Holloway returns to the cage following his unanimous decision win against Arnold Allen in April. He’ll face Chan Sung Jung, The Korean Zombie, who returns following his fourth-round knockout loss to featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.

For those eager to watch this exciting matchup and all others this weekend, make sure to tune into UFC Fight Night 225, set to broadcast on ESPN+ at a special time in the United States. The main card begins at 8 a.m. ET with prelims getting started at 5 a.m. ET on Saturday morning.

How to bet: Sign up to BetUS and cash in our special sign-up offer of up to $2,500.

Betting Odds

Max Holloway is a heavy favorite ahead of this weekend’s main event in Singapore.

• Max Holloway: -740 (BetUS)
• Chan Sung Jung: +490 (BetUS)

Special Offer: Sign up to BetUS today and get an exclusive sign-up offer worth up to $2,500

Staff Predictions

Braeden Arbour

This is a great fight against two very experienced fighters. The Korean Zombie (Chan Sung Jung) for a long time built a reputation as a brawler in a lot of fans’ eyes, hence the name. However, it is clear that although he can brawl he does not have to, he has some of the most accurate and technical boxing skills as well as a very educated jiu jitsu game. Zombie tends to do his best work when he is boxing with counter combinations, he is very good at slipping to counter uppercuts and hooks, and then chaining on shots, or using the same dip to initiate a takedown. Compared to many of his opponents, Zombie does not hold much of a speed advantage and this is the same against Holloway, what he does have is timing and three inches of reach. However, where he most often finds confidence in his ability to take a shot or lose ground in output in order to find that one sweet KO sequence, this trade becomes null if he cannot hurt his opponents, and instead ends up taking unnecessary damage.

Max Holloway so far has shown maybe the best chin in UFC history. It’s never a good idea to bet all your chips on chin and durability, but if anyone can wade through some of that danger from Zombie it is Holloway. What Holloway has in abundance is cardio, rhythm and output. He will be at a power disadvantage but his ability to switch stance and use in and out movement to land and evade is the perfect recipe to beat the Zombie. He utilizes a better kicking game, and even though giving up reach, has the height advantage allowing him to slip back from counter shots after landing.

Of the two men, The Korean Zombie is the more proficient jiu-jitsu player. He has shown a wider variety of submission offense, as well as good control, most recently against Holloway’s fellow Hawaiian, Dan Ige, before his title shot last year. Holloway has improved wrestling, but what sticks out are his trips and guillotine choke. Holloway has 84% takedown defense to Zombie’s 47% takedown accuracy, meaning it will be a tough go for Zombie to initiate a grappling exchange if it comes down to it, and the initial threat of the guillotine adds to that risk. Overall I do think that Holloway can avoid the grappling of The Korean Zombie, and use superior movement, speed and establish his rhythm in the striking. This all makes for the most difficult kind of fighter to consistently counter punch, which is The Korean Zombie’s main and potentially only route to victory. I think Holloway will be able to use kicks to stay outside when he wants and float in and out to box, and ultimately accumulate damage on Zombie.

Pick: Max Holloway to win (-740 at BetUS)

Michael Pounders

Come Saturday night, now 31, Max “Blessed” Holloway will grace the caged canvas for the 28th time in the UFC. He is arguably the best fighter who isn’t a champion in the entire promotion as evident by his #13 pound-for-pound ranking.

Holloway holds records for most significant strikes landed in his career, coming in with 3,122. For context, second and third place are at 1820 and 1801 respectively. Holloway also holds the record for most significant strikes landed in a single fight with 578, with second place coming in with 430. Possibly more impressive, though, is that Max ranks 1, 3, 5, and 6 on that list. Those statistics are shared in part to give one of the best fighters of this generation his well-deserved flowers but also to illustrate just how special of a fighter Holloway is.

“Blessed” is undoubtedly the best boxer in the UFC with the hand speed, volume, precision, dynamism, and toughness that accumulate to create such a fighter. Most of Holloway’s fights go the same way. From the first to the last second, Max takes the center of the octagon and rarely moves backward, instead he will stubbornly hold his ground or walk forward while unleashing unmatched volume with a variety of endless combinations.

As the fight progresses, Holloway only improves. His volume increases, his power accumulates, and his determination to win amplifies. He has one of the best cardio tanks in the UFC and knows how to weaponize that cardio along with his pressure. Beyond his pressure, cardio, and striking, the final hallmark of Holloway is his Hawaiian spirit and subsequent durability. With the likes of Dober, Luque, and Ferguson going away,

Holloway sits atop the mountain as likely the most durable fighter on the roster. Just another of his many accomplishments. Holloway has only been finished once- submitted by Poirier in 2012- despite absorbing punishment from the division’s elite for years. If there is a gap in the storied career and game of “Blessed” it is his inability or refusal to check leg kicks. Because he stands with such a wide and traditional boxing stance, Holloway carries much of his weight on his front foot which makes him more susceptible to the calf kick. But, that Hawaiian spirit yet again shines through because while Max has been hurt via leg kicks, he has always pushed through the pain and come out stronger on the other side.

A warrior worthy of sharing the octagon with Holloway, “The Korean Zombie,” Chan Sung Jung, now 36, steps in for possibly the last time in the UFC. There have not been any substantial rumors suggesting that Zombie will retire after this fight; but, given his age, severe unlikelihood of another title shot, and the wars he’s been a part of, a retirement would not surprise many.

Just like Holloway, Jung’s hallmark and the origin of his nickname is his durability and willingness to continue fighting no matter the fire coming back his way. He will, sometimes to his own detriment, walk forward like a zombie through hell in a gasoline suit to try and land his own combinations. That determination and durability not only earned him the Korean Zombie nickname but propelled him to the top of one of the best divisions in MMA.

Each time he steps into the cage, Jung’s opponent better be ready for war. Jung will pressure forward, throwing heavy and frequent combinations intended to do damage with each blow. He can push a high pace for 5 championship rounds and continue to do damage from the first to the last minute of a fight. His striking is technical, powerful, and highly successful when offensive.

But, his defensive striking, skewed because of his willingness to eat shots to move forward, leaves a lot to be desired. Jung tends to plod forward, moving linearly and rarely cutting angles, with minimal head movement. His goal is not primarily to protect himself; but, rather, get into a position where he can hurt his opponent regardless of the strikes coming back his way. His chin and toughness, both may be starting to fade with age, have allowed him to fight with this style to great success.

The other, often-forgotten aspect of Zombie’s game, that elevated his standing in the UFC is his grappling. While Jung’s wrestling is infrequent and only partially successful, his grappling, scrambling, and submission game are often underappreciated attributes. If he hurts and opponent, something he’s done in most of his fights, Jung is fully capable of following his opponent down and finding a submission on the mat. While Jung hasn’t won via submission since 2012, the skillset helps open up opportunities for victories.

Holloway is a -800 for a reason, he is simply better than Zombie everywhere. Both men are insanely durable, have cardio for days, are high level strikers, and have enough high level experience for two careers. However, in each of those categories, Holloway is better. Holloway has never been knocked out, while Jung was TKO’d in his last fight and has been finished by strikes 4 times. While Jung can push a high-octane pace for 5 rounds, Max has nearly every output record on the books.

While Jung has a striking resume worthy of admiration, Holloway is the best boxer on the roster. And while Jung has been in there with the division’s best, Holloway is one of the division’s best. In short, Holloway will win this fight. The question becomes, how to bet it. My favorite bet on the card is a multi-unit parlay of Max and Chikadze. However, as a straight play, I like Holloway by decision.

