Fairfax, Va. -- Former Newark resident Jay Silva dropped a lopsided decision on Monday to Chris Leben on Monday at UFC Fight Night 20 at the Patriot Center.
Leben (19-6) dominated the first round as he quickly got Silva into a body triangle and never let go. Silva (5-3) somehow survived Leben's repeated quality attempts at a rear naked choke, moving around enough to avoid the interim head punches Leben tried to inflict and giving up his back.
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Silva managed to get up in the final seconds and nearly connected with a pair of knee attempts before the bell. It turned out to be his best sequence of the fight.
Leben got down Silva early in Round Two and worked hard to posture up from the mount for ground strikes. Silva did his best to keep him close and was all about defense as Leben secured the mount with 1:03 left. Silva spun and got to his knees and moved just enough to defend himself and extend the fight into the third round.
Silva needed a finish when the third round started and came out loading up his left hook and left leg kick, but did not get either through to Leben, who thrilled the crowd with foot stomps while pressing Silva against the fence. With 3:33 remaining, Leben got the better of an exchange of lefts. He pressed Silva to the fence and worked with dirty boxing to set up a takedown that did not come.
Needing a finish, Silva tried to take down Leben, who went with him to the ground in a neutral position and eventually worked to half guard, where he spent the rest of the fight and cruised to victory.
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