The Ultimate Fighting Championship travelled to VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida tonight for UFC 273: “Volkanovski vs Korean Zombie.” In the main event, UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski faced challenger “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung.
The UFC Bantamweight Championship was also on the line tonight in the co-main event as Aljamain “Funk Master” Sterling battled Petr “No Mercy” Yan in a rematch from the pair’s first bout in March 2021, which ended in a disqualification. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the UFC 273 card.
UFC Featherweight Championship
Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski vs “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung
Round 1:
Volkanovski landed an early left hook and Jung landed one in return. Punches were exchanged in close and Volkanovski landed a hard right hand before the fighters inadvertently clashed heads. Volkanovski missed with a right hook and ate a one-two, but he snapped Jung’s head back with a power jab. Jung’s right eye swelled up and he began to bleed from his nose. A jab-cross combo wobbled Jung, but Volkanovski did not follow up and Jung recovered. Volkanovski tripped him to the mat, but he could not keep Jung down and a clinch ensued against the cage. Late in the round, Volkanovski dropped Jung once with a one-two and then again with a leg kick before the bell. 10-9 Volkanovski.
Round 2:
In the second round, Volkanovski targeted Jung’s damaged left leg with two more kicks. He stung him with a jab and followed with a leg kick, but Jung landed a front kick to Volkanovski’s face and a follow-up right hook. Volkanovski landed two right hooks to Jung’s temple and Jung fell to his knees. He got back up and landed a left hook in an exchange, but Volkanovski took him down. He landed punches and a knee as Jung got back to his feet. Volkanovski stayed outside of Jung’s striking range and then lunged forward with two right hooks. He took Jung down and landed an uppercut as Jung rose to his feet against the cage. Volkanovski landed two jabs in the final seconds. 10-9 Volkanovski, if not a 10-8.
Round 3:
Volkanovski went high with a head kick to begin round three and Jung answered with a pair of right hooks. Volkanovski backed him up with two right hands, but Jung landed an overhand right and an uppercut. Volkanovski alternated between jabs and leg kicks, then shot in for a brief takedown. Jung returned to his feet and Volkanovski used his jab to set up a combination. He continued to mix up his strikes well and landed a front kick to the body. Jung backed Volkanovski up momentarily with a three-punch combo, but Volkanovski floored him soon after with a right hook. He tried to finish him with punches on the ground, but a bloodied Jung made it to the bell. 10-9 Volkanovski. Could be a 10-8 due to the late knockdown.
Round 4:
Early in round four, Volkanovski stunned Jung once with a right hand, but Jung recovered quickly as referee Herb Dean kept a close eye on him. Volkanovski scored with a left-right combo and another right hook that wobbled Jung and caused him to stumble backward. That was enough for Dean to wave off the fight, giving Volkanovski a well-deserved victory.
Winner: Alexander Volkanovski by TKO (Punches) at 0:45 of round four. He improves to 24-1-0 and remains the UFC Featherweight Champion.
UFC Bantamweight Championship
Aljamain “Funk Master” Sterling vs Petr “No Mercy” Yan
Round 1:
Sterling stayed on the outside and threw kicks to Yan’s upper body in the opening minute. Yan landed a right hand and Sterling answered with another body kick. Yan pressed forward and landed a liver kick, then a step-in one-two. He blocked a Sterling kick and both men missed with wild hooks. Sterling continued to circle and Yan landed a left hook. Late in the round, Yan landed another left hook just as Sterling connected with a right hand. 10-9 Yan by a slim margin.
Round 2:
Sterling clinched and scored a crucial takedown into back control in the second round. He trapped Yan in a body triangle and landed punches to the side of his head, then threatened with a rear-naked choke. He maintained the body triangle and rolled into a half-mount position while continuing to batter Yan with punches. Yan fought off two more choke attempts before the bell. 10-8 Sterling.