I think we’ll see a fight similar to Holloway v Kattar so a stoppage is likely going to be determined by the ref’s subjective perspective. I think Holloway will hurt Zombie enough to warrant a stoppage, but I also expect Jung’s durability to be on full display and for him to continue fighting regardless. Therefore, because I expect a finish vs. decision to be around 50/50, I want plus-money on the prop play. That lands me on Holloway by decision.

Best Bet: Holloway to win by decision (+165 at BetUS)

The post Max Holloway vs. The Korean Zombie predictions | UFC Singapore appeared first on The Body Lock.

Holloway vs. Allen will fight for five rounds on the UFC on ESPN 44 card that is set to take place at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, this Saturday night.

It’ll be the promotion’s second time visiting Kansas City and the first time since 2017. The card will also feature an exciting co-main event bout between Edson Barboza and Billy Quarantillo.

Read on for our staff predictions and UFC fight analysis before the UFC on ESPN 44 main event: Holloway vs Allen.

Betting Odds

According to the betting odds from MyBookie, Max Holloway is the favorite to win the fight with a negative money line of -181, while Arnold Allen is the underdog with a positive money line of +141.

Specifically, a bettor would need to wager $181 on Holloway to win $100 if he wins the fight, while a $100 bet on Allen would result in a $141 profit if he wins.

• Max Holloway: -181 (MyBookie)
• Arnold Allen: +141 (MyBookie)

Staff Predictions

Braeden Arbour

Although scheduled for the main event last October, an injury put a quick stop to Arnold Allen’s recent performance against Calvin Kattar opening the second round. There is no sugar coating that his next fight opposite Max Holloway is a big ask not only as a steep jump in competition but also as his first potential 25 minute contest is against the most dangerous 5 round fighter outside of the champion Volkanovski.

Therefore, it will be on Allen to pace himself through this fight, and where we have seen him unload and swarm hurt opponents in the past, he cannot have the same confidence against the legendary durability of Holloway. Allen is a southpaw, Holloway conventional. Allen should look to utilize a combination of his slick lead calf kick and accurate left cross to open his combinations, and follow up with the lead hand rather than begin with a conventional jab. He should have the power advantage in the matchup but in order to get to his target it’s important that the calf kick eventually starts to weigh on Holloway’s footwork.

Holloway is the more active and mobile fighter, he has a wider range in footwork styles he can adapt to, and typically switches stance often to open angles and float in and out of range. Although his primary stance is conventional, meaning he too has to rely on other leading tactics outside of his jab. A southpaw vs orthodox matchup includes a battle for who can keep the lead leg on the outside, opening the rear cross, makes it easier to parry and the lead hook, for Holloway he needs to dominate this area and when he finds himself losing it, go to the crafty front kicks to the body and knees that he used so well in his last few fights. Allen has good movement and activity but when he does settle he tends to lean heavy on his lead leg, exposing his knee to the higher end of damage that lead front and side-kick can cause. Using these kicks to set up his entries is also important, especially once establishing the front kick, using the knee raise feint to step in boxing he loves so much.

As mentioned before, this could very well be Allen’s introduction to rounds 4 and 5 and it should be a priority for Holloway to bring him there. Allen has not shown a lack of conditioning but he does unload heavily if he smells blood in the water to the point where he tightens up and throws with everything he’s got. A few instances where he over exerted and he could pay for that late. He also tends to unload with a barrage of close hooks, where he loads up and swings back and forth, in a way that is so fast and powerful it swarms his opponents but not in a way that’s particularly unexpected. If Allen gets overly zealous or excited, watch for Holloway to throw down the pipe and have some success, especially his rear uppercut and jump in knee.

Pick: Max Holloway to win (-181 at MyBookie)

Michael Pounders

Holloway v Allen might not be the name recognition draw that even a fight like Masvidal v Burns; but, wow, this fight should be fantastic! Both fighters are highly skilled, incredibly tough, well-rounded, and at the top of one of the deepest and toughest divisions in the UFC.

For many, Holloway, following his mauling of Kattar, earned himself the prestigious moniker of the best boxer in the UFC. Max has elite hand speed, crisp and technical combinations, and high level evasive movement, even though he often doesn’t need it. Max often doesn’t need his defensive footwork and head movement because he also has one of the best chins in the UFC. No matter how clean the shot, how much volume comes his way, or how much volume he’s thrown himself, Holloway seems impervious to strikes, possibly incapable of being finished. On top of all of that, Holloway also possibly has the best striking cardio in the UFC. In 2018, Holloway broke the record for most significant strikes landed in a single fight with 290. Holloway held that record until 2021 when he broke his own record with a historic amount of volume. Holloway landed 445 significant strikes in a 25-minute fight against Calvin Kattar. That is not a typo, Max landed 445 significant strikes, shattering his old record! That performance, while likely one that will never be surpassed, illustrates how Holloway fights. He looks to box with unmatched pressure and volume for the full 25 minutes. He lands a variety of combinations from a variety of angles with speed, precision, and power. Holloway has a wide boxing base but uses fluid and fundamental footwork to evade counter shots, counter opponents himself, and cut angles to increase the success of his own shots. He’s simply the best boxer in the UFC. Holloway also has excellent takedown defense and regularly keeps the fight standing, in his world.

Allen is a polished and well-schooled fighter who, like many other young prospects turned contenders, have trained the full gambit of MMA from a young age, rather than starting in just one facet. Allen’s training shows in each of his fights. He is able to smoothly transition back and forth from striking to grappling with impressive comfort. Allen fights from a southpaw stance with technical kickboxing. While his kickboxing is technical, it is anything but robotic. He flows in and out of range well as he looks to pressure his opponent back to the cage. Typically, Allen is at his best when he can trap his opponent with their back against the octagon. When he has an opponent pinned like prey, Allen is able to attack from all angles with his full arsenal of weapons. He reads his opponents so well and so quickly it sometimes appears like he knows what they’re doing before they do it. Because of his complete skillset, Allen can hurt and opponent with strikes against the cage, clinch and land more heavy blows, clinch and transition for a takedown, or even take the back for a submission. No matter what his opponent tries to do, when he sees an opening, Allen has the skills to exploit it. Allen has the skills, cardio, killer instinct, and level-headed approach in the octagon to be a champion. The only question remains is how he responds when the lights shine brightest. Allen was on his way to proving he can handle the big stage in his last fight, clearly winning round 1, but a knee injury to Kattar caused an early stoppage. He’ll look to prove, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that he is ready for a shot at the belt with a win on Saturday night.

I’ve gone back and forth on this fight several times a day since the fight was announced. I think the line is exactly where it should be, giving Holloway is a -175 giving him implied odds of 65%. I think that is spot on. Holloway deserves to be the favorite and has the tools to dismantle Allen’s attacks with his typical high volume pressure boxing. But Holloway has struggled against southpaws, Allen seems to improve drastically fight after fight, and Allen’s biggest question is simply that he hasn’t done it yet. That results in Allen deserving to be a small underdog against one of the best fighters in the UFC. My best bet is for the fight to go over 4.5 rounds at a -130. Holloway might truly be unfinishable and Allen has the defense, youth, cardio, and toughness himself to push a decision. I also like a sprinkle on either fighter to win by split decision. I think this fight will be a back and forth masterclass in MMA that results in a razor thin decision. But, as far as picking a fighter to win, I’ll ever so slightly side with Holloway. In a fight that I expect to be close, I like backing the guy I know will throw volume for 25 full minutes.

