Brendan Schaub Makes Name Against Gabriel Gonzaga; UFC 121 Results

Brendan Schaub, the runner-up on the tenth season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” has emerged as a prospect in the heavyweight division. His matchup at UFC 121 against Gabriel Gonzaga represented an opportunity to prove the legitimacy of the hype.

Fighters like Junior dos Santos and Shane Carwin established their prominence with wins over Gonzaga, but would Schaub be able to do the same?

Did the “TUF” alumnus bully Gonzaga? Or, did Gonzaga’s UFC experience edge lead him to victory? The result follows:

Brendan Schaub b. Gabriel Gonzaga via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
*Story of the fight: The quicker, more athletic Schaub simply beat Gonzaga to the punch, pounding the more experienced fighter with dominant striking. Save for a moment that intersected with the round one bell, Schaub never had Gonzaga in true danger, but he definitely hurt the BJJ expert on multiple occasions. And even when not on the verge of a stoppage, Schaub still managed to work his jab and strong right hand to consistently frustrate Gonzaga with a damaging onslaught.

Overwhelmed by Schaub’s quicker, more damaging strikes, Gonzaga seemed lost on his feet. He never really got a punch exchange going, and while he did have some success with leg kicks, he never turned that success into anything meaningful. From a takedown perspective, Gonzaga simply could not make it work–he did take Schaub’s back at the very end of the fight, but he could never get a takedown when it would have mattered.