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As Gabriel Gonzaga failed to get it out of first gear, Brendan Schaub used his speed to pepper the nearly lifeless Gonzaga for three rounds, sweeping all three rounds on all three scorecards Saturday at UFC 121.
The two touch gloves and we are underway. Lots of circling to start. Schaub lands and Gonzaga brings a leg kick. Schaub drills Gonzaga with a right as he catches a leg kick. Gonzaga connects and Schaub answers back with a right. Halfway through the round and Gonzaga hasn't even thought of taking it to the ground. Head kick by Gonzaga is blocked. Leg kick by Gonzaga. Gonzaga ducks under a punch and tries a takedown but gives it up quickly as he wasn't in the best position for it. After being tagged a lot early Gonzaga is avoiding a lot of Schaub's punches now. The both trade and Gonzaga gets the worst of it. Schaub coming in in a fury in the final 10 seconds and drops him right at the bell.
Gonzaga's corner tells him to take Schaub down in the second round. That's what they get paid for. Second round underway. Schaub eats a leg kick but keeps coming forward. Gonzaga clearly uncomfortable. Gonzaga really lays into a leg kick. That one hurt. Gonzaga drops himself after misfiring on a leg kick and eats some punches for it on his way up. Gonzaga doing a lot of backing up in this fight and can't get a lot of offense going. Schaub backs Gonzaga on the fence and Gonzaga just pulls away before a big knee comes. Going to the ground clearly not interesting Gonzaga in this fight as we go under a minute left in the round. Schaub comes in again at the end of the round but Gonzaga handles it much better this time. Another round for Schaub.
Here with go with the final round. Schaub actually tries a takedown and Gonzaga isn't having any of that. Gonzaga lands a shot in close. Gonzaga more aggressive in this round than the prior two but he still can't land anything of note with his hands. Kick to the body for Gonzaga. Right hand over the top for Schaub. Leg kick for Gonzaga. Gonzaga steps in with a short right. Body kick for Gonzaga as we hit 15 seconds left. No aggression for Gonzaga. They trade in the final 10 seconds. Schaub goes for a takedown that Gonzaga easily sprawls out of and nearly locks in a rear-naked choke but the horn sounds.
All three judges score the bout 30-27 for Schaub.