UFC Shenzhen Results - The Official Website of the Ultimate Fighting Championship

Song Kenan def. Derrick Krantz by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

The first of two welterweight contests on the main card, Chinese staple Song aimed to rebound from his loss to Alex Morono late last year when he took on Krantz, an American regional veteran who dropped his short-notice debut May.

With their right hands cocked and ready to fire, these two power punchers spent the first two minutes of the fight getting a feel for one another, each landing a smattering of kicks with the odd punch finding a home as well, but neither really offering much in the way of sustained offense. They started opening up more in the final two minutes, each man landing a couple clean shots, with Song sporting a little redness and swelling around his left eye when the horn sounded.

A minute into the second, Krantz ducked under for a takedown, scooping Song into the air and dumping him to the canvas, landing in side control as the Chinese fighter continued to hold onto a guillotine choke attempt. Although Song recovered half guard and tried to attack a kimura off his back, Krantz defended well and looked to climb into mount, only to have Song hit a perfectly timed sweep and briefly take the back.

Unfazed, Krantz slipped out the back door and put Song back on the canvas straight away, grabbing onto a seated guillotine choke along the fence, but losing it as Song rose to his feet. As they battled back-and-forth, Krantz ultimately landed on top again, finishing the frame in half guard.

Song started the third like a man possessed, pressing forward and taking the fight to Krantz, connecting with several of his best strikes of the contest. Unfortunately for the Chinese fan favorite, Krantz was able to stem the tide with a takedown. But Song quickly got back to his feet, with the American sporting a noticeable cut over the eyebrow. To his credit, Krantz continued to grind, dragging Song to the canvas and controlling him on the floor, losing the position as he was too eager trying to take the back.

Standing in the center of the cage exhausted with 90 seconds remaining, both took big, deep breathes, but rather than go for broke, the tired twosome ended the fight by waiting for the other to throw, leaving the outcome in the hands of the judges. In the end, it was Song who came away with the victory, earning a clean sweep of the scorecards.

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