Round 3:
Yan stuffed two takedowns from Sterling in the final round, but Sterling landed a left hook and he slammed Yan down to the mat. Sterling took Yan’s back again and resumed working for a rear-naked choke. He briefly flattened Yan out with one minute to go, but Yan rolled to his side again and Sterling maintained the body triangle. That continued until the end of the round. 10-9 Sterling.
Round 4:
Yan charged at Sterling with punches in the fourth round and Sterling dove at his legs. Yan stuffed the takedown, then repeated the process a second time and Sterling reluctantly got back to his feet. Yan landed a body kick and a jumping knee. Sterling hopped on Yan’s back, but Yan shook him off as the fighters hit the mat. Sterling postured for a triangle choke and Yan defended by getting his other arm in. He dropped two punches to Sterling’s face and Sterling tried to get back to his feet. He resorted to rolling for a leglock and Yan landed two punches and an elbow from Sterling’s half-guard. 10-9 Yan.
Round 5:
Sterling looked to take the fight to the ground in the opening minute of round five. Yan fought off his initial attempts, but Sterling took partial back control and tried to drag him down against the cage. Yan posted with his left hand and Sterling threw knees to the body. Yan squirmed free and he sprawled out of a deep shot from Sterling. Sterling continued to try unsuccessfully for takedowns and he ate a flying knee for his efforts. Yan wound up taking Sterling’s back after sprawling out of another takedown. Sterling stood up and missed with a back elbow strike. Yan avoided yet another takedown attempt from Sterling and took his back again. Yan landed a knee to Sterling’s body and attempted a rear-naked choke in the dying seconds. 10-9 Yan.
Winner: Aljamain Sterling by Split Decision (48-47, 48-47, 47-48) after five rounds. He improves to 21-3-0 and is now the Undisputed UFC Bantamweight Champion.
Khamzat “Borz” Chimaev vs Gilbert “Durinho” Burns
Round 1:
Burns landed a counter left hook as Chimaev closed the distance and dropped levels for a takedown. Burns stuffed it, but Chimaev got him down to a knee on his second try. Burns rolled forward and got to full guard, which prompted Chimaev to stand up. He kicked at Burns’s leg and the fight was brought back to the feet. Both men landed body kicks and Burns connected with a right hook and a jab. Chimaev responded with a three-punch combo and Burns landed a lead left hand. He connected with a right hook and blocked a Chimaev body kick. Chimaev dropped Burns with a power jab, then followed with punches and elbows on the ground. Burns recovered and threw up his legs for a submission. Chimaev stood up and Burns, bleeding from a bad cut on his upper forehead, followed. The bell sounded seconds later. 10-9 Chimaev.
Round 2:
Chimaev easily avoided an early takedown attempt from Burns and he landed two lead right hands, but Burns backed him up with a counter right hook. Chimaev regained his footing and the fighters exchanged body kicks. Chimaev jabbed and Burns landed a right hook. He could not get Chimaev down, but he dropped him to a knee with a counter left hook. As Chimaev stood, Burns swarmed on him with hooks and uppercuts. Chimaev weathered the storm and Burns slowed down. He landed a left-right combo and punches were exchanged. Chimaev sprawled out of a takedown and Burns pulled guard. He then kicked Chimaev in the chest and stood back up. Burns jabbed and landed a right hook to Chimaev’s chin. Chimaev landed a late uppercut, but Burns rocked and dropped him to his knees with two right hooks to the temple. Burns then threw a soccer kick that fortunately missed, and Chimaev dragged Burns down at the bell. 10-9 Burns.
Round 3:
Burns jabbed in the final round until Chimaev landed a right hook. He backed Burns up to the cage and then fought off a takedown attempt. An exhausted Burns wilted against the cage as Chimaev cracked him with hooks, uppercuts and a knee. Burns survived it and Chimaev backed away. Burns missed with a looping hook and Chimaev scored with three punches in close. Burns walked forward and landed three right hooks. Seconds later, Burns fired off another trio of looping rights and Chimaev retreated momentarily. Both men landed front kicks and Chimaev attempted a body-lock takedown before time expired. Back-and-forth final round. 10-9 Chimaev.
