LAS VEGAS (AP) — Alexander Volkanovski defeated Max Holloway for the third time Saturday night time, defending his featherweight title by unanimous conclusion with a dominant striking overall performance at UFC 276.
Israel Adesanya also retained his middleweight belt with a tepid unanimous-determination victory above Jared Cannonier in the key event at T-Mobile Arena on the Vegas Strip.
Volkanovski (25-1) extended his winning streak to 22 fights with a commanding display screen towards Holloway (23-7), the previous winner at 145 lbs .. Volkanovski executed a sharp boxing video game prepare towards a single of the UFC’s greatest punchers, bloodying Holloway’s face early on and steadily increasing the punishment into the final minutes.
Holloway’s complete face was crimson at the closing bell. Volkanovski received each individual spherical on all a few judges’ scorecards, 50-45.
“Max Holloway is an complete beast,” Volkanovski explained. “That depth that we the two experienced, I needed it. I seriously desired it. I had to get in my individual head.”
Adesanya (23-1) won his belt 3 yrs in the past as one particular of the UFC’s most entertaining fighters and personalities, but his elaborate ring stroll may have been the most thrilling part of his dry, technological victory about the cautious Cannonier (15-6).
Just after copying famed skilled wrestler The Undertaker on a walk that included the wrestler’s signature hat and a huge urn, Adesanya patiently picked at Cannonier with kicks and occasional punches for 5 rounds. Cannonier, receiving his initial UFC title shot at 38 yrs aged, struggled to obtain a constant putting assortment, and he didn’t clearly show plenty of desperation to determine it out.
Adesanya received on all three judges’ scorecards, 50-45, 49-46 and 49-46. He has in no way missing a UFC middleweight fight, but he has just one particular stoppage victory in his 5 185-pound fights considering that 2019.
“It was definitely really hard to get going, simply because they experienced an exceptional recreation prepare,” Adesanya explained.
The penultimate bout of UFC 276 concluded a memorable trilogy in between Volkanovski and Holloway, most likely the two best featherweights in UFC background exterior of extended-reigning champ Jose Aldo. Volkanovski gained two remarkably aggressive fights by final decision about Holloway in 2019 and 2020, but Holloway won his next two fights to reassert his declare to yet another shot at the belt he held for a few yrs.
Two proficient strikers understandably saved the battle on the feet, but the scaled-down Volkanovski capably closed the distance to do injury in the initial two rounds, notably in opening a nasty slash above Holloway’s still left eye. Holloway’s answers dwindled as his cuts grew greater, and Volkanovski patiently racked up scoring shots to leave no doubt in the conclusion.
Afterward, Volkanovski mentioned he intends to transfer up 10 pounds to fight for the lightweight title, which is now vacant just after champion Charles Oliveira missed bodyweight for his victory more than Justin Gaethje in Might.
Prior to the title fights, Alex Pereira demolished Sean Strickland with strikes midway by way of the 1st spherical of a victory that burnished the Brazilian kickboxing champion’s position as an immediate title contender at middleweight. Pereira showered and rushed back to the arena immediately after his bout to observe the key party.
Bryan Barbarena also stopped Robbie Lawler on strikes late in the second spherical of a brutal struggle in which both equally veterans absorbed remarkable punishment. Right after dropping the to start with round on two judges’ scorecards, Barbarena finished it with a extended flurry that began with a collection of step-in elbows to crack down the protection of the 40-year-outdated Lawler, who had his initially UFC bout in 2002.
On the undercard, Jim Miller established a UFC history with his 24th vocation victory, ending Donald Cerrone with a guillotine choke in the next round.
The 38-yr-previous Miller’s landmark victory broke his tie with Cerrone and Andrei Arlovski for the UFC’s vocation wins mark.
“You’re under no circumstances going to see the (merged) numbers that came into this struggle at any time once more, but I’m fired up to get the W,” Miller explained. “That guillotine, I can do it in my sleep. I understood it was only a subject of time.”
The 39-calendar year-old Cerrone retired in the cage soon after the bout. Cerrone conquer Miller in their to start with meeting in 2014, but Cerrone is now 4-10 considering the fact that 2016 with a seven-fight winless streak.
Veteran flyweight Jessica Eye declared her retirement just after shedding a decision to Maycee Barber. Eye, who turns 36 this month, fought for the 125-pound title in 2019, but has now missing 5 of 6.
