Article author:
Associated Press
Greg Beacham
Las Vegas — Alexander Volkanovski is him There was no doubt about the UFC Featherweight division's hegemony while styling his trilogy against Max Holloway.
Volkanovski defeated Hollowway for the third time on Saturday night, hitting the UFC 276 with an overwhelming blow and unanimously defending the £ 145 title.
Israel Adesanya also had a fairly low flare on his middleweight belt and unanimously defeated Jared Cannonier at the main event at the T-Mobile Arena on the Vegas Strip.
Volkanovski (25-1) has extended his winning streak to 22 games against former featherweight champion Hollowway (23-7). Volkanovski carried out a sharp boxing match plan against one of the UFC's best punchers, bleeding Hollowway's face early on and steadily increasing punishment until the last few minutes.
"It's a little trip, this rivalry," Volkanovski said. "I'll take the belt, rematch, and then talk. There were a lot of ups and downs, but I'm glad I finally ended it and silenced a lot of people. Many people who need to shut up."
Hollowway's entire face was bright red at the last bell. Volkanovski won all rounds with scorecards 50-45 for all three judges.
"Max Holloway is an absolute beast," Volkanovski said. "The strength we two had, I needed it. I really needed it. I had to put it in my head."
Adesanya ( 23-1) won the belt three years ago as one of the UFC's most entertaining fighters and personalities, but his elaborate ringwalk is his dry technical victory over a cautious battle. It may have been the most thrilling part of it. Cannonier (15-6).
After copying the famous professional wrestler Undertaker, on a walk involving the wrestler's signature hat and large jar, Adesanya patiently chose Cannonier with five rounds of kicks and occasional punches. Cannonier won his first UFC title at the age of 38, but he struggled to find a consistent and impressive range and didn't show enough despair to understand it.
Adesanya won all three judges' scorecards, 50-45, 49-46 and 49-46. He hasn't lost the UFC Middleweight fight, but has only one stop win in five 185-pound fights since 2019. Adesanya said.
The penultimate match of UFC 276 concludes a memorable trilogy between Volkanovski and Hollowway. Volkanovski won two highly competitive battles in 2019 and 2020 with a decision over Hollowway, but Hollowway reasserts his claim to another shot on the belt held for three years. In order to win the following two battles.
"I have all the respect for Max," Volkanovski said. "Without him, I wouldn't be a fighter today. He raises the bar for me. It improves my discipline."
Two skilled strikers naturally continued to fight at their feet, but the little Volkanovski to do damage in the first two rounds, especially when opening a nasty cut over Hollowway's left eye. I closed the distance enough. Hollowway's answer diminished as the cut increased, and Volkanovski patiently scored and left no doubt in his decision.
Volkanovski then wants to move up £ 10 for the currently vacant lightweight title as champion Charles Oliveira lost weight as he defeated Justin Gaethje in May. Said. However, Volkanovski also said he was intrigued by the post-match challenge from former two-division champion Henry Cejudo, who intends to end his retirement.
"I think he has what he needs," Volkanovski said of Cejudo. "People want to challenge me, but they have to be a big fight. I respect the guy. He can fight. Impressive. So see what happens.
Before the title battle, Alex Pereira strikes in the middle of the first round of victory, honing the status of the Brazilian kickboxing champion as an immediate title candidate in the middleweight division. Destroyed Sean Strickland. Pereira took a shower and hurried back to the arena after his match to see the main event.
Brian Barbarina also stopped Robbie Lawler on a strike in the second half of the second round of a brutal battle in which both veterans absorbed tremendous punishment. After losing the first round on the scorecards of the two judges, Barberena took a long gust that began with a series of step-in elbows to break the defenses of 40-year-old Roller, who played his first UFC match in 2002. I finished it.
Jim Miller set the UFC record with his 24th career win and finished Donald Cerrone with a guillotine choke in the second round. Miller's breakthrough victory at the age of 38 broke the relationship between Serone and Andrei Arlovski at the UFC's Career Winmark.
Thirty-Nine Serone retired in a cage after the match. Selone broke the mirror at the first meeting in 2014, but Selone has been 4-10 since 2016, recording seven unwinning streak.
Veteran flyweight Jessica Eye has announced her retirement after losing her decision to Maycee Barber. Ai, who turns 36 this month, fought for the £ 125 title in 2019, but she's now losing five out of six.
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