It wasn’t easy but Bobby Green did enough in all areas of the fight to merit a decisive split decision victory over Josh Thomson on Saturday night at UFC on FOX 12’s main card opener.
Green had to further endure the taunts of the local faithful in San Jose, who were clearly in the corner of their hometown boy, Thomson. But the 27-year-old, instead, allowed his skills to the talking and that eventually penned out well in his favor.
UFC on FOX 12 Results: Bobby Green takes split against Josh Thomson
It was an idiosyncratic 155-lbs affair, with both fighters frequently provoking each other during the tussle, more often than not attempting to get the better of the mind games. The two were brilliant in slipping and moving in and out of each other’s strikes, but midway through the first stanza, Green launched the verbal assault game whereby with every shot that Thomson did or did not connect, Green was first to let him know.
While Green might have taken an early 10-9 lead, Thomson scored a takedown in the second, although he could do little to keep Green on the mat. Thomson, however, did get some success with his counter-shots, managing a few nicely timed right hands. He might have evened the scorecards right up till this point.
It all came down to the third frame. A more determined Green went for a haymaker with a flying knee, looking for a takedown. He got Thomson where he wanted, but was forced to eat some hammerfists in the process. Green, though, continued to get the better of Thomson for the rest of the round and duly mounted a pair of 29-28 scores and 28-29 for a split decision take.
Final Result: Bobby Green def. Josh Thomson via Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
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