara Eubanks, improving her professional record to 11-1, while Kunitskaya also rebounded from her most recent defeat in her last outing, defeating Julija Stoliarenko in August, improving her professional record to 13-5 (1 NC).
As you see, each of these women were looking to make it two in a row, and they each had a chance to do that tonight.
Continue reading to see how this women’s bantamweight bout went down:
Round 1
Vieira comes out and presses Kunitskaya up against the fence early on in pursuit of a takedown, and gets her down with an ankle pick about 50 seconds in.
Kunitskaya is back to her feet before long and eventually reverses Vieira into the fence, landing some beautiful knees to the body. Vieira was able to secure another takedown into half guard, this time closer to the center of the octagon.
Vieira momentarily gains mount, before ultimately settling in half guard pounding away at Kunitskaya for the remainder of the round.
Round 2
Kunitskaya comes out quickly in round two and ties up with Vieira, landing a series of nice knees to her body.
Vieira ends up going for a head throw takedown and ends up on bottom, where Kunitskaya sits in her guard reigning down ground-and-pound. After a couple minutes, Vieira turns for a leg lock and uses it to get back to her feet.
However, Kunitskaya is still in control in these exchanges along the fence, and at this point, on the ground. We’ve had a complete momentum shift in this one.
Round 3
Striking totals going into round three: 64-5 round one (in favor of Vieira), 68-7 round two (in favor of Kunitskaya).
Vieira gets a quick outside trip takedown to start round three and ends up in half guard. She stays on top of Kunitskaya, and about two minutes later she gains mount.
She’s trying for an arm-triangle on top, and came close to securing it. Vieira ends up taking Kunitskaya’s back in a scramble, and keeps her back until about 15 seconds left in the fight, where Kunitskaya turned into her and reigned down some ground-and-pound until the final buzzer.
Official Result: Yana Kunitskaya def. Ketlen Vieira via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
