UFC 148: Cung Le vs. Patrick Cote Round-by-round

Round 1: Josh Rosenthal is our referee for this fight. Cote starts the action with a kick to the body. Le catches it and immediately puts him down with a leg sweep. A little embarrassing, but Cote is up and back at it quickly. Cote tries to paw forward with probing jabs. Le stays out of range and fires a body kick. Cote tries for a takedown, but he’s not even close. Le keeps working the midsection with kicks. Cote comes forward with a flurry and Le responds with a hook that knocks him off balance, though Cote seems to think it caught him on the back of the head. A left hand from Le stings Cote. Cote fakes a spinning attack, and Le gives him his props for it. There’s the horn to end the first. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Le.

Round 2: Le mixes up the kicks and switches his stance to start the second, then catches Cote with a nice head kick. Cote takes it well, and fires back with a right hand moments later that gives Cote something to think about. Cote is opening up his attack now, and Le counters with a well-placed right hook. Le appears to be cut around his left eye, and it only encourages Cote to up the pressure. A couple more solid head kicks land for Le, but Cote keeps coming and turns the pressure up. A good knee from Le shakes Cote up for a moment, but he comes back with a straight right that looks to have Le worried. Le presses forward in the clinch and grabs a breather against the fence before the horn. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Le.

Round 3: The fans show their appreciation for what has been the fight of the night so far. Le and Cote immediately get to mixing it up again, and Cote seems to sense that he probably needs a finish to win this fight. He punches his way in then grabs a clinch. Good shot by Cote. Le continues with kicks, but they seem to have lost a little of their zip. Cote presses Le against the fence in the clinch, and Le puts him down briefly with a leg trip. Cote is up quickly and trying for a takedown to negate Le’s, but this one is probably going to be decided on the feet and they both know it. A sharp combo by Le catches Cote, who tries to clinch and gets tripped to the mat again moments later. Le rests for a moment with his hand over Cote’s mouth, and this one will go to the judges. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Le.

Cung Le defeated Patrick Cote via unanimous decision (30×27 x3)

via UFC 148 Live Blog: Cung Le vs. Patrick Cote – MMA Fighting.