Kenny Florian (Pictures) likely moved one step closer to a title shot Saturday by besting Roger Huerta (Pictures) in all three rounds of their lightweight matchup at UFC 87.

The 32-year-old from Boston finished a takedown off a kick from Huerta in the opening minute. Seconds later Florian mounted his opponent and took his back, though Huerta, who was backed by a vocal crowd in his adopted hometown of Minneapolis, was almost as quick in his escape.

Huerta, 25, pressed forward on the feet, but Florian wisely refused to brawl. Instead Florian returned time and again to a hard left kick, then circled away before wild exchanges could ensue.

Between rounds, however, cornerman Mark DellaGrotte told Florian to let his kicks and punches go more often.

Florian listened and won the second round more decisively. He came out kicking and scored another takedown two minutes in. Again Huerta gave his back, and Florian took it, landing a good right hand before Huerta made another quick escape.

“I was very surprised,” said Florian of Huerta’s submission defense. “He’s very strong. Very technical with his escapes. Very slippery. I have to give him a lot of credit.”

Despite Huerta’s savvy on the ground, Florian continued to control the standup game. He landed knees and short elbows in the clinch and also kicked Huerta’s legs out from under him and put a right hand on his jaw. For his part, Huerta stayed the aggressor and scored some points with kicks to Florian’s legs.

Florian was clearly ahead entering the final round, but DellaGrotte wanted more from his fighter. “Get on this kid!” the trainer said. “Jump on this kid!”

A front kick to Huerta’s face opened the third. In response Huerta attacked, but Florian then fed him a flying knee and a left hook. Another knee followed, bringing a roar from the crowd and prompting Huerta to spit on the mat behind him and fire off a front kick of his own.

It was the best action of the fight, which was entertaining but not quite as entertaining as it could have been. Florian was too smart for a melee, too technical to let Huerta’s heart be a deciding factor.

“I didn’t want to get into a brawl with him,” Florian said. “He’s very, very tough. I tried to play technique versus his brawling style. And I think I was able to do that.”

Florian closed out the bout with another front kick that smacked into Huerta’s jaw, two good right hands and a takedown. The judges awarded him the win unanimously, 30-27 on all three cards.

The loss was Huerta’s first in the UFC and dropped him to 20-2-1 overall. Florian improved to 10-3, a record that includes five straight wins since he lost to Sean Sherk (Pictures) in an October 2006 lightweight title bout.

Asked if a second title shot should follow his win, Florian said he wasn’t sure if a meeting with champion B.J. Penn (Pictures) was next.

“We’ll see what happens,” he said. “It’s up to the UFC.”