International Fight Week sees the return of the UFC to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Nevada. Read below for a recap of tonight’s main card which includes title fights in both the featherweight and flyweight divisions.
Bo Nickal Vs Val Woodburn
The 7-0 Woodburn steps in at late notice to face the 4-0 decorated wrestler. Somebody’s ‘0’ has to go in the middleweight division.
Round 1
The underdog comes out swinging and catches the 3 time division 1 NCAA champion early. Short right hook over the top then stuns Woodburn in a feisty opening.
Nickal follows with a left hand which wobbles his opponent on his feet. Boom! Another left drops him and a hammer fist ends the fight inside the first forty seconds! Wow.
Nickal wins via KO.
Jalin Turner Vs Dan Hooker
Hookers coaches believe that he’s turned a page in his MMA career following his most recent victory. The #12 ranked lightweight aims to leapfrog #11 Turner who is making his tenth UFC appearance. Turner missed weight by almost three pounds, forfeiting twenty per cent of his purse.
Round 1
Turner has a lot of success with low kicks and then lands a stinging combination on Hooker, who counters with an accidental low blow.
Straight right lands from Turner who is being very efficient with his striking.
Body kick from Hooker which is countered with a right hand. Turner has found his range and ends the round with a flurry of strikes.
Round 2
Outside leg kicks from Turner are landing with ease; he throws them with such speed.
Huge left high kick lands flush on Hooker, somehow he still stands! Hookers face is busted up and he eats a few more shots.
Despite that, Hooker still presses forwards and throws the kitchen sink at. Turner is wobbled and Hooker goes for the choke but is saved by the bell.
Round 3
Turner piles on the pressure but starts to look gassed. He retreats to the fence and smartly lands a takedown, but Hooker gets up with ease.
Bam! Hooker drops his opponent. What a fight! Hooker lands some shots from the top position over the course of the next two minutes.
Dan Hooker wins via split decision.
Robert Whittaker Vs Dricus Du Plessis
The #5 ranked South African will earn a title shot with a victory over the #2 ranked Whittaker, who desperately wants a chance at redemption against Israel Adesanya himself. Number one contender fights for the middleweight title.
Round 1
Whittaker lands a takedown but Du Plessis gets back to his feet using the cage wall.
Du Plessis is very active and his unorthodox movement is working well. He lands a takedown and looks for a D’arce but Whittaker escapes. A big elbow from Du Plessis opens up Whittaker. Great opening round from the South African.
Round 2
Whittaker starts well, landing a couple of jabs.
Straight right-hand stuns The Reaper. Smelling blood, Du Plessis hunts him down and drops Whittaker with a body shot after a flurry of shots. The referee stops the fight after Whittaker covers up in the corner.
Du Plessis wins via TKO.
So now we have it. Du Plessis Vs Adesanya! Style ender enters the octagon and some tense words are exchanged.
Brandon Moreno Vs Alexandre Pantoja
The #2 ranked challenger has defeated the flyweight champion twice before. He looks confident and rightly so. The flyweight champ, Moreno, is a near 2-1 favorite going tonight’s co-main event.
Round 1
Nice left hook from Moreno who follows up with a nice combo.
Pantoja drops him with a right hand! He attempts the crucifix but the champion resists. The fight returns to the feet and Moreno has a cut from his right eye.
Pantoja lands a big left and looks to walk Moreno down but eats a left hook in the process. Highly charged first round.
Round 2
Wild start to the round. Pantoja is rocked but continues to swing, he seems a little slower which allows the champion to have success with the jab.
Moreno takes his back and succeeds with a takedown.
On the feet, Pantoja looks gassed already and eats more shots. Great round from Moreno.
Round 3
Low blow from the challenger to start the round.
We resume quickly and Moreno lands a nasty elbow which opens up the Pantoja.
Pantoja lands a takedown and takes the back but his vision is compromised from all of the blood as he tries to land a submission. Moreno gets back to the feet and lands multiple shots before the challenger lands another takedown. Tough round to call
Round 4
Punches in bunches in the opening minute. Moreno lands a piercing elbow but gets taken down briefly while doing so.
The pace slows towards the end of the round as Pantoja holds the champion against the fence from the rear. He eventually lands a takedown but Moreno reverses the arm triangle and ends up on top position.
Round 5
Could be 2-2, or 3-1 either way going into the fifth.
Moreno lands the more damaging strikes in the opening half of the round. This has been the theme of the fight, however Pantoja’s take downs and ground control have been an important factor in balancing things out.
On the feet, Pantoja jumps on Moreno’s back and stays there. We go to the scorecards
Pantoja wins via split decision. 48-47 x2, 49-46. We have a new flyweight champion!
Alexander Volkanovski Vs Yair Rodriguez
The interim champion revealed his dazzling, customised belt earlier this week. Hoping to get his hands on the real thing tonight, the well-rounded Mexican has a tall order in front of him against one of the all time featherweight greats in Alexander Volkanovski.
Round 1
Feeling out process in the first couple of minutes, then Volkanovski lands a takedown.
Another two takedowns are secured from the champion who dominates the rest of the round from the canvas.
Round 2
Big right hand from Volkanovski and he lands another takedown. Great start to the fight from the champion who has done well to deal with the unpredictable striking from Rodriguez so far.
Elbows rain down from Volkanovski and he opens up a cut on what seems like his opponents left eye. This round follows a similar pattern to the first.
Round 3
The flexibility from Rodriguez is something to behold. His leg kicks are almost impossible to see coming but Volkanovski is managing the range well and is able to avoid the majority.
Strikes are beginning to get through from the challenger, both from his hands and the feet. An improvement in round three.
Rodriguez lands a couple of great combos but eats a right hand counter hook. Volkanovski lands a takedown and has real intent in his ground strikes. It’s too much for his opponent to defend and Herb Dean calls time on the fight.
Volkanovski wins via TKO
So that’s a wrap on UFC 290. International Fight Week has given us one of the best cards in recent memory. Alexander Volkanovski retains his featherweight crown, and we have a new flyweight champion in Alexandre Pantoja. Pure entertainment from start to finish.
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