The Ultimate Fighting Championship came to Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada tonight for UFC 231: “Holloway vs Ortega.” The event was headlined by a UFC Featherweight Championship bout between champion Max “Blessed” Holloway and top contender Brian “T-City” Ortega.
In tonight’s co-main event, Valentina “Bullet” Shevchenko battled long-time rival Joanna Jędrzejczyk for the newly-vacant UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship. Alex “Cowboy” Oliveira took on Gunnar “Gunni” Nelson at welterweight. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the main card.
UFC Featherweight Championship
Max “Blessed” Holloway vs Brian “T-City” Ortega
Round 1:
Holloway struck first with jabs and overhand rights in the opening minute. Both men landed right hooks and Holloway lunged in with a one-two. Holloway targeted the body and Ortega countered with lead right hooks. Holloway kept the pressure on with combinations of punches, but Ortega answered with a left hook and a big right hand. He took Holloway down very briefly, but could not hold him there for long. Holloway slipped under Ortega’s punches and peppered him with jabs and one-twos. A three-punch combo wobbled Ortega, but he recovered and landed a right hook and a head kick. Holloway shrugged it off and he stuffed a takedown just before time expired. 10-9 Holloway.
Round 2:
The second round opened with Holloway landing leg kicks and right hands. He flurried with punches and cracked Ortega with an overhand right. Ortega began to bleed heavily from the nose and he tried in vain for a desperation takedown. Holloway taunted and picked him apart with one-twos. Ortega held his ground and fired back with right hooks that found their mark, but Holloway drilled him with a head kick. Right hands forced Ortega to backpedal and Holloway chased him down with an elbow. He continued to dominate the striking exchanges with combinations while staying out of Ortega’s range. Holloway scored with a lead left hook and Ortega countered with a one-two combo at the bell. 10-9 Holloway.
Round 3:
Ortega landed a nice body kick and two right hands in round three. Holloway mixed things up to the head and body, but Ortega rocked him with a right hand and followed with more punches. He took Holloway down and looked to transition to back control, but Holloway scrambled free. A spinning back elbow landed for Ortega and he landed a chopping leg kick seconds later. Holloway returned fire with a flurry of punches and elbows. Ortega clinched and Holloway punched his way free. He outlanded Ortega with quick punches, but Ortega snuck in a head kick. Holloway landed a one-two and Ortega shot in for a takedown. 10-9 Holloway.
Round 4:
Holloway blasted Ortega with combinations from southpaw and orthodox stance in the fourth round. He snapped Ortega’s head back with another flurry and mixed in strikes to the body. Ortega failed with a clinch attempt and Holloway punished him with numerous punches. Ortega, with his back against the fence, fired back with looping hooks. Holloway stunned him with another lengthy flurry and fought off a takedown attempt. A bloodied Ortega maintained a clinch and tried to jump guard. Holloway stayed on his feet and he battered Ortega’s damaged left eye with punches. Holloway used a guillotine choke to pull Ortega down to the mat, but Ortega slipped out and the fight returned to the feet. A right hook dropped Ortega and Holloway landed in mount, but Ortega kicked him off. The fighters stood and Holloway unloaded with punches in the final 15 seconds. 10-8 Holloway.
Between rounds, the doctor waved off the fight due to Ortega’s left eye that had swollen shut.
Winner: Max Holloway by TKO (Doctor Stoppage) at 5:00 of round four. He improves to 20-3-0 and remains the UFC Featherweight Champion.
UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship
Valentina “Bullet” Shevchenko vs Joanna Jędrzejczyk
Round 1:
Quick kicks were exchanges in round one and Shevchenko countered one with a lunging one-two. She dumped Jędrzejczyk to the mat and landed on top in side control. Shevchenko moved to a top-side crucifix and landed elbows, but Jędrzejczyk scrambled up to her feet. Shevchenko threw knees in a clinch and Jędrzejczyk responded with an elbow. Shevchenko cracked her with an elbow of her own and backed away. A spinning back kick to the body scored for Shevchenko, and Jędrzejczyk stumbled backward. Shevchenko landed a combination and caught a kick at the bell. 10-9 Shevchenko.
Round 2:
Both women landed body kicks in the second round and Shevchenko mixed in quick flurries of punches. She kicked at Jędrzejczyk’s legs and followed with a right-left to the face. Jędrzejczyk picked her shots with single strikes while Shevchenko continued to score with punch-kick combinations. She caught a kick from Jędrzejczyk and slammed her down into side control. Shevchenko landed elbows from the top and blasted Jędrzejczyk with a knee to the face as Jędrzejczyk got back to her feet before time expired. 10-9 Shevchenko.
Round 3:
Shevchenko backed Jędrzejczyk up with another spinning back kick to the body in round three. She caught a kick from Jędrzejczyk and tried for a takedown, but Jędrzejczyk pulled her leg free. She landed a nice right hand and both women threw body kicks. Jędrzejczyk connected with a head kick and Shevchenko was completely unfazed. More kicks were exchanged and Shevchenko tried for a takedown. She was unsuccessful, but landed a nice knee on the break. Three punches and a knee scored for Shevchenko, who caught a kick and took Jędrzejczyk’s back on the feet. She landed a knee to the face and kept Jędrzejczyk pinned against the cage until the end of the close round. 10-9 Shevchenko.
