TLDR
- Serghei Spivac defeated Ante Delija by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) at UFC Houston
- The victory snaps Spivac’s two-fight losing streak in the heavyweight division
- Both fighters were cut open early, with Spivac’s jab controlling much of the fight
- Delija hurt Spivac in the second round but surprisingly went to the clinch instead of finishing
- Spivac mixed in wrestling in the final round and landed clean combinations late to secure the win
Sources: lowkickmma.com | cagesidepress.com
Serghei Spivac snapped a two-fight losing streak with a unanimous decision victory over Ante Delija at UFC Houston on Saturday night. The judges scored the bout 30-27, 29-28, and 29-28 in favor of the Moldovan heavyweight known as the “Polar Bear.”
Both fighters came into the bout looking to rebound from recent losses. Spivac had dropped his previous two fights, including one against Waldo Cortes-Acosta.
Delija was also coming off a chaotic loss to Cortes-Acosta last November. The former PFL heavyweight champion initially thought he had won that fight, but it was restarted after an eye poke, and Waldo knocked him out later in the first round.
Early Rounds Feature Striking Battle
The first round saw both men engage in a jabbing battle from distance. Neither fighter showed interest in grappling or attacking the lead leg early on.
Both men were cut open early in the fight. Delija began bleeding from his nose while Spivac sustained a cut above his eye.
Spivac’s jab found its mark consistently throughout the opening frame. He controlled the distance well and avoided Delija’s attempts to blitz forward with combinations.
The second round continued in the same pattern, with Spivac’s jab covering Delija’s face with blood. He mixed in clean right hands as his confidence grew.
Late in the second round, Delija landed a big right hand that hurt Spivac and sent him to the cage. Delija followed up with heavy combinations that appeared to damage the Moldovan.
Instead of continuing his assault, Delija surprisingly clinched up. Spivac reversed position and held Delija against the cage for most of the remaining time in the round.
Spivac Turns to Wrestling in Final Frame
After 10 minutes of primarily striking, Spivac changed his approach in the third round. With half the round remaining, he successfully took Delija to the mat.
Delija scrambled back to his feet quickly and defended another takedown attempt. Both men had 90 seconds left to work when they returned to standing.
Spivac let his hands go in the closing moments, landing a clean combination against the fence. Delija caught him with a left hook right before the final bell but couldn’t land the big shot he needed.
The victory moves Spivac back into the win column after struggling in recent outings. Delija, who trains alongside UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, falls to another loss in his second UFC appearance.
Spivac’s improved striking was on full display throughout the 15-minute contest. His jab controlled the pace and his distance management kept Delija from landing consistently.
The unanimous decision gives Spivac momentum as he looks to climb back up the heavyweight rankings. All three judges gave him at least two rounds on their scorecards.
