Alexander Volkanovski defeated Max Holloway for the 3rd time Saturday night time, protecting his featherweight name by means of unanimous choice with a dominant hanging efficiency at UFC 276.

Volkanovski (25-1) prolonged his successful streak to 22 fights with a commanding show in opposition to Holloway (23-7), the previous champion at 145 kilos. Volkanovski accomplished a pointy boxing sport plan in opposition to one of the most UFC’s easiest punchers, bloodying Holloway’s face early on and continuously expanding the punishment into the general mins.

Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya confronted Jared Cannonier in the primary match from T-Cellular Area at the Vegas Strip.

The penultimate bout of UFC 276 concluded a memorable trilogy between Volkanovski and Holloway, most probably the 2 largest featherweights in UFC historical past outdoor of long-reigning champ Jose Aldo. Volkanovski received two extremely aggressive fights by means of choice over Holloway in 2019 and 2020, however Holloway received his subsequent two fights to reassert his declare to every other shot on the belt he held for 3 years.

“Max Holloway is an absolute beast,” Volkanovski stated. “That depth that we each had, I wanted it. I in reality wanted it. I needed to get in my very own head.”

Two talented strikers understandably stored the combat at the toes, however the smaller Volkanovski capably closed the space to do injury within the first two rounds, in particular in opening an uncongenial minimize above Holloway’s left eye. Holloway’s solutions dwindled as his cuts grew higher, and Volkanovski patiently racked up scoring photographs to go away surely within the choice.

Holloway’s complete face used to be purple on the ultimate bell. Volkanovski received each spherical on all 3 judges’ scorecards, 50-45.

Earlier than the name fights, Alex Pereira demolished Sean Strickland with moves halfway during the first spherical of a victory that burnished the Brazilian kickboxing champion’s standing as a direct name contender.

Bryan Barbarena additionally stopped Robbie Lawler on moves past due in the second one spherical of a brutal combat through which each veterans absorbed super punishment. After shedding the primary spherical on two judges’ scorecards, Barbarena ended it with a chronic flurry that started with a sequence of step-in elbows to wreck down the protection of the 40-year-old Lawler, who had his first UFC bout in 2002.

At the undercard, Jim Miller set a UFC file along with his twenty fourth occupation victory, completing Donald Cerrone with a guillotine choke in the second one spherical.

The 38-year-old Miller’s landmark victory broke his tie with Cerrone and Andrei Arlovski for the UFC’s occupation wins mark.

“You’re by no means going to look the (blended) numbers that got here into this combat ever once more, however I’m excited to get the W,” Miller stated. “That guillotine, I will be able to do it in my sleep. I knew it used to be just a subject of time.”

The 39-year-old Cerrone retired within the cage after the bout. Cerrone beat Miller of their first assembly in 2014, however Cerrone is now 4-10 since 2016 with a seven-fight winless streak.

Veteran flyweight Jessica Eye introduced her retirement after shedding a choice to Maycee Barber. Eye, who turns 36 this month, fought for the 125-pound name in 2019, however has now misplaced 5 of six.

Reporting by means of The Related Press.

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