Enrique Barzola (15-3-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) predicted wrestling would prove the downfall of Brandon Davis (9-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC), and he ended up being right.

The featherweight bout was part of the preliminary card of today’s UFC Fight Night 129 event at Movistar Arena in Santiago, Chile. It streamed on UFC Fight Pass ahead of additional prelims on FS2 and a main card on FS1.

The two fighters wasted little time engaging to start the fight, though it was a Barzola low kick that was the first real offense, sweeping Davis off-balance. Barzola used the opening to push inside and work the clinch, looking to move to the back. Davis did a fine job of defending, but Barzola gave him little room to work before finally deciding to back away and reset.

On the restart, the two traded punches and kicks on the feet, with Davis talking a little trash along the way. A brief takedown saw Davis get the dominant position, but Barzola was quick to move back to his feet, where they continued to trade strikes in an entertaining affair.

The action started quickly in the second, but it was again Barzola who was able to get the action to the floor. Davis was able to work back to his feet, shaking off a guillotine choke in the process, but stayed tight and took him again to the canvas, where he was able to work to his opponent’s back. Davis again kept his neck safe and worked to his feet, but Barzola simply wouldn’t allow him any room to work, dominating the positioning while hunting for a choke that he couldn’t find before the bell.

Davis tried to keep his range in the third, hoping to stay upright and strike. Barzola was content to play along in the early going but did eventually change levels, again taking the action to the floor. Davis crawled up to his feet and pulled away, briefly lookin for a takedown of his own. But Barzola was able to easily reverse course and get to the dominant spot yet again, remaining on top until just before the final bell and cruising to a decision win, 30-27, 30-26 and 30-26.

“I felt very comfortable,” Barzola said after the win. “I went for the submission the whole fight. As Brandon is tall and has a long neck, my strategy was always to try to take his neck, but he endured very well. He fought very well on the floor. I had to impose my strategy because Brandon is a dangerous fighter who hits hard and likes to counterstrike.”

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 129 results include:

• Enrique Barzola def. Brandon Davis via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
• Frankie Saenz def. Henry Briones via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
• Claudio Puelles def. Felipe Silva via submission (kneebar) – Round 3, 2:23

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 129, check out the UFC Events section of the site.