Best Bet: Over 4.5 rounds (-130 at MyBookie)

Joe Pounders

Max “Blessed” Holloway is one of the best non-champions in the entire UFC. Often, when a division has a generational-level champion, there is a contender just below that would be champion if it were not for the generational talent. For the featherweight division, the generational champion is Alexander Volkanovski, and the contender that would be champion if it were not for him would undoubtedly be Max Holloway. I say undoubtedly because Max has not lost a featherweight fight to someone other than Volk in 10 years. This parlayed with him beating the likes of Aldo, Ortega, Kattar, and Yair, rationalizes this statement.

Max is an arguable top 10 pound-for-pound fight currently on the roster, and this stems from a unique ability to weaponize cardio through strikes. Often, the best fighters that weaponize cardio do so via wrestling, i.e. Merab Dvalishvili, but Max is unique by throwing constant strike output with non-stop forward pressure. This style smothers his opponent through taxing cardio, but also, also him to land at a rate that puts on serious damage as the fight ensues, as seen in the Calvin Kattar fight. Beyond elite striking and cardio, Max has very good grappling, as he understands how to use his large frame to poster up when a shot is taken against him and understands how to time a takedown himself if he so chooses to wrestle. All in all, Max is an elite UFC fighter, a future HOF’er, and someone who has little to no flaws in his game.

Arnold Allen is an elite well-rounded fighter in his own right. From lightning-quick, in-and-out movement strikes, to solid offensive wrestling, Allen has become one of the biggest problems to contend with in the division. What is quite interesting is that he, being an ascending prospect who is undefeated in the UFC over 10 fights, is just now entering his prime. This proposition of just now entering the fight prime where he has fine-tuned his skills is scary for his opponents to contend with, as he has learned to keep his well-rounded, highly technical skillset to now, having fight-ending capabilities. This ability, to now find the finish, is not only beneficial to avoid questionable judging, but more importantly, is an indicator of eliteness given many fighters are well-rounded, but those fighters who have the ability to finish both on the feet and mat against elite contenders are fighters who fight for, and potentially win, the belt.

Diving deeper into Allen’s fight game, he is comfortable standing southpaw against orthodox strikers, and this stance opposition allows him to let his hands go freely without the need to worry about wearing damaging outside leg kicks. Moreover, Allen understands how an overhand left can lead seamlessly into a takedown, and this style of throwing a big shot directly into a takedown is highly effective, particularly against an opponent with technical takedown defense. Once on the mat, he does a good job staying heavy on top position while finding angles to land slicing elbows and/or a submission finish. In total, Allen, similarly to Max, has very few flaws in his fight game, making this matchup highly entertaining!

I, as with many other fight fans, am a big fan of Arnold Allen given his success in the UFC has paid dividends from a handicapping standpoint. His style is very repeatable in the octagon, and he has shown intelligence in choosing the easiest path to victory when needed. With all that said, Max Holloway is simply too elite to go against here. Simply put, Max is one of the best strikers, one of the best at weaponizing cardio, a more than good enough grappler, and for a little cherry on top, has one of the best chins in the entire UFC. While it wouldn’t surprise me one bit that Allen makes this fight close by landing powerful blows and even a takedown or two, Max is simply too good to go against here, and at a price of -180, he is easily bettable.

Pick: Max Holloway to win (-181 at MyBookie)

The post Staff Predictions: Max Holloway vs Arnold Allen appeared first on The Body Lock.

Alexander Volkanovski looks to make it four title defenses in a row when he faces Holloway for the third time tonight in Las Vegas. Volkanovski defeated Holloway by unanimous decision to claim the title in 2019 before then beating him again in 2020 by split decision to defend the title. He has since backed up those wins with victories against Brian Ortega and “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung.

Holloway, the former champion, gets another shot at the title following impressive performances against both Calvin Kattar and Yair Rodriguez. The Kattar fight was a one-sided beatdown from Holloway and then Holloway passed the difficult challenge that is Rodriguez to leave the UFC with no other option but to run this fight back once more.

Read on for all of our play-by-play updates, live results, and highlights from Alexander Volkanovski vs Max Holloway at UFC 276.

Alexander Volkanovski vs Max Holloway play-by-play

Watch the fight live now or catch the full replay only on ESPN+ PPV.

Round One

They touch gloves and then it’s Holloway immediately pressuring Volkanovski. Both fighters testing the range with low kicks so far. Holloway front body kick and then a high kick but both don’t get through. Volkanovski already going to the legs of Holloway. Holloway comes in with a punch, misses, then ducks to evade a powerful combination from Volkanovski in return. They trade body kicks now. Volkanovski moves forward with a jab and then a right hand behind it. Volkanovski opening up with punches now but nothing lands. But now he lands a heavy punch to the head of Holloway. Holloway attempts to return fire but misses.

When Holloway comes forward, Volkanovski is ready to unload powerful hooks and stand his ground. They’re yet to connect, though, but that’s clearly the plan of Volkanovskik who wants to punish Holloway for pressuring him. Holloway’s high kick is blocked. Nice jab from Volkanovski and then he comes forward into the clinch. He’s clearly confident so far in this fight. Holloway is yet to settle into the fight. Volkanovski lands a strong left hand. Holloway still advancing, though, but hasn’t been able to open his offense in the way that he’d like.

They’ve momentarily clinched a few times during the round but no fighter has been able to take advantage of the situation. Now they’re trading at close range. Holloway lands some good punches as Volkanovski retreats. Spinning back fist from Holloway is blocked at the end of the round. Good first round from Volkanovski who managed the distance well.

10-9 Volkanovski

Round two

Volkanovski was feeling it in the first round so expect Holloway to come out and disrupt his flow here in the second. Holloway comes forward with some punches but Volkanovski stands his ground again and returns punches. That’s been the key so far. Volkanovski has accepted the position of circling and being on the outside but he’s not giving up ground as Holloway comes forward. Strong right hand connects from the champion. Holloway didn’t have an answer there.

Now Holloway mixes it up and goes to the body of Volkanovski with punches. He’s throwing the jab now to keep Volkanovski busy. He comes forward and clinches with Volkanovski but the champion turns him and pushes him back to the cage. A nice elbow from the champion lands. Holloway turns and Volkanovski lands another elbow. Holloway throws a combination to the body and head. Another one but Volkanovski evades the right hand to land one of his own. A cut has opened up on Holloway’s face now. A jab from Volkanovski seems to wobble Holloway for a moment. Holloway misses with a straight punch to the body. Now he goes back to his kicks. Volkanovski evades.

Calf kick from Volkanovski and then Holloway lands one of his own. Holloway lands some straight punches and then only just misses with a high kick. Volkanovski’s head movement has been critical as Holloway comes forward with blitzes. Holloway’s long straight punches are just falling short as Volkanovski moves back now. Strong left hand from Volkanovski lands. Flying knee attempt by Holloway. Volkanovski has been in control of this round and that’s two in the books for the champion.

10-9 Volkanovski

Round three

In-between rounds they showed Holloway’s corner working on his cut above his eye. It’s a deep, nastier cut than expected. They come back out for round three now. Volkanovski lands a right hand down the middle. He’s punishing Max for moving forward and he’s looked faster than Holloway so far. Holloway’s still dangerous though, of course.

