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Bader sneaks by Davis via split-decision

It doesn't matter how far Phil Davis climbs up the 205-pound mountain, he always slips right when he gets close to the summit.

In a battle of high-level wrestlers (that largely canceled each other out), Ryan Bader rode his superior boxing to a split-decision victory over Davis, sending "Mr. Wonderful" back to the drawing board in the light heavyweight division.

Bader marked up the Alliance MMA product on the feet, leaving Davis's right eye completely swollen shut. While Davis, true to form, employed his patented kick-heavy offense in a losing cause.  

Bader has now racked up four wins in a row, scoring consecutive decisions over Davis, Ovince St. Preux, Rafael Cavalcante and Anthony Perosh.

Davis, who has alternated wins and losses in his last four trips to the Octagon, will have to abandon his dreams of facing light heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones ... for now. 

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