Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on
your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the
ESPN app. Max
Holloway was about as close to perfect as a fighter can
get. The former
Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight titleholder pistol
whipped Calvin Kattar for five rounds in an epic beatdown, as he
laid claim to a lopsided unanimous decision in the
UFC on ABC 1 headliner on Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu
Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Scores were 50-43, 50-43 and 50-42,
all for the victorious Holloway (22-6, 18-6 UFC).
Kattar (22-5, 6-3 UFC) had no chance. Holloway overwhelmed him with
volume, variety and violence for five rounds, unleashing every
weapon in his arsenal with sadistic glee. It was undeniably
uncomfortable at times. Multi-punch bursts to the head and body
were followed by knees, kicks and elbows, one of which opened a
horrendous gash on Kattar’s scalp. The Methuen, Massachusetts,
native returned fire on occasion, only to be met with further
punishment. A lesser man might not have lasted one round with this
version of Holloway, much less five, and while Kattar managed to
survive to see the final bell, it was a moral victory that figures
to ring hollow for the proud New England Cartel member.
Resurgent Condit Handles Brown
Former
World Extreme Cagefighting champion Carlos
Condit leaned on tactical multi-strike combinations and
capitalized on his opportunities in grappling exchanges, as he took
a unanimous decision from Matt Brown in
the three-round welterweight co-main event. All three judges scored
it 30-27 for Condit (32-13, 9-9 UFC), who has posted consecutive
victories for the first time since 2012.
The 40-year-old Brown (22-18, 15-12 UFC) secured a body-lock
takedown in the first round and piled up some points with
elbow-laced ground-and-pound, only to cede position late in the
frame. It was a subtle shift in momentum that Condit exploited for
the remainder of the match. “The Natural Born Killer” executed a
few takedowns of his own across the final 10 minutes, applied his
ground-and-pound and threatened a game but fatigued Brown with a
variety of submissions.
Brown has lost two fights in a row.
Li Spoils Ponzinibbio Return
China Top Team’s Jingliang
Li filled in for Muslim
Salikhov on short notice and knocked out Santiago
Ponzinibbio in the first round of their welterweight showcase.
In his first appearance in more than two years, Ponzinibbio (27-4,
9-3 UFC) packed his bags 4:25 into Round 1.
Li (18-6, 10-4 UFC) bided his time during an extended feeling-out
process, mixing in leg kicks while he waited for openings.
Ponzinibbio misfired on a chopping right hand that left him out of
position and vulnerable to the counter. Li
sent a sweeping left hook crashing into his chin, followed him
to the canvas and delivered a final hammerfist before referee Jason
Herzog could intervene.
The 32-year-old Li has won eight of his last 10 fights.
Di Chirico Head Kick Fells Buckley
Gloria Fight Center export Alessio
Di Chirico sprang a career-altering upset, as he wiped out
Joaquin
Buckley with a head kick and follow-up punches in the first
round of their middleweight feature. Buckley (12-4, 2-2 UFC) — the
author of
Sherdog’s 2020 “Knockout of the Year” — met his end 2:12 into
Round 1.
Di Chirico (13-5, 4-5 UFC) fought tall and kept his muscular
opponent at a safe distance. He
slammed his shin into the side of the ducking Buckley’s head,
trailed him to the canvas and cut loose with a quick burst of
hammerfists to bring their confrontation to a shocking close.
The win was Di Chirico’s first since July 6, 2018, and snapped his
three-fight losing streak.
Unbeaten Soriano Buries Todorovic
Undefeated Dana White’s Contender Series graduate Punahele
Soriano put away Dusko
Todorovic with punches in the first round of their middleweight
showcase. Todorovic (10-1, 1-1 UFC) succumbed to blows 4:48 into
Round 1.
Soriano (8-0, 2-0 UFC) hit the accelerator at the start, pressured
the Serb backward, and let his hands do the rest. A crushing
overhand left snapped back Todorovic’s head during one of their
initial exchanges and set the stage for what was to come. Soriano
recorded multiple knockdowns and had his opponent teetering on the
brink more than once
before one final left to the head dropped Todorovic to his
knees and prompted referee Herb Dean to
act.
The 28-year-old Soriano now sports seven first-round finishes among
his eight career victories.
Continue Reading »
UFC on ABC 1 Prelims: Once-Beaten Felipe Decisions Tafa