They trade leg kicks and they’re fighting at a much closer range now in round three. Volkanovski has been able to evade most of Holloway’s attacks so far. A nice jab lands for Holloway. Now Volkanovski is throwing his straight punches and two connect. Now he goes to hooks as Holloway steps in and another lands. Holloway throws a combination and most strikes are defended. A nice jab from Holloway sends Volkanovski’s head back. More strong punches land for Volkanovski. Holloway’s chin is being tested now. They clinch now and it’s Volkanovski pushing Holloway to the cage. A spinning back fist just misses Holloway on the exit. Another strong right hand from the champion. The cut above Holloway’s eye is now bleeding again and it could be enough to put an end to the fight if it opens up any more.

Holloway connects with one of his best strikes of the fight so far and it’s a knee as Volkanovski comes in. Now there’s a cut on Volkanovski’s forehead.  Holloway lands some punches to finish the round. He definitely improved in the last minute there.

10-9 Volkanovski

Round four

Holloway high kick misses. Now they’re clinching against the cage. Volkanovski breaks and lands some heavy hooks. Back to the clinch. Double underhooks for Volkanovski. He disengages and Holloway’s cut has opened again. Body kick from Holloway lands. Nice 1-2 from the champion and then he bounces out of range before Holloway can respond. Nice spinning back kick from Holloway. Pace has slowed in round four. Holloway ducks under a combination from Volkanovski. Holloway now advances behind his jab. Volkanovski catches a body kick but lets it go. Now the champion crashes two hard punches into Holloway’s head.

Holloway has still been advancing and an opportunity presents itself when Volkanovski slips. Holloway latches onto him but they’re far too slippery and end up clinching against the cage. A high kick from Holloway misses. More hard punches from Volkanovski. And again as Holloway advances, Volkanovski is able to duck underneath and then land two hooks. Nice body kick from Holloway now. But it’s still the champion in control of this one. He’s back to his jab and working Holloway’s face. Holloway’s spinning back kick to the body just misses. High kick nearly lands for Holloway. Volkanovski has evaded those much better in this fight.

10-9 Volkanovski

Round five

Volkanovski’s made it look easy so far. He’s outworking the former champion and it’s likely a shutout on all scorecards at this point. Holloway needs to change something up here to have a chance. He clinches with Volkanovski and pushes him back to the cage but Volkanovski reverses position and now they reset in the center. More leg kicks from Volkanovski land now. The pace has slowed again. It hasn’t been a repeat of the highly-competitive battles in the first two fights but instead, we’re seeing a one-sided display from the champion.

Holloway takedown attempt but Volkanovski keeps his balance and then clinches against the cage. They reset. Volkanovski doesn’t seem to be in any real danger here and fans are likely just counting down the seconds. Holloway’s face is covered in blood and Volkanovski lands a strong right hand. High kick from Holloway is blocked. Not a lot of action in the last round and we have less than a minute remaining now. Volkanovski jabbing. Holloway calls for him to throw down but Volkanovski raises his hand. It’s over.

Incredible performance from Volkanovski. Beat Holloway in every aspect of the fight tonight and had him shooting takedowns in the final stages of the fight. Holloway had no answers for the champion.

10-9 Volkanovski

Official Result: Alexander Volkanovski def. Max Holloway via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)

Fighters react to Volkanovski vs. Holloway

The first round is a cheat sheet. Max Holloway didn’t make the adjustments he needed to. Volkanovski continues to improve #UFC276 pic.twitter.com/mGjTzIYltS

— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) July 3, 2022

Champ @alexvolkanovski is at another level but @BlessedMMA has no quit in him he is all heart!!! Great fight @ufc #UFC276

— Vicente Luque (@VicenteLuqueMMA) July 3, 2022

Volk needs to get a chance a double champ status

— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) July 3, 2022

Congrats on another phenomenal performance @alexvolkanovski!
Styles make fights and I’m that style you haven’t seen yet! #UFC276

— JOSH EMMETT (@JoshEmmettUFC) July 3, 2022

Volk did his thing that was so impressive #UFC276

— Vince Morales (@vandetta135) July 3, 2022

Volkanovski is damn good at fighting. This is a 5 round master class. #UFC276

— Michael Chiesa (@MikeMav22) July 3, 2022

That’s a bad man #ufc276

— Tim Elliott (@TElliott125) July 3, 2022

Max is one of my favs, but volk looked untouchable tonight. Wouldn’t be mad seeing him and Charles at 55

— Erik Jon Koch (@NEWBREED04) July 3, 2022

Volkanovski vs Emmett is the fight to make ! Two guys with heat ! Someone going out ! #UFC276

— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) July 3, 2022

Read our UFC full fight play-by-play updates and live results for every other UFC 276 main card fight here.

The post UFC 276: Alexander Volkanovski vs Max Holloway 3 play-by-play, full fight results, video highlights appeared first on The Body Lock.

The two fighters have already shared the cage for 10 rounds and a total of 50 minutes — but it’s the next rounds that will matter most. Volkanovski emerged victorious on both previous occasions, defeating Holloway by unanimous decision in 2019 and then by split decision in 2020.

Both fighters have recorded impressive victories against other opponents in the featherweight division following their last clash in 2020, leaving no other choice but to run this exciting trilogy bout tonight at UFC 276.

Alexander Volkanovski vs Max Holloway is the UFC 276 co-main event tonight. Order the PPV on ESPN+ to watch Volkanovski vs Holloway and every other fight live.

Read on for our full Volkanovski vs Holloway betting guide and preview, including the latest betting odds, best bets, fight picks, predictions, analysis, and more.

Volkanovski vs Holloway odds

• Alexander Volkanovski: -200
• Max Holloway: +160

Alexander Volkanovski is a big favorite heading into UFC 276 as money continues to come in on the champion’s side in the trilogy bout. The current odds are similar to the second bout in which Volkanovski closed as a -190 favorite.

It’s a significant swing from the first fight between the pair at UFC 245 when Volkanovski had closed as a +170 underdog.

Volkanovski vs Holloway fight picks

While all three of our expert analysts agree that Israel Adesanya will emerge victorious in the main event, we’re split on the co-main event.

Michael Pounders and Joe Pounders are predicting that Volkanovski will make it three wins in a row against the former champion. Braeden Arbour, however, is backing the underdog, Holloway, to get the job done this weekend.

Arbour writes “I believe that Holloway showed a bit more the last time the two fought, and since has looked as if he has even further improved… Overall I think that Holloway does a bit more damage, lands a bit more, and controls the pace and cage to a slightly higher degree.”

Michael Pounders feels that Volkanovski has ‘leveled up recently,’ stating that he “appears quicker and more powerful on the feet lately. In their first matchups, Volkanovski’s ability to get inside and land the heavier shots propelled him to a victory. I anticipate a similar outcome this week.”

Joe Pounders writes that “Volkanovskis just that tick better in nearly every aspect of the fight game than Holloway is, as such, I am taking him in this matchup. His speed, ability to hop in and out of range, elite fight intelligence, strong wrestling, and ability to land from head to toe against his opponent rationalizes my backing of Volkanovski beyond the arbitrary belief that he is just a notch higher in level than Holloway is.”

Make sure to read our full analysis of the Volkanovski vs Holloway here in our detailed staff predictions article.’

