Alexander Volkanovski leaves no doubt in UFC title win over Max Holloway
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Max Holloway, left, fights Alexander Volkanovski in a featherweight title bout during the UFC 276 mixed martial arts event today.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Alexander Volkanovski, left, kicks Max Holloway in a featherweight title bout during the UFC 276 mixed martial arts event today.
LAS VEGAS >> There’s no doubt about the best featherweight anymore.
Reigning champion Alexander Volkanovski completed his third victory in 31 months against Max Holloway with his most dominant performance yet, earning a unanimous decision in the co-main event of UFC 276 tonight at T-Mobile Arena.
All three judges scored the contest 50-45 in favor of Volkanovski (25-1, 12-0 UFC), who has now won 22 consecutive fights.
Holloway dropped to 23-7 and 19-7 in the UFC with his fourth loss in his last seven fights.
Volkanovski, who entered ranked the No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter, opened up a cut over Holloway’s left eye in the second round and pressed the action for the entire fight, which stayed on the feet.
>> PHOTOS: Volkanovski vs. Holloway
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Holloway had a hard time finding a home for his right hand while Volkanovski would unleash counter rights in each round that damaged Holloway.
Volkanovski’s victory came in the same arena he ended Holloway’s 13-fight winning streak in December 2019 by unanimous decision.
He won the rematch in 2020 by split decision.
Waiakea alumnus Brad Tavares lost a unanimous decision to Dricus Du Plessis in a preliminary bout to drop to 19-7 in his career.
Tavares, who had won two straight after not fighting in 2020, won the first round on all three judges’ scorecards.
The fight stayed standing over the next two rounds with Du Plessis (17-3, 3-0 UFC) quick to the punch and getting the better of the exchanges. He bloodied Tavares’ nose with a shot in the second round.
