Max Holloway won the interim featherweight title tonight at UFC 206 after TKO’ing Anthony Pettis deep in the third round in Toronto, Canada.
Round One:
The main event of the evening is underway in Toronto, Canada with Pettis refusing to touch gloves.
Pettis with a jumping kick that doesn’t connect. Leg kick for Holloway that’s checked. Push kick for Pettis. Holloway snaps out the jab.
Low leg kick for Holloway and one to the thigh in return from Pettis. Inside leg kick from Pettis. Inside leg kick, one to the outside and one up high in a row from Pettis. Flashy stuff from him.
Body punch from Holloway. He backs up from incoming offense and then loads up on a big body punch. Another low kick for Holloway as he avoids a punch.
Leg kick for Holloway. Spinning kick to the body from Pettis. Side kick from Pettis. Another quick side kick from the former 155lb champ.
Nice right hook for Holloway and blocks a kick upstairs from Pettis. Body punch and one over the top from Holloway. His best combo so far.
Another short combo for Holloway. Pettis lands. Push kick from Pettis and eats a grazing shot from Holloway as he does so. Leg kick for Holloway.
Exchange in close and Holloway lands a crisp hook in there. Holloway first with his punches towards the end of the round and lands some nice counters. Pettis tries for a takedown in the final seconds, but it’s stuffed.
Round Two:
Pettis with a little swelling and cut to his right eye, but he’s ok. Jab lands for Holloway. Leg kick for Pettis. Holloway with s hort flurry of punches.
One-two for Holloway. He perfectly times a big punch down the pipe that drops Pettis. Holloway opts not to follow him down and lets him stand back up.
Pettis tries to come forward aggressively to make up for that, but Holloway is good with his movement to thwart that. Holloway in the clinch with knees.
Pettis attempts a cartwheel kick, but it just grazes his opponent and he falls to the mat afterwards.
He’s back up shortly afterwards. Pettis continuing to pressure Holloway. Pettis’ right eye is more bloodied now though.
Holloway picking his shots. He lands a big one to the body. Nice punches in close. Push kick for Pettis. Nice two-piece combo from Holloway.
Hook to the head and then one of the body from Holloway. Right hand counters from Holloway as Pettis comes forward. Body kick for Pettis, and another as Holloway tries to return fire. Holloway with a right hand.
Right hand misses for Holloway, but he connects with a left hook behind it. Holloway crisper with his strikes at this stage. Pettis into the clinch against the cage.
Knee from Holloway to the body as he defends against the takedown. Final 15 seconds of the round and Holloway lands another knee as he continues to thwart the takedown attempts from Pettis until the horn sounds.
Round Three:
Inbetween rounds it emerges that Pettis told his corner after the first round that he’d broken his right hand. He’s still in the fight though and it’s been competitive up to this point.
Pettis with leg kicks to start the third. Push kicks being utilized by Pettis. Right hand for Holloway. He lands a good counter, but Pettis also lands a left hand.
left and then a big right from Holloway in close. He throws a kick too and it lands to the groin and Pettis yelps in pain, forcing a stoppage.
Soon after Pettis is ready to go again. Body kick for Pettis in close. Holloway with one his own. Flurry of punches to the head and then one to teh body from Holloway.
Pettis tries to clinch, but Holloway presses him to the cage and then backs away. left and a right hand from Holloway. Suddenly he takes Pettis down with a terrific leg sweep. He lets Pettis back up though.
Right hand gest through for Holloway, then into the clinch for a knee to the body. Pettis able to walk Holloway over to the cage. We’re now at the midway point of the fight.
Knees for Pettis. Body kick for Holloway as he gets free. Stepping left hook for Holloway. Couple of punches from Holloway. Body work from Holloway and a body kick in return from Pettis.
Three punches for Holloway. Pettis with a nice jab. Hook and a kick to the body from Holloway. Another body punch. Right hand to the head and a left to the body. Mixing things up nicely.
Another nice leg sweep from Holloway takes Pettis down again. He follows him down this time, but then decides against it and gets back up.
Holloway with a couple of big kicks to the body. That seems to hurt Pettis and he winces as he leans back against the cage. Holloway unloads with a flurry of hooks to the head and body.
Pettis almost folded over and then sinks to the mat with his head in his hands, which causes the ref to step in and end the fight, giving Holloway a huge TKO victory at 4.50mins of the third round.
So, there you have it, after another clinical display of striking Max Holloway as he wins the interim featherweight title and takes his remarkable winning streak to no less than 10 fights.
After the fight he calls out featherweight champ Jose Aldo to a fight in Brooklyn, New York, which would be at UFC 208 in February.
