Alexander Volkanovski notched up another successful featherweight title defense tonight in the main event of UFC 290 with a 3rd round TKO stoppage of Yair Rodriguez.
Round One:
The featherweight main event is underway in Las Vegas!
Volkanovski switching stances multiple times in the opening 30 seconds as Rodriguez keeps on the outside.
Both miss on leg kick attempts. Grazing kick comes off the arm of Rodriguez. He threatens with a question-mark kick that misses, but looked threatening.
More missed leg kicks as they both try to figure out their range. Body kick lands for Rodriguez. Volkanovski with a leg kick and then nicely times a takedown to get Rodriguez on his back.
Volkanovski in Rodriguez’s full guard here close to the cage. Left hook for the champ. A few light strikes, but Volkanovski is mostly opting for control here.
Another few strikes drop down for Volkanovski. Rodriguez manages to create some space and scrambles back to his feet with Volkanovski still clinched up and drags him back down. Rodriguez up again and Volkanovski grabs his back and drags him down again.
Volkanovski working from half-guard now. He’s starting to set up an arm-triangle, but then gives up on it. A couple of punches to the body and a few to the head for Volkanovski while still staying tight to his opponent. He starts to unload with a few bigger punches. The champ in control as the round ends.
Round Two:
Both with a low kick at the same time. Now Rodriguez attempting a high kick. Rodriguez surges forward with a series of straight punches and a head kick attempt behind it, but Volkanovski steers clear.
Low kick and a high kick behind it for Rodriguez. leg kick for the challenger. Volkanovski steps nicely into a punch that catches Rodriguez off-guard. Rodriguez responds now with a punch of his own, but Volkanovski is into the clinch and gets a takedown.
Rodriguez able to battle back to his feet, but Volkanovski is still clinched up and trips him to get another takedown.
Volkanovski in half-guard and lands a few elbows and punches. Rodriguez bleeding from a cut but manages to work to his feet. Volkanovski still on him though and has his back as he drags him down again.
Volkanovski turns to go flat on his back and from half-guard Volkanovski starts mashing down with a series of elbow strikes and then punches.
Rodriguez gets him back to full guard now. Some big punches landing now for the champ. Rodriguez sporting a significant cut to his left eyebrow. Volkanovski going to work withh more strikes as the round comes to a close as Rodriguez tries to land a few elbows from his back too.
Round Three:
Front kick upstairs partially gets through for Rodriguez. Volkanovski goes to the body. Rodriguez threatens upstairs with a kick. Solid right hand for Volkanovski.
Lots of stance switching from Volklanovski. Kick from Rodriguez. calf kick from the challenger. Volkanovski misses his leg kick and Rodriguez hits fresh air with a hook.
Rodriguez tries to work front kicks to the body that don’t find the mark. A big punch from Rodriguez does get through though, but the champ wears it well. leg kicks exchanged.
Leg kick for Volkanovski and a body kick from Rodriguez in response. Calf kick for Rodriguez and goes back to it. Now a front kick to the body. Calf kick from Volkanovski and a nice punch. Inside leg kick for him too.
Missed punch from Volkanovski but lands another behind it. Volkanovski lunges into a punch and Rodriguez ducks at the same time resulting in a clash of heads that Rodriguez definitely got the worst of and that forces a brief stoppage to give him time to recover.
Rodriguez is ok to continue. Rodriguez threatens with a head kick. Low kick for Rodriguez and and then seems to land one upstairs.
Rodriguez gaining confidence and fires off more strikes, but then Volkanovski blasts him with a big counter right hook that stuns Rodriguez.
Volkanovski turns up the heat landing a knee to the head and uppercut series before taking Rodriguez down and then stands straddled over him while throwing down big punches. Rodriguez hurt and covering up so the ref rightly steps in to confirm another successful title defense for Volkanovski with the TKO Finish coming at 4.19mins of the 3rd round.