Round 4:
The fighters traded kicks in the fourth round and Shevchenko landed a knee to the body. Jędrzejczyk fought off a takedown and landed a body kick, but Shevchenko responded with one of her own and she dumped Jędrzejczyk to the mat soon after. Jędrzejczyk impressively managed to scramble and escape to her feet, and she took Shevchenko’s back against the cage. Shevchenko turned into the clinch and both women landed short knees. Jędrzejczyk broke free and she avoided a spinning hook kick. Shevchenko tagged her with a hard three-punch flurry, but Jędrzejczyk replied with a nice combination of her own just before the bell. Another close round. 10-9 Shevchenko, barely.
Round 5:
Shevchenko struck first with a lead right hand in the final round, but Jędrzejczyk immediately answered with a body kick. An exchange of jabs followed and Shevchenko threw Jędrzejczyk to the mat. Jędrzejczyk stood and landed short right hands in a clinch as Shevchenko used knees to try to set up a takedown. The fighters were separated and Jędrzejczyk landed a straight right hand, but Shevchenko knocked her off-balance with a counter left cross. She followed with a spinning back kick to the body and a one-two. Jędrzejczyk threw leg kicks and Shevchenko responded with two of her own. Both women landed knees and Jędrzejczyk ate a spinning backfist. Shevchenko held her against the cage door and landed a short elbow on the break. Another spinning back kick scored for Shevchenko, as well as a spinning backfist soon after. 10-9 Shevchenko.
Winner: Valentina Shevchenko by Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46) after five rounds. She improves to 17-3-0 and becomes the new UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion.
Gunnar “Gunni” Nelson vs Alex “Cowboy” Oliveira
Round 1:
Nelson clinched and worked for a takedown against the cage in the opening seconds, but Oliveira countered with hard elbow strikes to the side of his head. Nelson continued to work for a takedown and Oliveira grabbed the cage to defend. Time was called and Oliveira was warned for the foul. Nelson got him down after a restart and took Oliveira’s back. He secured a body triangle and looked to set up an armbar, but Oliveira spun into his guard and teed off with punches from the top. He battered Nelson with punches and elbows until Nelson countered with an Achilles lock late in the round. 10-9 Oliveira.
Round 2:
Oliveira closed the distance in round two and he landed short punches in a clinch that caused Nelson’s nose to bleed heavily. Nelson got Oliveira down and he immediately passed to mount. Oliveira tried to buck and escape, but Nelson kept him pinned down and he landed occasional punches from the top. Big elbows landed for Nelson and Oliveira began to bleed everywhere from what appeared to be a severed artery. A panicked Oliveira gave up his back and Nelson locked on a rear-naked choke for a quick tapout finish.
Winner: Gunnar Nelson by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 4:17 of round two. He improves to 17-3-1.
“Mean” Hakeem Dawodu vs Kyle “Crash” Bochniak
Round 1:
Dawodu flurried with quick punches early on and Bochniak countered with chopping leg kicks. Dawodu landed a left hook to the body and a leg kick, and he followed with a right hook that caused Bochniak’s left eye to immediately swell up. Bochniak switched stances and fired off a four-punch flurry. He connected with a right hand and a leg kick, then elevated Dawodu and slammed him down. Dawodu gave up his back while returning to his feet and Bochniak pinned him against the fence. Dawodu spun free and the round ended with an exchange of punches. Close round. 10-9 Dawodu.
Round 2:
The second round began with Dawodu landing leg kicks and Bochniak returned fire with punches over the top. He took Dawodu down, but Dawodu scrambled and quickly stood up. He landed a flurry to the body and Bochniak answered with a right hook and a knee. Dawodu picked his shots with one-twos and occasional kicks while Bochniak stuck to single punches in return. He tried for a late takedown and Dawodu stuffed it. 10-9 Dawodu.
Round 3:
Dawodu pressued Bochniak with combinations and a body kick early in the final round. Bochniak clinched briefly, but Dawodu broke free and he continued to score with combinations. Bochniak took him down and Dawodu battled back to his feet. A big left hand and a right hook scored for Bochniak, who tried for another takedown against the cage. Dawodu fought him off and landed a left hook to the liver. He continued to target the body with kicks as time ticked down, and Bochniak was unable to land anything meaningful in return. Dawodu hurt him in the final seconds with a flurry and a front kick to the liver. 10-9 Dawodu.
Winner: Hakeem Dawodu by Split Decision (30-27, 30-27, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 9-1-1.
Thiago “Marreta” Santos vs Jimi “The Poster Boy” Manuwa
Round 1:
Santos dropped Manuwa twice in the opening seconds with hooks, and Manuwa dove at his legs in an effort to clinch and survive. He pinned Santos against the cage, but Santos rocked him again with an uppercut and knocked him down with a left hook to the temple. Manuwa returned to his feet and initiated another clinch. The fighters separated and Manuwa landed hard punches of his own that briefly stunned Santos, who responded with a head kick that missed and a spinning backfist that partially landed. After a brief takedown from Santos, both men landed huge knees and Santos staggered Manuwa with a left hook. The pace slowed as both men battled for position in a clinch, but they soon exchanged wild haymakers after breaking free. Manuwa landed a massive left hook and a badly hurt Santos missed with two sloppy spinning back kicks. Santos fell and Manuwa closed out the round on top with short punches. 10-9 Santos, barely. Wild round.
Round 2:
Manuwa clinched early in the second round, but Santos clipped him with a counter hook and followed with a powerful knee to the body. Manuwa backed up against the cage and was stunned by a left uppercut. A follow-up left hook sent him crashing face-first to the mat and the fight was stopped.
Winner: Thiago Santos by KO (Punches) at 0:41 of round two. He improves to 20-6-0.