Round 1
Al-Hassan takes Kingsbury to the mat with a trip right off the bat. Taking top position he tries to secure a guillotine choke but cannot finish after falling to guard. Kingsbury moves one leg through on the way to mount but can’t pass all the way. Kingsbury is put back in guard and the pace slows. Referee Jason Herzog decides to stand the fight back up. Al-Hassan grazes Kingsbury with a head-kick and the fighters exchange punches as the round closes.
Round 2
The fighters clinch and Kingsbury takes al-Hassan to the mat. Al-Hassan immediately sweeps to the top and works for a guillotine choke. Kingsbury defends and stands back up. Kingsbury pins him against the cage but al-Hassan gets double underhooks and spins him against the fence. Kingsbury fights for one underhook and they separate. The clinch up again and trade turns putting the other against the cage. The pace is quite slow and neither fighter seems poised to take the advantage. Herzog separates them again. Kingsbury flurries with punches in the final 10 seconds, al-Hassan answers with a kick to the body.
Round 3
Kingsbury delivers a stiff left hand that is countered by a right from Al-Hassan, both fighters’ heads snap backwards. Kingsbury pushing the action now, charging forward while Al-Hassan circles and counters. Kingsbury leaps in with a right hands but Al-Hassan fights back, landing a solid left. From the clinch along the cage, Kingsbury tries to heed his corner’s instructions to take the fight to the mat. He locks up a single and trips Al-Hassan to the mat but he springs right back to his feet. The fighters fall back to the mat from the clinch and both scramble back to their feet once again. Kingsbury chases Al-Hassan right up to the bell but fails to land any significant shots before the horn ends the lackluster match.
Official scores are 29-28, 29-28 and 28-29. Kingsbury takes the split decision.