LAS VEGAS – It is safe to say that Alexander Volkanowski has ended his feud with Max Holloway this time around.
Volkanowski (25-1) defended their featherweight championship for the fourth time on Saturday night, defeating Holloway (23-7) unanimously in their long-awaited trio fight. All three judges scored in the 145-pound championship match that co-headlined UFC 276 at the T-Mobile Arena, a clean sweep of 50-45 for the previous winner.
Saturday’s five-round match was the most decisive of the three to date. The two first met at UFC 245 in December 2019 and then at UFC 251 in July 2020. Volkanowski won both decisions, but the fight was very close – especially the rematch. Shortly after the rematch, some in the game still considered Holloway the true featherweight champion, but that feeling didn’t end after UFC 276.
“Look, Max Holloway is a perfect animal,” Volkanowski said. “It simply came to our notice then. I really needed it. I wanted to get him out of here. I knew I was the best. I wanted to be reminded of myself. “
The fight was played entirely on foot, with no featherweights attempting a takedown until the final round. In Wayne, Hawaii, Holloway went on the entire climb, but in a defensive voice struggled to reduce any persistent offense against Volkanowski. Meanwhile, Volkanowski gave Holloway a full sentence. In the second round, he made a deep cut on Holloway’s left eyebrow and hit his nose in the fourth round.
According to UFC data, Volkanowski overtook Holloway in a total of 204 to 161 attacks – and the difference Felt This is even clearer for those who watch the fight. Volkanowski’s defense was excellent and he regularly landed on the heavy counter with his right hand as Holloway punched him. Holloway had demanded a takedown, failed, in the final – his face was stained with blood.
Australia’s Volkanowski has emerged as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world since taking the hollow belt in the first fight. He has now defended twice against Holloway as well as Brian Ortega and Chan Sung Jung. He is currently exploring the challenge for a second belt, a proposal already approved by UFC President Dana White.
“I want to stay in this octagon as long as possible,” Volkanowski said. “I want to keep busy. I don’t think this division can keep me busy myself. I want to go upstairs.”
Beyond potential light movements, Volkanowski’s next featherweight title defense could be linked to the main match between Ortega and Yair Rodriguez on July 16.
Volkanowski has now won 22 matches in a row, including 12 in the UFC. He is the fourth fighter in UFC history, along with Anderson Silva, Kamaru Usman and Khabib Nurmagomedov, to win their first 12 matches in promotion. He is the third fighter in UFC history to join Frankie Edgar (on BJ Penn) and Tito Ortiz (on Ken Shamrock) and win three matches against the same opponent.
It looks like Holloway has broken a two-fight winning streak. His only defeat in the 2014 featherweight was against Volkanowski.