UFC 276 Betting Odds

Main Card – 10:00 pm ET / 7:00 pm PT only on ESPN+ PPV (order here)

• Israel Adesanya (-500) vs. Jared Cannonier (+350)
• Alexander Volkanovski (-210) vs. Max Holloway (+165)
• Sean Strickland (-125) vs. Alex Pereira (-105)
• Robbie Lawler (-125) vs. Bryan Barberena (-105)
• Pedro Munhoz  (+220) vs. Sean O’Malley (-300)

Prelims – 8:00 pm ET / 5:00 pm PT on ESPN+, ABC, and ESPN

• Brad Riddell (+120) vs. Jalin Turner (-150)
• Ian Garry (-175) vs. Gabriel Green (+145)
• Jim Miller (-175) vs. Donald Cerrone (+145)
• Brad Tavares (+125) vs. Dricus Du Plessis (-155)

Early Prelims– 6:30 pm ET / 3:30 pm PT on ESPN+ and ESPN

• Uriah Hall (+250) vs. Andre Muniz (-350)
• Jessica Eye (+220) vs. Maycee Barber (-300)
• Jessica-Rose Clark (-145) vs. Julija Stoliarenko (+115)

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The post UFC 276 Betting Preview: Volkanovski vs Holloway appeared first on The Body Lock.

It was a close, competitive battle but it was Holloway who came out on top at the end of the five rounds. Holloway vs Rodriguez earned Fight of the Night honors, making it two in a row for Holloway following his impressive victory against Calvin Kattar earlier in 2021.

Holloway returns this Saturday night to face Alexander Volkanovski in a title fight at UFC 276. Order the PPV on ESPN+ to watch Volkanovski vs. Holloway and every other fight live.

Watch the full fight video for Holloway vs. Rodriguez below, courtesy of the official UFC YouTube channel.

The post Max Holloway vs Yair Rodriguez full fight video | UFC 276 appeared first on The Body Lock.

Volkanovski vs. Holloway 3 is the co-main event of the UFC 276 PPV and will stream live only on ESPN+ this Saturday night. Order the PPV here to watch every fight live.

Volkanovski has recorded two wins against the former champion already with the first being a unanimous decision victory back in 2019. He backed that win up immediately with a split decision win against Holloway in 2020 before then proceeding to defend his title against Brian Ortega and “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung.

Holloway also managed two wins since last fighting Volkanovski. In January last year, Holloway impressed with a one-sided beatdown of Calvin Kattar that ended in unanimous decision. In November, he defeated Yair Rodriguez by unanimous decision to earn another shot at Volkanovski and the title.

Read on for our full fight predictions, analysis, and staff picks, as well as the latest betting odds and best bets for Volkanovski vs Holloway 3.

Betting Odds

The champion will enter as a moderate betting favorite following his two wins in the series already. Holloway may represent decent value for those looking to bet on the underdog.

• Alexander Volkanovski: -210 (BetUS)
• Max Holloway: +170 (MyBookie)

Staff Picks

Braeden Arbour

It would be foolish for anyone to assert too heavily that they know who will come out on top in the trilogy of one of the most compelling rivals in UFC history. Unlike many rivalries of its kind, the record stands 2-0 for Alexander Volkanovski officially, but the pure competitiveness, especially in the second fight that half – if not slightly more fans, believe Max Holloway won. It’s been a debate for two years, and while no one discredits Volkanovski’s claim to the throne, some do wonder if Holloway has been the best 145er in the world since then as well. Regardless it’s essentially agreed that the two men rule the division, and finally with this third fight we should get a clear top dog over the featherweights.

Max Holloway has always been primarily a kickboxer. He flows seamlessly with his footwork in, although not an exceptionally explosive manner, with enough consistent speed that he is able to get in and out relatively smoothly. His sheer volume does cause him to take tremendous amounts of damage in return but ultimately not much when compared to what he outputs. This is a trend that follows in most of his fights other than the previous two with Volkanovski, however since they last met we may have seen him even better than before. One of the strengths of Holloway’s style is he is so awkwardly unorthodox in his movements when not engaged that it causes hesitation. He utilizes lots of hand movements with fakes, feints and low power shots that double, or triple up on one side making him extremely difficult to read. It’s during this gestation from his opponents that Holloway is able to work his way in with flurries of hooks to the body or elbows upstairs. If this makes them shell up, he unloads with a couple power shots like his spinning sidekick or head kicks amid the flurry of low power high volume combinations.

However, Volkanovki has been seen to have a similar effect on opponents due to his footwork and speed. While he isn’t the pure volume striker of Holloway, nor the same style, he also tends to cause hesitation from his opponents because he is also hard to read. He usually feints and fakes from the outside where neither man can be hit, and because he is of a short reach and height he explodes in with heavier shots which force enough respect from his opponents that they have to shell or block. That coupled with vicious low kicks that take out the roots of shelled opponents is extremely effective.

One of the differences in their second fight compared to the first is that it seemed Holloway did not offer as much respect to Volkanovski in terms of risk. He moved forward more, he offered heavier shots to end his combination and overall fought like the challenger rather than the defending champ. This made a huge difference in my opinion, and if Holloway comes in with the same mentality that we have seen in his last three fights, his ability to stunt momentum with volume makes more sense that him being stunted by Volkanovki’s power and spacing, especially if Holloway can maintain that forward consistent pressure.

Where things get more confident on Volkanovki’s side as well is in the grappling. He once was hailed as one of the best up-and-coming ground and pounders in the UFC before becoming a predominant striker, however he still maintains that barrelling takedown ability reminiscent of his high-level rugby days. On top he is a master at framing off his opponents to maintain perfect space for strikes and force them flat. Comparatively, Holloway’s grappling game is an extension of his striking, his takedowns consist more of trips and sweeps that chain from his striking combinations. His best work on the mat has so far come from submissions locked onto opponents already previously hurt from strikes. Against Yair Rodriguez in his last fight, it was evident that wrestling was an integral focus on Holloway’s last camp, and further improvement remains to be seen but it looked merely as the difference between a striker rounding himself out, and still a bit of a leap from the specialty skills on the ground that Volkanovski demonstrates.

This is an extremely close fight. In my personal opinion I believe that Holloway showed a bit more the last time the two fought, and since has looked as if he has even further improved. Volkanovski has as well absolutely but I think he has been able to showcase his footwork and presence against opponents like Chan Sung Jung and Brian Ortega who particularly lack in those areas where Holloway also excels. I think that being able to bully down strikers like Rodriguez and Calvin Kattar are more telling to what may happen against Volkanovski, particularly if Holloway goes out refusing to over respect Volkanovski’s skills. I also believe that this will force Volkanovski to look to his takedowns a tad more than we have seen of late, which could spell trouble for Holloway if it should become a trend early. However overall I think that Holloway does a bit more damage, lands a bit more and controls the pace and cage to a slightly higher degree.

Pick: Max Holloway to win (+170 odds at MyBookie)

Michael Pounders

We’ve seen this fight play out not once but twice before for the featherweight strap. Yet, despite Volkanovski winning two narrow decisions already, Holloway seems to be the unanimous number 1 contender in the division.

Volkanovski is a complete mixed martial artist to the highest degree. He’s been dubbed as having no exploitable weaknesses and has recently showcased show stopping power. Volk is a devastating, intelligent, and unrelenting striker who moves forward and counters with precision and power. The champ rarely throws one strike at a time, instead mixing in advanced combinations in each exchange. He often moves forward, looking to land cracking leg kicks to immobilize his opponent so he can sit down and tee off on his foe. As he moves in, Volkanovski utilizes head movement better than anyone in the division. While most fighters use head movement as a defense tactic, Volk will use it to set up shots. Often being the shorter fighter with less range, Volk uses feints and head movement to draw out strikes from his opponent, then he can counter them as he closes distance. This is a high-level technique few others can implement and Volkanovski has mastered it. Beyond being an expert striker, Volkanovski is a strong and explosive wrestler who can drag his opponents to the mat where he can rack up control time and ground and pound simultaneously. He rarely uses his wrestling, though, often favoring stand up brawls instead.

