Nate Marquardt and Sam Alvey threw down in the featured preliminary bout of “UFC on FOX 23” in Denver, Colorado in a battle for middleweight supremacy. Marquardt tried to push the pace at first, but Alvey tied him up and pressed him up against the fence looking to drain his gas tank. Marquardt escaped the pressure on the fence with ease and was able to get back in the center of the octagon.
While Marquardt never landed any serious offense, he was able to pepper a relaxed Alvey throughout the opening round and land some shots to gain the clear upperhand. In between rounds, Alvey’s corner told him to be a bit more aggressive and while he took their advice in the second it was with little success. He raged forward at the start of round two and fired off a four-punch combination, but Marquardt was able to dodge them all.
In the middle of the second round, Alvey started to back Nate up and fired off a two-punch combination that landed nearly three times straight. Once Alvey tightened up and got a little bit of discipline, he started to take control of the round. The jab and short combinations started giving Alvey some momentum that carried over into the third round which he continued to dominate. By the time the judges’ decision was read, fans knew Alvey would get his hands raised by way of unanimous decision!
Sam Alvey def. Nate Marquardt by way of Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
