Volkanovski had a busy first round, scoring mainly with his kicks, yet each of Aldo’s effective potshots were greeted with roars from the Rio crowd, perhaps influencing the judges in the Brazilian’s favor. Volkanovski kept the pace high in the second, mixing up his attacks to keep Aldo off balance. Aldo kept it close, but he just wasn’t being busy enough to take over, and in the third, Volkanovski pulled away, leaving no doubt when it came to the final verdict.
Max Holloway I, December 2019
Alexander Volkanovski’s 18th consecutive win was the most important of his life, as he will be bringing a championship belt back to Australia after winning a five-round unanimous decision over Max Holloway to take the UFC featherweight title in the UFC 245 co-main event.
Scores were 48-47 twice and 50-45 for Volkanovski, who ups his record to 21-1. Holloway, who saw a 14-fight featherweight winning streak snapped, falls to 21-5.
The action was measured in the first round as both fighters got acclimated to each other, but the harder shots were landed by Volkanovski, who battered Holloway’s lead leg with kicks.
Holloway got a little busier in the second, but Volkanovski stayed disciplined and kept pecking away at the left leg, leaving it marked up heading into round three.
The champion began round three in the southpaw stance in order to protect his banged up left wheel, and a fight proceeded to break out, as the exchanges finally heated up. Both fighters got their licks in, but it was Volkanovski’s consistency that was winning him the fight.
Volkanovski broke from his steady attack to attempt a takedown in the fourth, and while Holloway stuffed it, it was the kind of move that forced the Hawaiian to have something else to be concerned about. Holloway’s fighting spirit was not dulled, though, and he landed some of his best punches of the fight in the frame.
Holloway had a solid fifth round, but in a close fight, it was no surprise that Volkanovski landed more than enough hard shots to give the judges something to think about when the final horn sounded.
Max Holloway II, July 2020
Max Holloway seemed to be on his way to regaining his UFC featherweight title in his rematch against Alexander Volkanovski, but some quality adjustments and a late surge by the champion kept the belt in Australia via split decision.
Scores were 48-47 twice and 47-48 for Volkanovski, now 22-1. Holloway falls to 21-6. Volkanovski took the title from Holloway in their first fight in December 2019.
Volkanovski picked up where he left off in their first fight by throwing plenty of leg kicks, but this time, Holloway fired back with kicks of his own, and when he wasn’t answering the Australian, he was mixing up his attack effectively, jarring Volkanovski with a right hand with 1:15 left and dropping the champ with a head kick in the closing seconds of round one.
Holloway, looking like a completely different fighter than he did the first time around, continued to put on a striking clinic with a variety of strikes in the second, and it was showing on the face of Volkanovski, who suffered a second knockdown when he was drilled by a right uppercut late in the frame.
Making adjustments in round three, Volkanovski sought out a takedown, but was turned away by Holloway. Giving Holloway something else to think about was a wise move though, as he was able to tag the Hawaiian with some solid shots.
The fourth was close, Holloway possibly holding a slight edge, but Volkanovski certainly getting some points for a takedown with a little under two minutes left.
Volkanovski got another takedown in the fifth, a key in a pivotal round in which the striking numbers were virtually even. And a final takedown by Alexander “The Great” had fans waiting with bated breath for the scorecards, which went Volkanovski’s way.
Brian Ortega, September 2021
UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski won his 20th consecutive bout and successfully defended his belt for the second time in the UFC 266 main event with a five-round unanimous decision over Brian Ortega in an instant classic.
Scores were 49-46, 50-45 and 50-44 for Australia’s Volkanovski, now 23-1. The No.2-ranked Ortega falls to 15-2 with 1 NC.