Speaking of stand-up brawls, few others in the division have the chin to engage in firefights like Max Holloway. He seems unfinishable, able to eat heavy power shot after power shot, simile, and land a heavy combination of his own in return. Holloway proved he is the best or nearly the best boxer in the division by outclassing a Golden Glove boxer and top-ranked fighter in Calvin Kattar. Holloway’s boxing style is rooted in technique and unmatched volume. He fights behind a jab intelligently but lands powerful combinations once in the pocket. He has insane cardio, an ability to continue throwing strikes at an unparalleled rate for 25 minutes, and has broken his own record for most significant strikes landed. Holloway does keep a wide boxing stance which places weight on his lead leg, making him susceptible to leg kicks, but, like with his chin, Holloway must be built out of vibranium because no matter the number of leg kicks absorbed, Holloway continues to pressure forward and land volume seemingly unaffected. He is fast, technical, can rack up damage, and only improves as the fight goes on.

This one, like the previous two fights, should be razor-thin. Both men are elite strikers and have the grappling to keep the fight standing. I think Volk has the advantage in power, speed, and experience. Volkanovski seems to have leveled up recently, which is impressive considering he’s undefeated in the UFC and holds the belt. But, somehow, Volkanovski appears quicker and more powerful on the feet lately. In their first matchups, Volkanovski’s ability to get inside and land the heavier shots propelled him to a victory. I anticipate a similar outcome this week.

Pick: Alexander Volkanovski to win (-210 odds at BetUS)

Joe Pounders

If one simply assesses the last two fights between Volkanovski and Holloway, a grave error would be made. This is because both fighters have evolved mightily, each in the best possible way.

The champ, Alexander Volkanovski, has seemingly improved fight over fight, in all aspects of his fight game. Prior to the improvement, he already possessed the well-rounded talent to run rampant through the featherweight division, ultimately leading him to secure a win for the belt. But in his last two fights, Volkanovski has expanded his fight game far more than his patented low leg kicks into dirty-boxing range attacks, to now, possessing a fighting arsenal that rationalizes many in the community believing he is P4P number 1.

Perhaps the trait which jumps off the screen is the speed Volkanovski now attacks with. This speed is exacerbated with sound footwork and using sharp angles to land effective strikes, which are plentiful in choice. Moreover, his speed is used for both offense and defense, as he enters in and out of range perhaps better than any striker in the UFC. This heightened ability of speed will be an important attribute to continue against Max Holloway, as standing in the pocket is perhaps the worst decision a fighter can make when fighting the former featherweight champion.

The other key category Volkanovski has greatly elevated is combining his elite fight intelligence with that of extreme confidence in his ability. The best illustration of this is seen in his last fight against the Korean Zombie, as Volkanovski created and implemented a flawless game plan, ultimately leading him to plead with the referee that his opponent has taken enough damage and should not go back out – the Korean Zombie did go back out for another round, Volkanovski gave one last plea to have it not continue, but then used his electrifying striking to force the referee to stop the fight moments later. This plea did not stem from worrying his opponent could make a comeback nor was it a cocky move, instead, was Volkanovski having the supreme confidence in himself knowing he would only inflict more damage upon his opponent that was preventable given the success he already had.

I do not want the well-rounded game of elite technical striking, devasting leg kicks, and strong wrestling of Volkanovski to go overlooked, but I believe those traits were already seen throughout the now 50-minute fight duration between him and Holloway. Instead, I elected to showcase the growth in Volkanovski’s game, and this growth accompanied by the quality of the opponents having faced and beaten, leaves me believing he is in fact P4P number 1.

Max “Blessed” Holloway is the best boxer currently in the UFC. His output and pace are truly next level, which allows him to greatly separate in nearly every fight, Volkanovski’s fight(s) being the outlier. This separation in fight skill justifies him earning a third fight against the champ while knowing he is currently down 0-2 on the official record sheet – many fans believe it should be 1-1.

Beyond the known elite boxing accompanied by a jaw-dropping pace he is able to use for a 5-round affair, Holloway has shown improvement in his fight game since his last fight against Volkanovski. The most notable evolution is showing much greater intelligence in and out of the octagon. For the former, Holloway has done a much better job of choosing his moments when to go in the pocket and engage in a hailstorm of punches thrown by him and his opponent. Moreover, he has improved his willingness to change levels and shoot a takedown, which is by far and away his most underappreciated skill as a fighter. For the latter, Holloway no longer spars to the degree and rate as he did when he was a younger fighter; doing so allows him to be far fresher going into a fight, and the consequence many fighters would face with a lack of hard sparring is non-existent for Holloway given his cardio and fight-readiness are both elite traits.

So, similarly to Volkanovski, Holloway has improved greatly as a fighter, and this improvement, along with the inherent elite attributes he has possessed for quite some time, leaves me confidently believing he is, right now, a top 10 P4P fighter in the UFC.

Regardless of the fight outcome, I foresee many people believing each fighter won the fight respectively – similar to the first two matchups. Moreover, from a pure entertainment standpoint, I could watch these two fight every week given they each are levels ahead of the rest of the featherweights. With that said, I do believe Volkanovski is just that tick better in nearly every aspect of the fight game than Holloway is, as such, I am taking him in this matchup. His speed, ability to hop in and out of range, elite fight intelligence, strong wrestling, and ability to land from head to toe against his opponent rationalizes my backing of Volkanovski beyond the arbitrary belief that he is just a notch higher in level than Holloway is. With that said, this fight is likely to be razor-thin, and knowing each has unworldly chins, this fight should go the entire 25 minutes.

Pick: Alexander Volkanovski to win by decision (+100 odds at BetUS)

UFC 276 is a PPV event and will stream only on ESPN+ in the United States this Saturday night. Order the PPV here to watch every fight live.

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Holloway returns to face UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski for the third time after losing twice by decision already. Volkanovski defeated Holloway by unanimous decision in 2019 to claim the featherweight title. He has since defended the title three times, including a split decision win against Holloway in 2020.

Holloway, now at the age of 30, scored two unanimous decision wins in 2021 in what marked a return to form with two “Fight of the Night” performances. He outclassed Calvin Kattar first before then beating Rodriguez over five rounds.

In the Kattar fight, especially, Holloway displayed outstanding pressure fighting as he shattered long-standing UFC records for significant strikes landed (445) and significant strikes attempted (744), among others. Many fans feel that Holloway has made the necessary improvements since the last fight with Volkanovski and that the former champion may reclaim the title this weekend.

However, Dan Hooker, a training partner of Volkanovski’s at City Kickboxing in New Zealand, believes it’d only end badly if Holloway was to employ a similar pressure-heavy style against Volkanovski this time.

UFC 276 is a PPV event and will stream only on ESPN+ in the United States this Saturday night. Order the PPV here to watch every fight live.

“I feel like the more pressure that he puts on Volk, the more trouble that he’s going to get himself into,” Hooker said on the latest episode of Submission Radio.

“This is why Volk has been very successful in the first two fights, is that Max kind of had that respect for him and kept his distance and didn’t try to just march in and walk him down like he has to a lot of other guys. Like you watch the Kattar fight and others, and he just kind of pressures them. And he hasn’t been able to do that against Volk. And Volk’s ready for him.

