Getty ImagesUFC 218: Max Holloway batters Jose Aldo to retain UFC featherweight title in Detroit
UFC featherweight champion Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway delivered a repeat performance as he stopped former world champion Jose Aldo by third-round TKO at UFC 218 - just as he did back at UFC 212.
Holloway, 25, claimed the undisputed UFC featherweight title in that first contest, and on Saturday night in Detroit, he retained his title and cemented his position as the world’s best 145lb fighter with another hugely impressive display that propelled the Hawaiian into the pound-for-pound discussion as one of the best fighters, at any weight, in the UFC.
Aldo started well and arguably shaded the opening round, but the Brazilian’s aggressive start didn’t faze the defending champion, who between rounds shouted through the cage to the commentators, saying: “The man’s tired!”
Holloway looked to draw more aggression from the former champ in the second and third rounds, goading the Brazilian while standing in front of him and landing with increased frequency as the Hawaiian’s gameplan started to become clear.
By the mid-way point in the third, Holloway was dominant and Aldo was exhausted. Spotting his opportunity, Holloway turned up the pressure and unloaded a blistering multi-punch combination that Aldo simply couldn’t live with.
After the Brazilian shot in for a desperation takedown attempt, Holloway easily shrugged him off, took top position and unloaded a flurry of ground-and-pound that forced referee Herb Dean to stop the contest with nine seconds left in the round.
Speaking after the bout, Holloway used his famous catchphrase to explain his victory, saying: “At the end of the day, it is what it is!
“All due respect. Aldo’s a hell of a champion. But I told you guys, this is the Blessed era. This is something new.
“I knew he was tired already. That was the whole thing. My trainer said let’s take him into deep water - we know he can’t swim there - and then we’re gonna drown him.”
But when UFC commentator Joe Rogan said the win put Holloway at the top of the list of the greatest featherweights of all time, the champion moved to calm the hype, saying that Aldo deserves to retain that accolade, for now.
“No, I got a lot of catching up to do,” he said, modestly. “You’ve got to respect the man. The man’s got a lot of numbers. I’ve got to catch up on the title defences and then maybe we can talk about it.”
Francis Ngannou is the real deal
The co-main event left people open-mouthed as Cameroon-born Frenchman Francis Ngannou produced one of the most devastating one-punch knockouts ever seen in the UFC to finish number-one contender Alistair Overeem and book himself a 2018 fight for the undisputed UFC heavyweight title.
Ngannou went into the bout conceding a wealth of experience to his opponent, with ‘The Predator’ making just the 12th appearance of his career and Overeem making his 60th. But Ngannou proved he was up to the task by knocking out the Dutchman with a colossal left hook after just 102 seconds.
Now it seems a foregone conclusion that Ngannou will move on to challenge defending champion Stipe Miocic for the undisputed UFC heavyweight title in the New Year.
Alvarez claims ‘most violent’ title
Former lightweight world champion Eddie Alvarez declared himself the “most violent guy” in the UFC after handing fellow contender Justin Gaethje his first career loss after a thrilling three-round battle.
“That’s the only [title] I care about right now,” he said. “There’s interim titles, there’s other titles that aren’t being defended. All these guys wanna see is who’s the most violent guy in here.”
Alvarez outstruck Gaethje throughout the contest, mixing up heavy-handed shots from the body to the head in an impressive display of close-range striking. Gaethje focused much of his attack on leg kicks, and troubled Alvarez’s left leg with damaging kicks throughout the contest.
But Alvarez’s body work proved crucial when, with Gaethje slowing in the third, the former champion landed clean with a huge knee that dropped his opponent, forcing referee Herb Dean to step in and end the bout with 61 seconds remaining in the bout.
Also on the card…
Former Olympic gold medallist Henry Cejudo confirmed his status as a top flyweight contender with a dominant decision victory over Sergio Pettis, while the opening bout of the main card saw strawweight Tecia Torres move one step closer to title contention with a unanimous decision win over fellow contender Michelle Waterson.
The preliminary bouts also delivered plenty of spectacular action, with Yancy Medeiros’ thrilling third-round TKO win over Alex ‘Cowboy’ Oliveira the standout moment of an exciting undercard.
