Israel Adesanya has defended his UFC world middleweight title for a fifth time with a tepid unanimous decision victory in Las Vegas.
‘The Last Stylebender’ from Auckland’s City Kickboxing Gym beat American rival Jared Cannonier at UFC 276 at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday (Sunday NZT).
Adesanya triumphed by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 50-45) in a fight that went the five round, 25-minute distance.
READ MORE:
* Israel Adesanya welcomes ‘fresh meat’ as he devours UFC middleweight division
* UFC 271: Israel Adesanya grinds out victory over Robert Whittaker to retain middleweight title
* UFC 271: Israel Adesanya eyes Jared Cannonier as Robert Whittaker says third fight is inevitable
Adesanya’s victory preserved the 32-year-old champion’s unbeaten record in his favoured weight division and took his overall UFC record to 23 wins and one defeat (in a light heavyweight contest).
Cannonier – a 38-year-old from Dallas, Texas, dubbed ‘Tha Killa Gorilla’, now has 15 wins and six defeats.
Adesanya set the tone before the fight, walking out to WWE wrestler The Undertaker’s entrance music while carrying some ashes in an urn.
His elaborate ring walk might have been the most thrilling part of his dry, technical victory over the cautious Cannonier.
John Locher/AP
Israel Adesanya consistently beat Jared Cannonier to the punch as he pounded out a unanimous decision.
Adesanya patiently picked at Cannonier with kicks and occasional punches for five rounds. Cannonier, getting his first UFC title shot, struggled to find a consistent striking range, and he didn’t show enough desperation to figure it out.
The Kiwi has never lost a UFC middleweight fight, but he has just one stoppage victory in his five 185lb fights since 2019.
“It was really hard to get going, because they had an excellent game plan,” Adesanya said afterwards, before calling out Brazilian contender Alex Pereira (7-1), who knocked out Sean Strickland on the undercard.
Brazilian Pereira owns two wins over Adesanya, albeit in kickboxing, including a knockout.
“We know who’s next,” Adesanya said, referring to Pereira. “Trust me, the first time I told you, it was an error on my part spamming right hands, and that was in kickboxing.
“Like I said at the press conference, next time I put you on skates. You’re going to get frozen, like Elsa, I’ll leave it at that.”
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Brad Riddell was forced to concede in the first round in his lightweight bout on the undercard.
The 30-year-old from Christchurch had to submit after 45 seconds when his American opponent Jalin Turner applied a guillotine choke after sending Riddell reeling with a straight right-hand punch.
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Jalin Turner submits Kiwi Brad Riddell just 45 seconds into the first round of their lightweight bout.
Riddell, another City Kickboxing Gym fighter, now has a 10-win, three-loss record. Rising star Turner moves to 12-5.
In the co-main event, Alexander Volkanovski defeated Max Holloway for the third time, defending his featherweight title by unanimous decision with a dominant striking performance.
Volkanovski (25-1) extended his winning streak to 22 fights with a commanding display against Holloway (23-7), the former champion at 145.
Volkanovski executed a sharp boxing game plan against one of the UFC’s best punchers, bloodying Holloway’s face early on and steadily increasing the punishment into the final minutes.
Holloway’s entire face was crimson at the final bell. Volkanovski won every round on all three judges’ scorecards, 50-45.
“Max Holloway is an absolute beast,” Volkanovski said. “That intensity that we both had, I needed it. I really needed it. I had to get in my own head.”
Volkanovski won two highly competitive fights by decision over Holloway in 2019 and 2020, but Holloway won his next two fights to reassert his claim to another shot at the belt he held for three years.
Two proficient strikers understandably kept the fight on the feet, but the smaller Volkanovski capably closed the distance to do damage in the first two rounds, particularly in opening a nasty cut above Holloway’s left eye. Holloway’s answers dwindled as his cuts grew larger, and Volkanovski patiently racked up scoring shots to leave no doubt in the decision.
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Brad Riddell proved no match for Jalin Turner as he slipped to a second successive stoppage defeat.
Afterwards, Volkanovski said he intends to move upto fight for the lightweight title, which is currently vacant after champion Charles Oliveira missed weight for his victory over Justin Gaethje in May.
Before the title fights, Pereira demolished Strickland with strikes midway through the first round of a victory that burnished the kickboxing champion’s status as an immediate title contender at middleweight.
Pereira showered and rushed back to the arena after his bout to watch the main event.
Bryan Barbarena also stopped Robbie Lawler on strikes late in the second round of a brutal fight in which both veterans absorbed tremendous punishment.
After losing the first round on two judges’ scorecards, Barbarena ended it with a prolonged flurry that began with a series of step-in elbows to break down the defense of the 40-year-old Lawler, who had his first UFC bout in 2002.
On the undercard, Jim Miller set a UFC record with his 24th career victory, finishing Donald Cerrone with a guillotine choke in the second round.
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Alexander Volkanovski beat Max Holloway for the third time in conclusive fashion to retain his featherweight title.
The 38-year-old Miller’s landmark victory broke his tie with Cerrone and Andrei Arlovski for the UFC’s career wins mark.
“You’re never going to see the [combined] numbers that came into this fight ever again, but I’m excited to get the W,” Miller said. “That guillotine, I can do it in my sleep. I knew it was only a matter of time.”
The 39-year-old Cerrone retired in the cage after the bout. Cerrone beat Miller in their first meeting in 2014, but Cerrone is now 4-10 since 2016 with a seven-fight winless streak.
Veteran flyweight Jessica Eye announced her retirement after losing a decision to Maycee Barber. Eye, who turns 36 this month, fought for the 125lb title in 2019, but has now lost five of six.
– With AP
