Caio Borralho decisions Jared Cannonier in UFC Vegas 96 main event

A middleweight bout between fifth-ranked contender Jared Cannonier and twelfth-ranked Caio Borralho headlined Saturdays UFC Vegas 96 event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.  

Cannonier entered the fight coming off a loss to Nassourdine Imavov and looking to get back in the win column.  Borralho was riding an impressive 13-fight winning streak.  He last tasted defeat nearly a decade ago in July 2015.

They touched gloves and Borralho landed first with a stiff jab.  Cannonier responded with a kick to the body.  Not a lot happened through the first minute of the fight.  Borralho accidentally poked Cannonier in the eye and Cannonier was given time to recover.  45 seconds later, the fight was restarted.  

Cannonier stepped in the pocket with a right hand.  Cannonier connected with a counter right hand.  Borralho answered with a hard leg kick.  He delivered another calf kick that briefly sat Cannonier down.  Cannonier quickly got to his feet.  Borralho began pressuring Cannonier in the final 90 seconds of the stanza.  Cannonier walked him down and connected with a combination.  They exchanged leg kicks and Cannonier pressed forward.  He landed a counter combination.  MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Borralho but it was competitive.

Cannonier came out in the second round pressuring Borralho.  He connected with a combination.  Borralho changed stances and delivered a leg kick.  Cannonier closed the distance with punches and landed on the inside.  Cannonier connected with a hard counter right hand.  Cannonier connected with another right hand.  Midway through the round, Cannonier was building momentum.  Cannonier was the more active fighter in the second frame.  Borralho continued to employ legs.  Cannonier connected with a combination.  MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Cannonier.  

Borralho connected with a hard right hand early in the third.  Cannonier landed a right hand followed by another.  Borralho responded with a leg kick.  Borralho found a home with his jab.  Cannonier was uncorking heavy shots but wasn’t landing.  Borralho stepped in the pocket with a combination.  He picked up the pace and Cannonier answered with a right hand.  Borralho connected with a combination that hurt Cannonier.  Cannonier retreated and Borralho kept the pressure on.  They exchanged as the bell sounded.  MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Borralho.  

Borralho landed his jab followed by a leg kick in the early going of the fourth.  He pressured Cannonier and continued to deliver leg kicks.  Cannonier landed a right hand and circled.  Cannonier worked to get on the inside.  Borralho landed a combination and Cannonier fired back with a big right hand.  Borralho was cut below his right eye.  Cannonier inched forward and landed a right hand.  Borralho connected with a left hand.  MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Cannonier in another competitive round.  

Borralho briefly looked for a takedown early in the final frame.  He pressured Cannonier and landed his jab.  Cannonier stepped in the pocked with a combination and Borralho reacted with a combination.  Cannonier missed with a right hand and Borralho countered with a right.  Borralho landed a left hand followed by a right that crumbled Cannonier.  Borralho followed Cannonier to the canvas and delivered punches from side control.  Borralho applied an arm-triangle choke but was on the wrong side.  Cannonier defended the submission attempt and got to his feet at the bell.  MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Borralho.  

The judges scored the fight for Borralho by unanimous decision.  The scorecards read 49-45, 49-45, and 48-46.