Holloway Puts On Clinic In Battle With Ortega
The last time we saw Max Holloway in the octagon before his UFC 231 bout, it was a year ago where Holloway had thrown down the gauntlet to all suitors of his UFC featherweight title.
Battling through depression in a long year away from the cage, his latest battle won’t be soon forgotten.
In a instant classic, Max Holloway (20-3, 16-3 UFC) defeated Brian Ortega (14-1, 6-1 UFC) by 4th-Round TKO on Saturday night at Scotiabank Arena to retain his UFC featherweight title.
A man on a mission to silence his doubters, Max Holloway put on a defining performance in his career vs. the fast-rising Brian Ortega in a matchup of the world’s top two UFC featherweights in the prime of their careers.
Behind a sizzling right hand that found its home all night and a plethora of combinations that soon followed, Max Holloway made Brian Ortega unrecognizable by the end of the second round, and after a incredible output in the fourth round, forced a ringside doctor to intervene, causing the fight to be stopped at the conclusion of the fourth round.
Max Holloway and Brian Ortega went back and forth at times, with each having their moments of causing the crowd to jump out of their seats as they watched each man try to rip the other’s head off, but it was Holloway who won a majority of the exchanges in a toe-to-toe war.
Not with power, but with precision, accuracy and volume, the Hawaiian punished Ortega, leaving him grabbing at his nose and drowning his stamina.
Ortega took the initiative early and even when getting hit with a parade of shots to come forward or throw shots back with Holloway.
In the third round “T-City” appeared to hurt Holloway with a right hook shot, followed by several other shots that forced Holloway to retread into the fence where Holloway denied Ortega of taking his back.
The excellent round by the Los Angeles native appeared to resurrect Ortega — a fighter known for taking hellfire and dishing it back out to put away his opponents.
Before the start of round four, Max Holloway looked to the broadcast table and signaled to UFC color commentator Joe Rogan with his hand that he was going to end the fight in the fourth round.
“Blessed” wasted little time in trying to do just that, pressuring the challenger around the octagon with thudding shots as he barely stayed on his feet in a clinical round for the champion.
By the end of round four, Ortega’s left eye was completely closed, and while the Mexican-American would’ve like to have had an opportunity to go out for the fifth round, the doctor did his job as Holloway defended his title successfully for a second straight time.
UFC 231 was largely a success as we near the close of 2018, and this main event did not disappoint.
The fight was initially scheduled for July of this year, only for Holloway to be forced to pull out of a fight for the third time this year after not doing so throughout his entire professional career.
In interviews over the past few months, Holloway admitted that he’s battled depression, feeling like opportunities were taken away from him rather than him not being available to compete.
Still, he came into this highly anticipated matchup with a confidence about him that was becoming of the fighter he has transformed himself into since losing to Conor McGregor back in August 17th, 2013.
From the pre-fight introductions, you could see the what separated the two fighters: experience on this stage. Holloway was loose and calm while Ortega was extra amped and overly eager, something that showed itself in the first two rounds of this fight.
It’s hard to believe that Max Holloway is only 27-years-old, with his birthday just recently passing this past Tuesday, and yet, Holloway has 12 more UFC fights.
Holloway’s victory on Saturday was his 13th straight victory. His 13 straight wins are a UFC featherweight record, one that should stand the test of time as Holloway has no plans of leaving his throne.
Bullet Takes Home Flyweight Crown
Valentina Shevchenko said on Wednesday during the final pre-fight press conference that there was no way she would leave Toronto without a world title belt around her waist.
In a dominant performance from start to finish, Valentina Shevchenko made good on her word as she outclassed Joanna Jedrzejczyk in a impressive unanimous decision victory to fulfill her dreams and win the UFC women’s flyweight title.
The Kyrgyzstani-Peruvian proved too much for the former strawweight champion as she used her clinch, superior striking in the pocket and takedowns to win the vacated title which was held by Nicco Montaño before she was stripped after pulling out of her UFC 228 fight with Shevchenko.
Shevchenko (16-3, 5-2 UFC) previously fought at the UFC’s 135-pound bantamweight weight class where she came up short of a UFC world title after losing to Amanda Nunes at UFC 215 last year.
Since then, she’s won her past two fights at the women’s flyweight division, with this not being a hard fight in particular to judge.
In a division that’s short on relevant contenders, “Bullet” could see a long and dominating reign as world champion.
UFC 231 Results
Gunnar Nelson bloodies Alex Oliveira before finishing him with rear-naked choke submission in Round 2
Hakeem Dawodu out-boxes Kyle Bochniak for split-decision victory
Thiago Santos wins crowd-pleasing high-stakes brawl with Jimi Manuwa by Round 2 KO
Nina Ansaroff puts it all together in unanimous decision win over Claudia Gadelha
Gilbert Burns takes down game Olivier Aubin-Mercier by unanimous decision
Jessica Eye persistent in split-decision victory over Katlyn Chookagian
Elias Theodorou outlasts Eryk Anders for split-decision victory
Brad Katona handles Matthew Lopez in one-sided unanimous decision win
Dhiego Lima uses left hook to shock Chad Laprise for Round 1 KO
Carlos Diego Ferreira punishes Kyle Nelson in Round 1 TKO victory
Aleksandar Rakic blasts Devin Clark in Round 1 TKO win
What was your favorite fight of the night at UFC 231? Leave your comments below!