“If he wants to do that, if he wants to push Volk’s attrition, if he wants to pressure forward, I think he’s gonna get himself hurt, and I think he’s going to get himself into trouble. I think he just, it’s up to him – stand at distance and get outpointed, or pressure him and get your head blown off. Like, those are your two options, mate. Like, pick your poison.”

Hooker also shared insight into Volkanovski’s previous training camp for the second Max Holloway fight, stating that the Australian has enjoyed much smoother preparation this time around.

“Man, for that last fight, Volk was like heavily restricted there in Australia,” Hooker said. Like, he had to get his training partners approved with the government and it was a big headache leaving that camp to this camp. Unreal, like, him being able to freely bring his training partners into Freestyle, where he is over there. And then to pop over here for a week or a couple of days to get some training in with the boys over here. Like, his preparation is incredible. He’s looking better than ever.

“I feel like he’s at his 100 percent best here for this preparation, and I feel like it’s going to be just a different fight. I think he’s just gonna go out there and outclass him. And then yeah, what does he have left to prove in that division? That really leaves the door up for him to shift up to 155 and potentially get a crack at the belt.”

Similar to the story of Jared Cannonier, who is competing in the UFC 276 main event against Israel Adesanya, Volkanovski, too, started his mixed martial arts career in a heavier division. Volkanovski first competed at middleweight before then transitioning to lightweight and now featherweight.

Speaking to The Body Lock in 2018, long before he was a UFC champion, Volkanovski commented: “I honestly believe that pound-for-pound, I’m the strongest fighter in the UFC.”

Hooker shares the same belief and feels that Volkanovski can beat the current lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira if that opportunity was to present itself next.

“155 Volk, 145 Volk, he can do exactly the same thing,” Hooker said. “He can do what he’s been able to do at 145 at 155. That’s something I truly believe. He could beat Oliveira, he can beat these guys. It would just be exciting for him to get his shot.

“And yeah, a lot of people will bring that up, ‘oh, it’s a division you’re in,’ or ‘Brad’s in your division’. It’s like, that’s why we’re different. I want them all the be successful, I want them all to win. Everyone will have their time, because there’s more than enough bodies out there and more than enough money for all of us to go and get fed. Yeah, I’m just excited to see it all come to fruition.”

Alexander Volkanovski vs. Max Holloway 3 features on the UFC 276 main card. Order the PPV on ESPN+ to watch this fight and every main card fight live on Saturday night.

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Volkanovski defeated Holloway by unanimous decision at UFC 245 in 2019 to claim the featherweight title. He then defended the title against Holloway in a closer, split decision in July 2020.

Since then, Holloway has recorded unanimous decision wins against Calvin Kattar and also Yair Rodriguez. Both fights won ‘Fight of the Night’ awards and helped Holloway to a position to challenge Volkanovski yet again.

Volkanovski, too, has managed two wins since his last fight with Holloway. In 2021, he defeated Brian Ortega by unanimous decision. In April this year, Volkanovski stopped “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung at UFC 273 to defend his title once more.

Volkanovski and Holloway will share the cage once more. Will Volkanovski defend the title again or will Holloway reclaim the featherweight title? Learn what UFC fighters have to say as they shared their Volkanovski vs. Holloway predictions in a recent video with James Lynch.

Watch Volkanovski vs. Holloway

• Date: Saturday, July 2
• Time: PPV Main Card starts at 10 pm ET
• Watch: ESPN+ PPV (order here)

Alexander Volkanovski vs. Max Holloway is the co-main event of the UFC 276 PPV main card this weekend. Fight fans can order the event on the ESPN+ website to watch Volkanovski vs. Holloway, as well as Adesanya vs. Cannonier and O’Malley vs. Munhoz this Saturday night.

Volkanovski vs. Holloway predictions

Brandon Royval

“That’s going to be such a good fight. Who takes that? I don’t even know. I still feel like it’s been back-and-forth this whole entire time. I’ll go Max Holloway and let’s just see what happens I guess.” (via James Lynch)

Cody Stamann

“I always think Max Holloway is going to win every single time they fight. I see him fight other guys and I’m like wow, he makes it look super easy. But Volkanovski just finds a way to win. That guy is a champion. I’m not betting against Volkanovski again. I really think Volkanovski is the best 145-pounder.” (via James Lynch)

Damon Jackson

“I just don’t think Max has what it takes to beat him in every way. And I think that the way he has been fighting now, it’s kind of like, I think Max loses that fight by — I’m thinking it ends up going all the way. I think Max has a good enough chin to not get dropped and hurt too bad but I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets TKO’d or if he gets caught with something. But, I think the wrestling pressure plus just the craziness to throw down, I think Max loses that.” (via James Lynch)

Davey Grant

“I think Max. Don’t get me wrong, I think Alex is one of the best champions. His last fight, he looked fantastic didn’t he, to be able to do that to the Zombie. It was pretty amazing. I think he’s in such good fights and I like him, he seems like a nice guy, but I feel like in the first fight Max just lost. I feel like the second fight, Max could have probably won it. When I watched the fight I thought Max might have just edged it. With it being so close and the training camp that they’ve put into this next one, I think it’ll just be what’s going to take him to get the decision on this one. I think it’ll be a fantastic fight either way.” (via James Lynch)

Jasmine Jasudavicius

“Honestly, I want to go with Max. For my heart, I want to go with Max. But, I think that Volkanovski is going to win. I think he’s super talented, he’s good everywhere. I think that he’ll take it, unfortunately. But I want to Max to win. I hope he does.” (via James Lynch)

Eryk Anders

“I thought Holloway might have got him the second time, so I think he’ll get him the third time.” (via James Lynch)

Curtis Blaydes

“I want Holloway to win. But I don’t know. I think Volkanovski may have cracked the code when it comes to Holloway, which I never thought would be a possibility. He looked a lot better in the second fight than he did the first fight, which is amazing because he looked amazing in the first fight. So, yeah, I’m going to go with Volkanovski. But I want Holloway to win.” (via James Lynch)

Adrian Yanez

“That’s a good one. It’s too close to call for me. But just because I’m a big fan of Holloway, I’m going with Holloway.” (via James Lynch)

Jack Della Maddalena

“I’ll have to stick to Volk. I honestly think he’s probably the pound-for-pound number one fighter at the moment. Those two fights with Max have been so tight and I reckon that he’ll probably get the win this time as well. I think he might even get the finish this time. I’ll be backing him to get the finish to really put a stamp on that trilogy fight.” (via James Lynch)

Jeff Molina

“That’s a pick’em. Every time they fight, Volkanovski looks great. He’s looked great in his last couple of performances. Holloway had a very competitive fight with Yair Rodriguez, but it’s Yair Rodriguez, and styles make fights. And Rodriguez was very durable in that fight. Very tough. Kept coming forward. I guess I’ll lean Volkanovski just for the way he has looked in his performances and he’s been an active champ, so I’ll go Volk.” (via James Lynch)

Johnny Munoz Jr

“Volkanovski has been looking good lately, man. But in my opinion, I thought Holloway won those two fights. I don’t know. I want to say Holloway but I feel Volkanovski’s improved, he’s been looking really good in his last two fights. I’m going to go Volk on this one.” (via James Lynch)

Joe Solecki

“I’m going to go with Volk. I think he’s made the adjustments. He looks damn near unbeatable right now.” (via James Lynch)

Neil Magny

“I think Max is going to come away with this one. The dude has been chasing to get his belt back for a long time. I think he goes out and gets it done.” (via James Lynch)