Winner: Khamzat Chimaev by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 11-0-0.
Mackenzie Dern vs Tecia “The Tiny Tornado” Torres
Round 1:
Torres landed two counter right hooks early in the fight as Dern tried to close the distance. She prevented Dern from clinching and darted in with a right hand, but Dern finally secured a body lock. Torres spun her around and held Dern against the cage. The fighters separated and Torres followed up on two right hands by targeting Dern’s left knee with side kicks. Torres remained a step ahead in the striking exchanges. She landed two quick jabs and a leg kick, then shrugged off a clinch attempt. Dern landed two right hooks and a body kick, but Torres responded with a side kick. Dern landed one more right hand and the round ended with Torres throwing two side kicks. 10-9 Torres.
Round 2:
In the second round, Torres landed a counter right hook as Dern closed in and Dern attempted to jump into a flying triangle choke. Torres stayed on her feet and Dern switched to a standing kimura attempt while keeping her legs wrapped around Torres’s waist. Dern used the kimura to pull Torres down to the mat, but Torres freed her arm. From the bottom, Dern tried to set up an armbar. She then switched to a kneebar on Torres’s left leg in the final minute. Torres defended well and she prevented Dern from straightening her leg. Dern wound up sitting on Torres’s chest and she threw back elbow and hammerfist strikes until the end of the round. 10-9 Dern.
Round 3:
Dern landed a body kick in the final round and she tried to close the distance with right hooks. Torres used side kicks to keep her at bay and then landed a heel kick to the side of Dern’s face. Dern latched on to Torres’s right leg and dragged her down, but Torres kicked her off with an upkick to the chest and followed up with two hard punches as Dern rose to her feet. Torres threw more side kicks and Dern landed an overhand right. Torres kicked at Dern’s lead leg and body and tried for a late takedown, but Dern reversed it. 10-9 Torres. Decision could go either way.
Winner: Mackenzie Dern by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. She improves to 12-2-0.
“The Olympian” Mark O. Madsen vs Vinc “From Hell” Pichel
Round 1:
Madsen had success with leg kicks in the opening minute and Pichel landed an overhand right. As Madsen continued to land leg kicks, Pichel switched stances to protect his left leg. Pichel landed two leg kicks of his own and he followed with a short right hook. Madsen landed a calf kick and Pichel answered with one of his own. Madsen clinched and took Pichel down into side control. Pichel battled back to his feet and he avoided a Madsen guillotine choke along the way. Madsen landed a big overhand right that drew a reaction from Pichel, who landed a leg kick just before the bell. 10-9 Madsen.
Round 2:
As Madsen tried to close the distance in round two, he landed a leg kick and Pichel immediately responded with a body kick. Pichel scored with a front kick to the body and an overhand right. Another leg kick scored for Pichel, but Madsen was able to take his back and he dragged Pichel down. Pichel got to his knees and then rolled forward. He scissored Madsen’s right left in a calf slicer and Madsen threw back elbow strikes. He stood up and pulled his leg free, and Pichel landed a flurry of punches that culminated with an uppercut. He took Madsen down and held him against the base of the cage. 10-9 Pichel.
Round 3:
Pichel was aggressive with jabs and a flying switch knee attempt in the final round. He kept the pressure on Madsen with more jabs and a leg kick before clinching in search of a takedown. Madsen reversed the clinch and the fighters separated. Madsen shot in for a sloppy takedown, but he was still able to get Pichel down. Pichel threw up his legs for a triangle choke, but Madsen escaped and passed to half-guard. He looked for an arm-triangle choke from the top and kept Pichel pinned down until the final 30 seconds. Pichel rolled for a kneebar and landed an illegal upkick that went undetected, and the fighters stood up just before the final bell sounded. 10-9 Madsen.
Winner: Mark O. Madsen by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 12-0-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)