Daniel Zellhuber put in an impressive performance in front of a home crowd at UFC Mexico City but nothing came easy with Francisco Prado swinging with heavy-handed shots from the first second until the last.
Sticking behind a slick lead jab, Zellhuber punished Prado with punches during every round but one of those straight shots opened a nasty cut that turned the Argentinean’s eye into a bloody mess. Despite the damage done, Prado kept firing back in every exchange but Zellhuber was just cracking him with a variety of strikes until the final horn sounded.
When it was over, the judges scored the fight 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 with Zellhuber getting the unanimous decision for his third win in a row overall.
“Francisco is a very tough guy,” Zellhuber said. “I rocked him with some very hard shots and he didn’t go down. Being able to do this in front of all my people, it’s an unbelievable feeling.”
When the fight started it was Prado who came out guns blazing, throwing huge hooks and overhands just trying to catch Zellhuber off guard. The aggression allowed Prado to close the distance against a taller, longer fighter like Zellhuber.
During the break after the opening round, Zellhuber’s head coach Eric Nicksick told him to lead with his jab and use that reach to his advantage. The strategy paid off as Zellhuber started connecting with several stiff shots including the punch that opened a nasty gash across Prado’s eyebrow.
With blood streaming down his face, Prado was clearly dealing with some vision problems but he refused to give up as he just kept throwing with power to keep Zellhuber honest. Still, it was Zellhuber leading the dance but also showing caution not to give Prado the opening to pull off a miraculous comeback.
Zellhuber showed poise and patience in the face of a compromised yet dangerous opponent to ensure he left Mexico City with the win. He’s now 3-1 in the UFC and Zellhuber definitely looks like a prospect to watch for the remainder of 2024.
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