Ireland’s Cathal Pendred extended his unbeaten UFC record to four fights with a unanimous victory over Augusto Montano at UFC 188 in Mexico City.

Pendred prevailed 29-28 in a dull welterweight encounter in which Montano’s passivity bordered on cowardice at times.

Montano, who had won his only previous UFC bout, did manage to catch Pendred with a stinging right hand, but that was as good as it got for the hometown hope.

Pendred attempted to coax Montano into offering a show of aggression throughout the bout, but the Mexican’s meekness was such that referee Herb Dean was left with little alternative but to issue a warning to the 30-year-old by the end of the first round.

“I was expecting a much better fight, better from myself and better from my opponent,” the underwhelmed Dubliner told reporters after three rounds of forgettable fare.

“Looking at his fights before, he seemed like a really, really aggressive fighter, came out swinging, all guns blazing and that’s the fight I prepared for.

“It didn’t happen, so I adapted in the situation and I just tried to stalk him, but I found it very difficult. It was very frustrating.”

Fabricio Werdum caused an upset in the main fight of the evening to become the new undisputed heavyweight champion as his third-round guillotine choke on Cain Velasquez resulted in a submission victory.