‘Terrifying’ KO sets up title shot; Aussie Volk UP NOW in epic trilogy fight: UFC 276 LIVE
Volk #Volk
Down Under is the toast of the UFC after champions Alexander Volkanovski and Israel Adesanya defended their belts in dominant fashion at an action-packed UFC 276 card in Las Vegas.
In the main event, Kiwi middleweight champion Adesanya made his fifth title defence with a unanimous points decision victory over Jared Cannonier.
It came after Australian Alexander Volkanovski defended his featherweight belt once again in his third meeting with fierce rival and crowd favourite Max Holloway —putting an exclamation point on their long-running trilogy and silencing his doubters once and for all.
Watch UFC 276: Adesanya vs Cannonier + Volkanovski vs Holloway LIVE on Main Event available on Kayo & Foxtel, Sunday 3rd July from 12pm AEST. ORDER NOW >
SSSHH: UFC stunned as trash talking star punched ‘into oblivion’ with ‘terrifying’ KO
Lawler knocked out ON HIS FEET! | 01:40
Adesanya’s Undertaker-themed entrance to T-Mobile Arena was dubbed ‘“greatest walkout I have ever seen in my life” by legend and commenator Daniel Cormier.
It was a tactical fight that challenged their crowd at times but Adesanya was always in control as the the New Zealander was awarded the fight 49-46 (x2) and 50-45 by the judges. FULL REPORT HERE.
VOLK’S CLOSURE ON TRILOGY
Volkanovski stunned commenator Joe Rogan and legend Daniel Cormier in a dominant performance that left Holloway badly bloodied. The Australian won by unanimous decision, with all three judges awarding it 50-45.
The victory, Volkanovski’s 22nd straight MMA win, will finally put to rest any doubts about whether the Australian is the greater fighter after a controversial split decision win in their second meeting.
“It seems like Volkanovski is faster than ever, and it seems like Max is a step behind. Even a step behind his previous performance,’ Rogan said.
Daniel Cormier added: “Volkanovski is so on a different level tonight.
“… This will be the day that he truly etched himself in the record books,” Cormier said.
“He will have done it in a way that there will be no more questions.”
UFC vet refuses to fall in bloodbath | 00:47
PEREIRA SILENCES CHATTY RIVAL WITH ‘TERRIFYING’ KO
Sean Strickland had done plenty of talking during the week, claiming that Alex Pereira is “not even a good striker” and that his style “sucks”.
Well, Pereira let his striking do the talking in the octagon, flooring Strickland with a thunderous knockout in the opening round of their fight.
Pereira 1-2 sends Strickland SENSELESS | 00:40
It was a left hook from Pereira that sent the American collapsing to the canvas to catapult himself right into title contention.
The former GLORY Middleweight and Light Heavyweight champion claimed a knockout win over Adesanya when the two fought in a kickboxing match back in 2017.
Now fighting in the UFC, the pair look destined to meet again, provided Adesanya can get past Cannonier in the main event.
BARBERENA’S $100K CALL OUT AFTER BRUTAL TKO WIN
The crowd at T-Mobile Arena may have been underwhelmed by the finish to the Sean O’Malley and Pedro Munhoz fight but Bryan Barberena and Robbie Lawler certainly delivered.
Lawler was in control of what was a brutal slugfest early, testing Barberena’s motor and endurance.
But the 32-year-old exploded in the second round with a flurry of punches to score a second-round TKO win over the former UFC welterweight champion.
Joe Rogan called it the “signature” win of Barberena’s career, telling him post-fight: “You are a savage, that was a wild fight”.
“It’s everything I dreamed of and more,” Barberena replied.
“He had good pressure, good timing. He’s an absolute legend to be out here and fight him.”
Barberena also called for a $100,000 bonus after the finish and who could blame him, it was that impressive.
CROWD BOOS AFTER EYE POKE ENDS FIGHT
There was controversy when Sean O’Malley and Pedro Munhoz’s fight ended a no contest.
This was O’Malley’s biggest test yet.
The No. 13 ranked contender had rapidly risen up the ranks of the bantamweight division to stake his claim for a title shot.
But there were doubters, critics who argued that O’Malley was yet to face a legitimate contender or truly prove that he had what it takes to be a genuine threat.
Eye poke ends Suga Show’s test | 00:54
O’Malley was ready to make a statement against No. 10 ranked contender Munhoz.
Instead, he was forced to settle for a no decision after an accidental eye poke on Munhoz saw the fight stopped.
The crowd loudly booed, although Australian fighter Casey O’Neill tweeted in response: “I urge every fan who boos an eye poke to take an eye poke, then continue fighting another killer…”
Speaking backstage, O’Malley was surprised two judges gave the first round to Munhoz.
“100 per cent [he was looking for a way out]… I was dominating that fight,” he said.
POIRIER, CHANDLER IN OCTAGON-SIDE ALTERCATION
There was plenty of action outside the octagon too, with Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler involved in a tense exchange cageside.
UFC welterweight contender Gilbert Burns tweeted a video on Saturday night showing the pair involved in an argument, with Poirier overhead saying: “I’m going to f*** you up” while calling Chandler “a fake”.
It is unclear what sparked the altercation, although Chandler did tweet last year that he would “never quit” like Poirier did after he was submitted by Charles Oliveira.
UFC PAYS TRIBUTE AFTER DOUBLE RETIREMENT
Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone had the magic number ‘50’ in mind before he decided to hang up the gloves.
The 39-year-old UFC legend it that number on Saturday.
