Event UFC 212: Aldo vs. Holloway [Results]

Results

• Max Holloway def. Jose Aldo via TKO (punches) - Round 3
• Claudia Gadelha def. Karolina Kowalkiewicz via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:03
• Vitor Belfort def. Nate Marquardt via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Paulo Borrachinha def. Oluwale Bamgbose via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 1:06
• Yancy Medeiros def. Erick Silva via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 2:01
• Raphael Assuncao def. Marlon Moraes via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
• Antonio Carlos Junior def. Eric Spicely via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 3:49
• Matthew Lopez def. Johnny Eduardo via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:57
• Brian Kelleher def. Iuri Alcantara via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 1:48
• Viviane Pereira def. Jamie Moyle via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
• Luan Chagas def. Jim Wallhead vis submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 4:48
• Deiveson Alcantara def. Marco Beltran via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 5:00

 

Max Holloway asks for his $50k bonus. The begging goes all the way to the top.

Max DOESN'T call out Conor McGregor. WTF?

 

Yancy Medeiros def. Erick Silva via TKO

Despite being a prick, Erick Silva doesn't have boring fights. He's been in the UFC since 2011 and has only once been to a decision. Lots of wild exchanges in this fight with Yancy Medeiros failing to capitalise in the first round--which played a part in the stoppage in the second as it was the second time Silva was flashed in the fight. The stoppage is debatable but given what we saw earlier in the night when Matthew Lopez landed 20+ extra shots on Johnny Eduardo you could see why the referee would be a little fast.

Paulo Borrachinha def. Oluwale Bamgbose via TKO

Anybody else getting Sokoudjou vibes from Oluwale Bamgbose? The Holy War Angel looked scared in the first round throwing a lot of junk at Borrachinha and burning himself out in the process. Borrachinha (now 10-0) looks like a big prospect at MW and there is plenty of competition for him to be tested. Trying to Google Champion Team, his club, led me to the Lingerie Fighting Championship(s). I don't think he's affiliated. Nor should anybody else be, for that matter.

Vitor Belfort def. Nate Marquardt via decision (unanimous)

Seemed like Marquardt won the first two rounds, such as they were. Belfort looked every bit a spent fighter in the cage tonight having lost not only his physique but also his ambition. Aside from a few flurries the blitzing style of old or the counter striking, high kicking style of recent years didn't manifest. If this truly is his last fight I don't understand why he didn't go for it. Marquardt looked happy to chip-out a decision. Uninspired outing by both.

Claudia Gadelha def. Karolina Kowalkiewicz via RNC

Easy work for Gadelha who rightly has a claim to a third fight with champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk. Gadelha is 15-0 if you take out the losses to Joanna. Seems like Rose Namajunas is next for Jedrzejczyk but if that falls out Gadelha could step in. When the flyweight division is introduced that might be a better option for her in the long run since a win against Jedrzejczyk seems unlikely but JJ has been talking about fighting at 125 as well so that's fucked. KK was in shambles after the fight. She'll be eyeing that division too.

Max Holloway def. Jose Aldo via TKO

Holloway's 11-fight UFC streak is now legendary. Swanson-Oliveira-Stephens-Lamas-Pettis-Aldo is a gauntlet and he has actually looked better as the competition has ramped-up. It very naturally leads him into a rematch with disputed featherweight champion Conor McGregor who will probably never fight at that weight again. However this is still the fight that Holloway should be pushing for, either at 145, catchweight, or above. Even if he doesn't get it the attention he will garner for calling out McGregor will boost his career. I thought him calling for the $50k bonus after the fight was a bit shameful given he'll be making 10x or even 100x what some of the other fighters on the card will be but this is the shark tank the UFC wants for their non-union contractors. And they fucking gave it to him (Aldo as well)!

Jose Aldo... there were times in the fight where he looked himself. Some of his combinations were crisp. But the pace of the fight wore on him and his outright and bizarre refusal to throw chopping leg kicks, perhaps is greatest skill, was distressing. I think the loss to McGregor has taken up a great deal of real estate in his head. He wanted to prove he could box-up Holloway and by planting his feet and going toe-to-toe with a younger, longer, taller, and faster fighter, he doomed himself. I expected more from him. Crazy to think that the division would pass him by so quickly. Same thing happened to his training partner Renan Barao.

 

Should add that it seems very likely Frankie Edgar will be next for Max.

 

Well we will never know, I suppose. FWIW his coach had this to say...

"Holloway started to feel more confident by the end of round 2. He was confident but Aldo was very calm. I told him the fight was 2 - 0, that he needed to breathe and I warned him about his left hand being too low. I think Aldo didn't use some of the things we trained, like takedowns. And when you don't use all your weapons, things get complicated. A lot of people asked me where were his kicks, but according to Holloway's positioning on the fight, there was a risk of Aldo falling backwards after kicking."

 

I don't know how you can win a fight when you neuter your offense because of a risk of being countered. Seems like Aldo was shook.