Jared Cannonier

“I wouldn’t give the edge to either of them. They have both shown that they deserve to hold a title. Unfortunately, there’s only one. So, I’m positive Holloway is f—ing motivated to go in there and prove that without a doubt he’s better than Volkanovski. And Volkanovski is like ‘nah, mate,’ so it’s going to be a good fight.” (via James Lynch)

Charles Johnson

“I think Volk has got his number, man. Max could be the greatest ever at that weight class for a second there and then Volk came. I think some guys it’s just matchups, and I think Volk kind of has his number. I think that’s a toss-up, honestly. But if I was to roll with anybody it’d be Volk.” (via James Lynch)

Daniel Rodriguez

“I’m going to have to go with Max Holloway, man. I’m a huge Max Holloway fan and I think hopefully he took notes and went back to the drawing board and went back and worked on what they needed to work on.” (via James Lynch)

Kyle Daukaus

“I’ve always been a fan of Max. Volk has kind of grown on me now, lately. But I don’t know. I think Max will take it.” (via James Lynch)

Nate Maness

“It just seems to be a bad matchup for Max. I’m a big fan, but if my money was on the line I’d have to go Volkanovski probably by decision again.” (via James Lynch)

Josh Emmett

It’s tough. Volkanovksi, decisively, I had him winning four of the five rounds. And then the second fight was so close and somewhat controversial but Max continues to get better and better. Even though he’s at the top of his game, the guy still gets better and better. Fan of both of the guys. Volkanovski still gets better and better, so I don’t know how it plays out. They’ve fought each other for 50 minutes, it’s hard to go against the champion who is on some 21 or 22-fight winning streak. He’s undefeated in the UFC and beat some of the best guys in the world, so I think Volkanovski, in my eyes, he’s the GOAT because he beat of all the GOATs. (via James Lynch)

Alexander Volkanovski vs. Max Holloway 3 features on the UFC 276 main card. Order the PPV on ESPN+ to watch this fight and every main card fight live on Saturday night.

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The 29-year-old shined in his first non-title fight since 2016, claiming a decisive unanimous decision win (50-42, 50-43, 50-43) against Kattar while managing to break his own UFC records for significant strikes landed in a fight (445) and significant strikes attempted (744).

Holloway’s performance caught the attention of all fans, media, and fighters, including Conor McGregor who commented on Holloway’s victory in multiple interviews this week.

“I thought it was a solid performance,” McGregor told Oscar Willis from The Mac Life. “He fought an up-and-comer — he done well. I was actually doing an interview then and he skateboarded by the window. I was like, ‘Is that Max Holloway?’ So, he’s obviously hanging around, and fair play to him, more power to him.

“He’s definitely in the pipeline for a bout against me, for sure. I would happily rematch Max, and after a performance like that, he’s put himself right up there.”

With McGregor returning to action this weekend to face Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 on ESPN+, McGregor’s comments raise the question of how would a McGregor vs. Holloway rematch go?

Here’s how the team at The Body Lock responded to that question:

Drake Riggs: “I’m under the impression that Max would win the rematch. I’ve felt that way a little bit since maybe his second title defense or somewhere in the mid-point of his title reign. He looked incredible then and we saw what he did to Calvin Kattar. Max Holloway is still improving and he’s only 29-years-old. It’s very scary to think about he might not even be his best self yet, and his current self is still good enough to beat damn near everybody, and he probably beats everybody who is not a champion right now.

“Stylistically, I feel like Max has become, and is going to be a nightmare for Conor.”

Matthew Wells: “Conor has proven that when it comes to using his range, and his size and power, even, it’s just better than Max right now. Max could not get Calvin Kattar out of there, even with some hard elbows.

“I was thinking if Conor was throwing those shots, would Kattar still be standing? I don’t think so. Of course, Conor is not cutting down to 145 any time soon, but if everything else was the same, I think Conor would have been able to get him out of there. And I think that would be the difference in a rematch.

“Yes, Max is so much better in all aspects of his game: speed, his counter game, his boxing, even his beautiful spin kicks he was throwing against Kattar were on point, he did not miss. He’s just all-around a better fighter than when they first fought, but Conor has also got a lot better, too.”

Patrick Auger:

“I would argue that Poirier outboxed Holloway. He had cleaner striking in a lot of ways and he outboxed Poirier. I think McGregor might have better boxing than both of them. We don’t know for sure because we haven’t seen him fight since 2018 and then against Cerrone that was so quick we can’t really say where he was at that point.

“But in 2018 he fought Nurmagomedov and he lost against a wrestler. He did win a round against Khabib but it was much more about avoiding takedowns and stopping the takedown. He was off his game there.

“In 2016, he put on a ridiculous performance against Eddie Alvarez. Just outboxed him on the feet. For whatever reason Alvarez didn’t really go for takedowns until late and tried to box Conor and Conor just toyed with him. This matchup on Saturday between McGregor and Poirier is really going to show where McGregor is at.

UFC 257 streams live this Saturday, January 23, on the ESPN+ digital streaming service. Here’s how to order and watch the Poirier vs. McGregor PPV on ESPN+.

The post Conor McGregor says Max Holloway rematch ‘is in the pipeline,’ but would we see a different outcome? appeared first on The Body Lock.

The former featherweight king outboxed the supposed best boxer in the division, landed a UFC record 445 significant strikes in the process and also managed to clown Kattar on his way to a lopsided unanimous decision victory.

I'M THE BEST BOXER IN THE UFC!!!! #UFCFightIsland7 pic.twitter.com/Nfc4Csp6f4

— UFC (@ufc) January 16, 2021

It led some to question how UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski — who defeated Holloway twice — would fare against this version of the Hawaiian in a potential trilogy.

Others, however, believe Holloway always fought like this. He was just simply nullified by Volkanovski.

So how did “The Great” manage to defeat Holloway not once but twice? Volkanovski revealed bits of his game plan in a recent interview with Grange TV.

Main game plan

“To be honest, obviously, looking for a takedown was always going to be there, but it wasn’t something I was going to chase,” Volkanovski explained. “There’s a whole standup game plan that we had to stick to. We knew he’s really good with his distance. And with that, we knew we’re going to pull up short up high.

“When he really pours the pressure on, he’s in your face so it seems like he’s there. But early on, especially when he sees the dangers and he’s really good at distance, touching and getting out of the way, avoiding punches and then giving you some countering.

“So we had ways of getting in. And if that pulled short, it was going to be other options there that we needed to stick to. Obviously, the legs. He might pull his head out of the way so we knew that, so we went to go up high and then we’re pulling up short like we expected.

“When he’s coming forward, he’s heavy on that leg when he wants to pour it on. … The punches come up, we’ll pull them up a bit short. Alright, that’s not there? The legs are. Alright, let’s start smashing the legs. And not only that, that was always going to be the game plan because he likes to come forward and put the pressure on. As he’s trying to jab, I’ll just stick one into his leg, let him realize he’s not going to get his rhythm. So the leg kicks were a big part of that.”

Holloway reading Volkanovski’s game plan and adjusting

“I’ll kick his legs and then he would try and fire right away. So as soon as I would kick, he was trying to stick a jab in my face when he realized he couldn’t get out of the way. Then I would let him run straight into a punch or kick, as he was trying to throw a jab, I’ll come with overhand rights and hooks.

“Then he started reading that after my kicks, I started firing so he started running into punches. So he went there, pretended he’d come in, make me fire and then go. Then I would change it up again because I realized he was baiting me after the kick. These are little things that you wouldn’t see. A lot of people think the game plan is kicking his legs and think that was it. But it goes so much deeper than that.”

You can watch the full interview below:

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