UFC 134 results: Edson Barboza vs Ross Pearson fight metric report shows win for 'The Real Deal'

Photo via Fight Metric

Edson Barboza and Ross Pearson, two lightweight strikers with a flare for the dramatic, were matched up to deliver fireworks for fans in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at UFC 134: "Silva vs. Okami" tonight (Aug. 27, 2011).
And that's exactly what they did.
The fight, however, was rather close, with both men scoring plenty of punches and kicks throughout the three, five-minute rounds. It can be difficult to keep up with all the action in real-time speed but thankfully the fine folks at Fight Metric take notes and they've delivered their report for the bout.
As you can see, the striking clearly favors Pearson, at least statistically. I, myself, felt that was the case visibly, as well. "The Real Deal" showed a boxing game that Barboza had a great deal of trouble dealing with at various times in the fight. The Brit's head movement was phenomenal and his high pressure aggression almost completely neutralized his opponents heavy speed advantage.
But there's more to a fight than just striking. How did the two stack up everywhere else? Grappling and performance ratings:


As you can see, they award the bout to Pearson, who lost a split decision on the judges scorecards. I concur with that score, as I thought Pearson controlled much of the bout with his superior boxing game. The failed takedowns are certainly a knock against him but not enough to sway the fight in the opposite direction.