Round 1 – Xiaonan misses an early low kick but scores a right hand. Xiaonan quick with her hands early, and she lands a low kick. Gadelha counters with a jab that staggers her opponent. Gadelha clinches and is able to trip the action to the canvas. Xiaonan framing underneath and throwing punches and elbows. Gadelha controlling from the top, and she’s able to step over the legs. Xiaonan wisely pushes her down a bit and scrambles to the feet. Gadelha keeping the body wrapped from the outside, and she’s looking for a trip. Xiaonan does well to stay upright. They’re battling in the clinch. Xiaonan trying to do damage with knees inside, but Gadelha doing well to hold control against the cage. Knees traded. Xiaonan getting the better of these blows. Gadelha controlling in the clinch, but she’s not advancing, and referee Jason Herzog resets them with about a minute left. Xiaonan immediately striking on the restart, but Gadelha catches a leg and scores another takedown. Xiaonan staying busy underneath. She’s doing some damage from her back. Still, MMA Junkie will give the first to Gadelha, 10-9.
Round 2 – Xiaonan busy with her hands to open, but she’s trying to keep some space. Big shots landing for Xiaonan early. Gadelha swinging back and looking to counter, but Gadelha has the speed advantage. Gadelha looks low, but it’s not there. Gadelha trying to advance, but Xiaonan with sharp strikes. She has speed and power. Gadelha needs a takedown. She wants to clinch, but Xiaonan’s jab is keeping her at bay. Gadelha lands a counter left. Gadelha wiping at the nose a bit. She’s getting dotted up there. Gadelha does land a slick counter left, but Xiaonan’s volume is evident, and she’s firing in combinations. Gadelha ducks in for a takedown, but Xiaonan slips away and strikes. Her speed is a problem right now for Gadelha. Spinning backfist from Xiaonan misses and is countered by Gadelha. Takedown look from Gadelha, and they clinch, where the round ends. MMA Junkie gives it to Xiaonan, 10-9.
Round 3 – Gadelha looking to pick up the pace in the third, and she’s able to press Xiaonan to the cage. Gadelha withe double underhooks against the fence. Xiaonan defending against the cage and digging in and underhook of her own. She punches a bit when she can. Gadelha relentless in the clinch, but Xiaonan is able to slip back to the center. Gadelha with a jab. She ducks for a takedown, but Xiaonan is bale to push her away. Gadelha desperate for the takedown, but Xiaonan sees them coming. Xiaonan continues to stick and move, punching in combinations. Gadelha able to drive into a clinch once again. Xiaonan punches a bit as she defends. Xiaonan able to spin off the fence and drive in an elbow. Gadelha reverses the position again. She’s holding the position, but she’s not really doing much with it. She wants a takedown, but it’s just not there. Less than a minute, and Herzog breaks them apart. Xiaonan still moving well. Jabs traded. Gadelha gritty, but Xiaonan seems to have the pop in her strikes. Xiaonan tees off in the closing seconds. MMA Junkie gives the final round to Xiaonan, and awards her the fight 29-28.
Result: Yan Xiaonan def. Claudia Gadelha via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Recap:
Photos: UFC on ESPN+ 40: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Claudia Gadelha (18-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC), Yan Xiaonan (13-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC)
Division: Women’s strawweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
Referee: Jason Herzog
Judging:
