Both fightersr put on an exceptional performance tonight in the main event of UFC 236 as Dustin Poirier defeaed Max Holloway on the scorecards to claim the interim lightweight title.
Round One:
The main event interim lightweight title fight is underway in Atlanta.
Front kick from Poirier to the body. Low leg kick from Poirier. He just misses with a left hand. Holloway fires back with a couple of punches of his own.
leg kick for Poirier. Body punch for Holloway. Another one to the midsection from the featherweight champ. Leg kick again for Poirier.
Hard left hand from Poirier and more punches behind him. He’s coming forward confidently, but then Holloway clips him with a punch that has him in trouble and then unloads with more behind it and has him in trouble.
Crazy action here as Poirier lands hard and has Holloway rocked. He pours in with huge punches and Holloway is backed up against the cage covering up as Poirier looks for a finish. Holloway swings back to show he’s still in the fight.
Amazing action her in the opening round and as Poirier continues to go on the offensive he lands some big knees to the head.
Hard left hand for Holloway. Now a right hand. Poirier blasts him back though and Holloway looks a little wobbled again. Poirier sweeps him to the mat, but he’s straight back up.
Left hand for Holloway. Now the same from Poirier. Big straight for Poirier. Left for him. Straight right for Holloway. Head kick from Holloway is blocked.
Round Two:
Body punch for Holloway after Poirier misses with a body kick. Good left hook for Holloway. Another body punch for Holloway and gets his head out of the way of a counter.
More bodywork from Holloway. Punch and then a leg kick for Poirier lands hard. jab for Poirier. Body strike for Holloway.
Punch to the head and then to the body for Holloway. He connects again. Body punch for the 145lb champ yet again. left hand for Poirier and then a flurry in response from Holloway.
Elbow inside from Holloway. He digs to the body. Jab for Poirier. Now a crisp left hand. Left hook for Holloway.
Good jab for Poirier. Body work again from Holloway. Jabs for Poirier. Poirier tries for a takedown, but Holloway shoves him aside.
Right hook counter for Poirier. Holloways connects with a punch. Body kick for Holloway. Right hand for him. Going to the body again. Counter from Poirier as Holloway stays active.
Holloway gets caught by Poirier and is hurt, but goads Poirier in for more. Poirier with a right hook that hurts Holloway again. He recovers quickly.
Poirier makes him pay with another punch though and then tries for a head kick, but Holloway comes back at him and tries a head kick of his own. Both men stare each other down after the bell then touch gloves.
Round Three:
Leg kick inside from Holloway. Left hand for Poirier. Short right hand for Holloway. Hard body punch from Holloway and then a punch, but also gets countered in the process with a hook.
Body punch again for Holloway. Poirier with a body shot now. Straight punches charging forward for Holloway but eats a counter in the process.
Big left for Poirier. Jabs for Poirier and then a flurry of strikes behind it. Solid left for ‘The Diamond.’ Right hand for Holloway and then a three-piece series behind it.
Poirier with another counter. Holloway keeps coming though with combination punching. He goes back down to the body.
Right hand and then a left for Holloway. A couple of good punches connect for him and then a crisp right hand for Poirier. Another lands and so does Holloway.
Big jab for Poirier and a right for Holloway. Two lefts and a solid right for Holloway. Right and a good left for Holloway. Jab for Poirier.
Excellent volume combination for Holloway piecing multiple punches together. Now he goes for a flying knee, but Poirier looks to use that to work a takedown.
Poirier in deep on Holloway’s legs, but Holloway staying upright and starts raining down big elbows that seem to trouble Poirier for a moment and so he opts to just stay there in the clinch until the end of the round. Intense action from start to finish.
Round Four:
Hard right hand for Holloway. Poirier ducks down for a takedown. He readjusts after Holloway stuffs it initially and does get him down. Holloway using the cage to almost stand though. He opts to go to his knees for now.
Holloway up and threatens with a guillotine. That allows him to escape and he lands a hard knee to the body.
They exchange in close with knees and punches behind exchanged. Holloway back to putting together a length series of lefts and rights. Poirier wilting a little under this volume of strikes.
In close and Poirier starts to unload with strikes and backs Holloway up for a moment. Holloway with an elbow and Poirier counters.
Holloway backs Poirier up against the cage and tees off, but Poirier is firing back too.
Holloway again with a flurry, but Poirier is still landing the harder shots when he throws. Good right hand for Poirier.
Four of five punch combo from Holloway. Knee upstairs from Poirier and Holloway’s face is now pouring with blood from a cut to the forehead.
Huge right hook for Holloway there. Poirier in on a takedown and Holloway Counters with a guillotine threat. Poirier still working this against the cage as Holloway chisels away with body punches. Final seconds of the round and Holloway tries for a d’arce choke, but the bell sounds before he can finish it.
Round Five
Leg kick for Poirier. Hard stepping jab from Holloway. Body kick for him too. Now an overhand left from Poirier. Right hook for Holloway.
Good jab for Holloway and tries to follow it up but gets caught with a big counter. One-two for Holloway. Body punch for Holloway>
Solid right hand for Holloway. Another punch grazes Poirier’s head. Right hand for Holloway and a counter from Poirier. Holloway with an elbow in close.
Poirier lands again. Body kick for HOlloway. Clipping right hook for Poirier. Jab for Poirier. Four-piece combo for Holloway.
Now Holloway punches to the body and a clean straight right. Left lands for Poirier. Head and then to the body and back to the head for Holloway.
Nice short right for Holloway. Short flurry of punches for him, but then Poirier responds in kind. Poirier going for a takedown attempt now against the cage, but Holloway staying upright for now.
Poirier still trying to work this takedown as we head into the final minute of a crazy fight.
20 seconds to go. Holloway tries to work out of the clinch, then reverses it. He misses with an uppercut. Poirier with his head low slings heavy leather but doesn’t find a home for those blows and we’re heading to a judges decision.
Decision:
An amazing fight between these two warriors then, with Poirier having the bigger power and clean counters, but Holloway having plenty of clean shots of his own and some terrific volume striking at times.
Only won can emerge the winner and claim the interim lightweight title though and the judges award a unanimous decision victory to Dustin Poirier (49-46 x3).
Both men come out of this fight with a lot to be proud of, with Holloway showing incredible resilience and will to win, while Poirier finally lived up to his full potential when it mattered most.
