LAS VEGAS – Tim Kennedy not only was willing to grapple with Roger Gracie, he took the jiu-jitsu ace to the ground. Although Kennedy struggled to find the 6-foot-4 Gracie’s chin, he controlled the fight to shut out the Brazilian on two of three judges’ scorecards. The middleweight bout of Strikeforce vets was part of the main card of today’s UFC 162 event at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. It aired on pay-per-view following prelims on FX and Facebook. Things looked good for Gracie early in the first round when he took Kennedy down and transitioned to back mount. For a few tense moments, Kennedy suffered through a body triangle and fought off choke attempts. But he eventually escaped to his feet, where he snuck strikes in close. In the second frame, Kennedy turned the tables on Gracie and took the fight to the mat, where he landed several punches that shifted the fight’s momentum.
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UFC 162 results/photos: Dominant striking gets Tim Kennedy past Roger Gracie – MMA Junkie