While it did not end in victory, going down via submission to Jim Miller, Cerrone had the whole crowd at T-Mobile Arena on its feet when he went to place his cowboy hat and gloves on the floor of the octagon.
Cowboy calls an end to legendary career | 01:31
A classy Miller, knowing what was coming, had passed up the opportunity to speak immediately after his win, instead telling Rogan to pass the microphone to Cerrone.
“I don’t love it anymore Joe,” Cerrone said to Joe Rogan in his post-fight interview.
“It’s hard for me to get up. It’s time to go be a movie star, baby.”
Cerrone added that “hopefully one day I’ll be in the Hall of Fame”, to which Rogan simply responded: “100% you’ll be in the Hall of Fame”, speaking for the entire UFC world.
“Donald is a legend, he’s a guy I look up to, that I’m a fan of. We’re going to miss him,” Miller added, paying tribute to his opponent.
Miller was not the only UFC legend to call it a day though.
Earlier, No. 12 ranked women’s flyweight contender Jessica Eye announced her retirement from the UFC after a unanimous decision defeat at the hands of Maycee Barber.
It was a dominant victory for Barber, who is now on a three-fight win streak and has plenty to look forward to in her career.
For the veteran Eye though, it was clear post-fight that this was not a snap decision on her part but something she had put a lot of thought into as she placed her gloves on the floor.
“I think it’s time,” she said.
“I’ve been a pro since 2009. I’ve had plenty of UFC fights. I’ve spent my entire 20s and 30s doing this. I’d like to see what the rest of the world looks like.”
‘TOUGHEST MOTHERF-ER’: UFC WORLD STUNNED BY BLOODIED TAVARES
Brad Tavares started his fight against Dricus Du Plessis with bleached blonde hair.
By the end of three round it was red, covered in blood after the American sustained a brutal beating.
Tavares may have been on the wrong end of a unanimous decision result (29-28 x3) but he lost no admirers after lasting the distance against a relentless Du Plessis.
“You have the toughest mother f-er in the world right here in your town,” Du Plessis said post-fight.
You can read more about that fight here.
Brad Tavares is a beast. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
UNDEFEATED RISING STAR PUTS GREEN IN HIS PLACE
Gabe Green admitted earlier in the week that he did not even know who Ian Garry was when a fight with the undefeated rising star was first floated.
“His opponents weren’t super good, in my opinion, so it’s going to be interesting to see how he deals with me, who I think is a step up in competition compared to who he’s fought so far,” Green told reporters at the UFC’s media day.
Well, it is safe to say Green knows who Garry is now and as for how the 24-year-old handled the step up in the competition, the unanimous decision result (30-27 x 3) says it all.
Green definitely represented a step up in class for the Irishman and he rose to the occasion, calculated and patient with his approach in the opening round.
Ian Garry got the job done. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Garry only got better as the first round went on, putting up beautiful combinations late after finding his range earlier on.
Green came on strong in the second and had Garry buckled up at the fence later in the round but again, the Irishman was able to do enough to take the round.
It left Green needing something bigger and more impactful in the third to really turn the momentum.
Instead, it was Garry who dropped Green with an overhand right to open the round and once again assert his dominance.
Green continued to swing for the fences but could not find the decisive blow to turn the fight in his favour.
AUSSIE JESSICA-ROSE CLARK SUFFERS GRUESOME INJURY IN DEFEAT
It took just under four minutes for Australian Jess-Rose Clark to have a two-fight win streak snapped the last time she was in the octagon.
This time, she tasted defeat after just 43 seconds, left with what appeared to be a dislocated elbow after a brutal statement from Julija Stoliarenko.
The armbar specialist had only landed one of nine takedown attempts in her career prior to Saturday’s fight but nailed one immediately against Clark to gain early momentum.
Stoliarenko then slapped on an armbar and Clark was in all worlds of trouble, tapping out shortly after.
“She dislocated it, you can see it,” UFC Hall of Fame inductee Daniel Cormier said in commentary.
“It’s dislocated bad. That was nasty. Jessica is tapping desperately.”
“Perfect timing and execution,” Joe Rogan added.
“The way she passed the guard, the way she got to that position. Watch this level change and look at the beautiful use of the hips and amazing flexibility in her core to get over there, passes that arm and gets that far-side armbar.”
Julija Stoliarenko celebrates after defeating Jessica-Rose Clark. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
UFC 276 RESULTS
MAIN CARD
Middleweight Title Bout: Israel Adesanya def Jared Cannonier by unanimous decision (49-46 (x2) , 50-45)
Featherweight Title Bout: Alexander Volkanovski def Max Holloway by unanimous decision (50-45 x 3)
Middleweight Bout: Alex Pereira def. Sean Strickland by first-round KO
Welterweight Bout: Bryan Barberena def. Robbie Lawler by second-round TKO
Bantamweight Bout: Pedro Munhoz vs Sean O’Malley — no contest (accidentally eye poke)
PRELIMS
Lightweight Bout: Jalin Turner def. Brad Riddell by submission (guillotine)
Welterweight Bout: Jim Miller def. Donald Cerrone by submission (guillotine)
Welterweight Bout: Ian Garry def. Gabe Green by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Middleweight Bout: Dricus Du Plessis def. Brad Tavares by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
EARLY PRELIMS
Middleweight Bout: Andre Muniz def. Uriah Hall by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Women’s Flyweight Bout: Maycee Barber def. Jessica Eye by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Julija Stoliarenko def. Jessica-Rose Clark by submission (armbar)
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