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Holloway was all smiles after he passed one of the most
difficult tests of his career. The former undisputed
Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight titleholder
grinded through five amazing rounds with “The Ultimate Fighter
Latin America” winner Yair
Rodriguez and exited the Octagon with a unanimous decision in
the
UFC Fight Night 197 headliner on Saturday at the UFC Apex in
Las Vegas. All three judges sided with Holloway (23-6, 19-6 UFC):
49-46, 48-47 and 48-47.
Leaving it all on the line
[
#UFCVegas42 | Main Card Live NOW on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/sP1CvuphtX— UFC (@ufc)
November 13, 2021
Rodriguez (13-3, 8-2 UFC) made his intentions known after a
two-year absence, as he targeted the Hawaiian’s base with repeated
kicks to the lower leg. Holloway managed to walk through
considerable damage, though his leg appeared to swell to twice its
normal size. The Gracie Technics product marched forward with the
multi-punch bursts for which he has become known and gained more
and more ground as the fight progressed. He even mixed in takedowns
and threw in a few submission attempts, including a standing
guillotine that nearly produced a finish. Rodriguez never stopped
throwing and emptied the tank against one of the all-time greats,
firing everything from backfists and cartwheel kicks to upward
elbows in his direction. Clearly behind on the scorecards, he made
every attempt to put away Holloway down the stretch but failed to
dial up the combination he needed.
The setback was Rodriguez’s first since May 13, 2017.
Heavy-Handed Rogerio de Lima Fells Rothwell
American Top Team’s Marcos
Rogerio de Lima brought down Ben Rothwell
with punches less than a minute into the first round of their
heavyweight co-main event. Rothwell (39-14, 9-8 UFC) met his end
just 32 seconds into Round 1, suffering the quickest stoppage loss
of his 53-fight career.
Rogerio de Lima (19-7-1, 8-5 UFC) followed a powerful leg kick with
a right hand that stunned the Wisconsin native and sent him
careening backward. The Brazilian pursued the compromised Rothwell
across the Octagon, pinned him to the fence and uncorked a barrage
of power punches with both hands. Rogerio de Lima buckled his
counterpart’s knees no fewer than three times,
prompting referee Herb Dean to
intervene with the woozy Rothwell clinging to a desperate
double-leg takedown attempt.
The 36-year-old Rogerio de Lima has recorded three wins across his
past four outings.
Spencer Mauls Returning Letson
Former Invicta Fighting Championships titleholder Felicia
Spencer disposed of Leah Letson
with elbows and punches in the third round of their women’s
featherweight showcase. In her first appearance since Nov. 20,
2018, Letson (5-2, 1-1 UFC) succumbed to blows 4:25 into Round
3.
Spencer (9-3, 3-3 UFC) overwhelmed the Daniel
Wanderley protégé with a soul-stealing clinch, as she battered
her with punches, elbows and knees from close range. She mixed in
takedowns in the second and third rounds, flexed her superiority on
the mat and slowly but surely sapped Letson’s competitive spirit.
Spencer executed her final takedown with roughly 90 seconds
remaining the match,
climbed to full mount and hammered away with elbows and punches
until the job was done.
The defeat snapped Letson’s run of consecutive victories at
five.
Williams Counter Levels Baeza
Murcielago MMA export Kalinn
Williams took care of Dana White’s Contender Series graduate
Miguel
Baeza with punches in the third round of their welterweight
feature. Williams (13-2, 4-1 UFC) drew the curtain 62 seconds into
Round 3, winning for the 10th time in 11 appearances.
Baeza (10-2, 3-2 UFC) steered clear of danger for 10-plus minutes.
He attacked Williams with leg locks in the first round, where he
made a pass at a kneebar before shifting his attention to the heel
hook. Baeza absorbed some ground-and-pound for his efforts but
emerged from the skirmish no worse wear. He zeroed in on Williams’
base again in Round 2, where he slashed away with leg kicks,
dictated the terms of their engagement on the feet and appeared to
have seized the reins. Early in the third, Baeza connected with a
pair of leg kicks and elected to exchange punches in the center of
the Octagon. A counter right hook from Williams penetrated his
guard,
dropped him to the mat in a semi-conscious state and left him
incapable of protecting himself from the punches that followed.
After starting his pro career with 10 straight victories, Baeza now
finds himself on a two-fight losing streak.
Resurgent Song Levels Arce
Team Alpha Male’s Yadong Song
continued to distance himself from a March 6 defeat to Kyler
Phillips, as he put away former two-division Ring of Combat
champion Julio Arce
with a head kick and follow-up punches in the second round of their
bantamweight attraction. Arce (17-5, 5-2 UFC) bit the dust 1:35
into Round 2.
Neither man did much through the first five minutes. Arce brought
the aggression at the start of the middle stanza but unknowingly
wandered into danger. Song (18-5-1, 7-1-1 UFC) dazed him with a
head kick, followed with a right hand and backed him to the fence
before flurrying with punches,
driving him to the canvas and prompting the stoppage.
The 23-year-old Song has won two fights in a row.
Continue Reading »
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