Alexander Volkanovski slammed the door shut on his trilogy of fights with Max Holloway tonight at UFC 276 by dominating the action on the feet from start to finish to claim a clean sweep on the judges scorecards.
Round One:
Holloway takes the center of the Octagon to start. They both feel out with leg kicks without landing.
High kick from Holloway comes off the guard. leg kick for Volkanovski. Leg kick from Holloway now. Holloway attempts a body punch while Volkanovski attempts to counter with an uppercut.
Right hand from Volkanovski as Holloway enters range. Flurry from Volkanovski but much of it misses. Nice right hand from Volkanovski but then Holloway lands a solid punch too.
Body kick for Holloway. Now a leg kick from him. Body punch from Volkanovski as Holloway goes to the leg again.
Inside leg kick from Volkanovski. Nice jab from Volkanovski. Now a solid stepping-right from Volkanovski.
The champ lands again and then tells Holloway he’s too fast for him. Kick from Holloway. Volkanovski with a right hand and yells in satisfaction afterwards.
Jab from Volkanovski. Now a left hand and a right behind it. Left connects again. Good start for the champion.
Holloway with a reaching punch and Volkanovski lands a quick flurry in response. Knee in close from Holloway.
Holloway probes with the jab and then lands a solid right hand. They exchange and Holloway lands again in there.
Spinning back elbow from Holloway just before the round ends.
Round Two:
Inside leg kick from Holloway. One-two from Holloway doesn’t land cleanly and Volkanovski connects on the counter.
Leg kick from Holloway as Volkanovski is looking for a punch. Body kick for Holloway. Grazing right hand from Holloway as he steps into range.
Good right hand over the top from Volkanovski. He lands it again. Now an inside leg kick. Body punch from Holloway.
Holloway moving forward relentlessly, but now Volkanovski clinches up with him and starts to march him over to the cage.
Volkanovski gets around to the back. Holloway gets back around and Volkanovski lands an elbow as he breaks away.
Holloway swinging, but Volkanovski lands a big punch. Holloway bleeding from a cut to his left eye now and it’s a bad one.
Volkanovski fires off a few punches as Holloway starts to wipe at the blood to that eye. Body punch from Holloway and now a kick to the body too.
Calf kick from Volkanovski. Solid three-piece combo from Volkanovski as Holloway was also landing. Punch and then a head kick attempt from Holloway. Now a left hand.
Stepping right from Volkanovski. Now a good leg kick. Jab from Holloway. Volkanovski with a left hand.
Round Three:
Jab for Holloway. Missed leg kicks from Volkanovski but then lands a right hand. Jab for Volkanovski. He misses with a one-two and HOlloway lands to the body. Head kick attempt from Holloway.
A brief exchange with neither landing cleanly. Inside leg kicks exchanged. Chopping right hand from Holloway.
Jab from Holloway. Jab for him, one for Volkanovski. Volkanovski lands a punch to the body. Holloway with a kick.
Right hand gets through for Volkanovski and then another short flurry. They exchange in close and Volkanovski seems to get the better of it.
Left hand lands for Holloway. Now a leg kick. left and right hands land for Volkanovski. The champion goes into the clinch and drives into the cage. Holloway turns into him, but not for long. They continue to jockey for position here and eventually Volkanovski lands a spinning elbow and separates.
Jab for Volkanovski. He lands a hard right hand. Counter punch from Volkanovski as Holloway steps into range.
Nice jumping knee from Holloway. They go in close and Volkanovski lands a nice punch. Head kick from Holloway grazes the target and then a right hand.
Round Four:
Inbetween rounds Holloway’s corner made it clear he needs to step things up.
Volkanovski starting the fourth fast though as he strikes his way into the clinch and presses Holloway into the cage.
He backs up now and lands a jab. Another jab and Holloway lands a kick. Now a right hand. One-two from Volkanovski. Jab and then steps away.
Body kick from Holloway is almost caught. Spinning kick from Holloway misses. He tries it again now to the body and lands it this time.
Front kick to the body for Holloway. Brief flurry from Volkanovski as Holloway lands a hook. Body kick from Holloway is again almost caught.
left and a right get through for Volkanovski. Front kick to the body from Holloway. Volkanovski steps in and Holloway spins around to his back and clinches up, but can’t keep him in that position for long.
Couple of punches from Volkanovski and Holloway throws a kick upstairs. Right hand for Volkanovski.
Jab for Volkanovski. Spinning kick to the body from Holloway. Nice stepping jab from Holloway. Volkanovski peppers him with punches as he comes forward.
Body kick for Holloway. He lands one to the other side now. Jab from Volkanovski. He lands it again and another one.
Now a right hand and Holloway lands a body kick. Right hand for Holloway and a kick behind it. Calf kick from Volkanovski and Holloway responds.
Round Five:
Final round then with Holloway almost certainly needing a finish here to win.
Leg kick for Volkanovski. Now a jab from him and a right hand. Volkanovski working behind the jab and then Holloway drives into a potential takedown attempt, but against the cage Volkanovski turns into him.
Volkanovski with a knee to the body and then separates. Kick for Volkanovski. Now a body kick.
Leg kick for Volkanovski and then a head kick that at least partially got through. Calf kick from him.
Holloway struggling to solve this puzzle. Jab from Volkanovski. Inside leg kick. Another jab. Volkanovski tries for a takedown attempt and again Volkanovski shrugs that off and presses him into the cage.
Volkanovski backs up to striking range. He lands a nice jab on the bloodied Holloway. Body kick lands. Front kick to the body from Holloway.
More punches from Volkanovski. He lands the jab again. Head kick attempt from Holloway is blocked. More jabs from Volkanovski and Holloway attempts a kick upstairs again.
Reaching right hand from Holloway. Another jab from Volkanovski as the round and the fight draws to a close.
Decision:
No question about the winner here after a virtually flawless performance from Volkanovski who was sharper than Holloway from start to finish and he earns himself a definitive unanimous decision victory (50-45 x3).
Holloway didn’t really seem himself tonight and was never able to step up the gears as he had done in the past, though it may well be that Volkanovski was just to good for him on the night as he was quicker to the punch all night long, ensuring that this trilogy has now drawn to a definitive close.
