Featherweight champion Max Holloway defeated Jose Aldo in style for a second time at UFC 218 tonight, steadily ramping up the pressure until an all-action third round led to a well-earned TKO stoppage.
Round One:
The main event featherweight title fight is underway at UFC 218 in Detroit!
Holloway pumps out the jab to start. Now a one-two as he looks to find his range. Aldo just looking to keep his distance so far and ha yet to unload himself.
Nothing clean landing for Holloway so far. Suddenly Holloway gets in close and Aldo does throw out a couple of hooks, but not much of a connection.
Leg kick for Aldo. Right hand just misses the mark from Aldo. Now Aldo looking to time a left hand counter as Holloway strikes.
Leg kick again for Aldo as Holloway beckons him forward. Aldo has a little redness below his right eye. Body punch by Aldo. They clinch up and Aldo lands a knee to the midsection before they separate.
Holloway loads up on a right hand. Punch punch for him. Holloway looking confident out there, but Aldo lands a left and a right hand.
Another body punch for Holloway. Grazing right hand from teh champion. Head kick attempt from Holloway is blocked. Jab lands and then an oblique kick.
Wild hook from Holloway misses. He showboats in front of Aldo and pays for it when he’s clocked by a big uppercut, but it doesn’t phase him and he just laughs and claps at the former champion as the round comes to a conclusion.
Round Two:
Left hook for Aldo. Solid punch to the body from Holloway. Hard leg kick for Aldo. Right hand for Holloway. One-two for Aldo and then a body punch.
Aldo threatening with an uppercut that just misses. Good exchange in close and both men landed solidly there. Aldo with a body punch. Now Holloway returns the favor.
Right hand gets through for the champ. Hard leg kick for Aldo and then another soon afterwards that definitely caught Holloway’s attention.
Holloway circling and gets a chopping kick across the thighs. In the clinch now and Aldo shoves Holloway away. Body punch for Holloway.
Now to the body for Aldo. Back to the leg kick. Good head movement from Aldo as he dodges a few punches. Right hand for Aldo. Now a leg kick that Holloway partially catches.
Short flurry of punches from Holloway and then into the clinch. He breaks away and then lands a spinning back kick to the body.
One-two for Holloway. Both men suddenly slugging with left and rights at close range. Holloway attempts a flying knee that just misses and then another strike as the round ends.
Round Three:
Body punch for Holloway. Again to the body and a knee to the body from Aldo. leg kick for the Brazilian. Holloway pressing forward with his right hand.
Into the clinch and Aldo lands an elbow on the way back out. Holloway with a knee to the body. jab from Aldo. Hohlloway taunting Aldo and then comes in firing hard and Aldo swings in response. Full-blooded exchange there.
Holloway on the attack again and Aldo showing good heav movement to avoid this. Head kick attempt from teh champion is blocked. More head movement from Aldo, staying elusive as best he can. Another head kick attempt blocked. Body punches from Holloway.
Holloway tags him to the chin with the left hand. Big exchange in close and Holloway is getting the better of this as he lands lefts and rights, but Aldo is countering too.
Holloway starting to land more frequently now and Aldo is starting to fade and offer less head movement and counters. Holloway tags him some more.
Aldo starting to move into survival mode now as more punches snap his head back. He’s occasionally swinging wildly, but Holloway is just continuing to bloody his face up.
In desperation Aldo goes for a takedown that was never going to happen and Holloway stuffs it easily and lands big ground and pound. Aldo doing little to get out of this terrible spot and as more punches land hard the referee steps in and hands Holloway another huge TKO victory over the former champion.
Brilliant performance from Holloway who always looked confident and in control against an all-time great in Aldo, and he only ramped up the pressure as the fight went on, leading to a convincing stoppage victory that confirms him as one of the sport’s pound-for-pound best fighters.
