Knockdown Daily 11/14/21: Max Holloway Prevails In War Against Returning Yair Rodriguez
Max Holloway's win over Yair Rodriguez leads the MMA headlines for Sunday
Welcome to the Sunday edition of the Knockdown Daily. Today’s issue will focus on the UFC “Fight Night” event that went down on Saturday.
News
Max Holloway Endures Five-Round Battle Against Returning Yair Rodriguez, Takes Decision Win
Max Holloway’s campaign towards another title reign had a tough test on Saturday, as he fought to a unanimous decision win against returning featherweight contender Yair Rodriguez.
The fight headlined a UFC “Fight Night” card that took place at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Holloway had a well-rounded performance against Rodriguez, although the win didn’t come without a hard battle that saw both competitors consume damage.
The featherweights got busy early, connecting with thudding punches in the opening round. Holloway landed good shots in the frame, although Rodriguez also scored with his fair share of blows.
Rodriguez was quite active with leg kicks early on, causing visible damage on the lead leg of Holloway.
Holloway started to land more with body punches in the second round, walking Rodriguez down with shots.
Rodriguez dropped to the ground in the third round after throwing a leg kick. Holloway took full mount on top, where he landed punches and briefly attempted an arm triangle choke.
Rodriguez had a burst of momentum when returning to the feet later in the round, throwing numerous shots on the feet. Holloway closed the second round with another takedown, moving into half guard before the round concluded.
Holloway searched for a guillotine choke in the fourth round, pulling guard with the attempt. He lost the submission on the ground, although he took top control for numerous minutes afterward.
The final round of the fight was a close one, as both featherweights remained active with strikes.
The win for Holloway over Rodriguez was picked as the “Fight of the Night” for Saturday. The award gave both fighters an extra $50,000 on top of their already negotiated fight purse.
Holloway, a former UFC Featherweight Champion, finishes the year with two five-round decision wins. His prior bout was in January, where he put on a striking clinic against Calvin Kattar.
Holloway’s 2021 run came after five years at the top of the division, competing in eight title fights.
Regarding what’s next, Holloway said it was up to UFC’s matchmakers to decide who he could fight.
“We’ll see what happens,” said Holloway in his post-fight interview.
The strong performance from Rodriguez was his first appearance in over two years. He had last competed in October 2019, defeating Jeremy Stephens on scorecards.
Andrea Lee, Khaos Williams Picked For ‘Performance of the Night’ Awards
In a card that had numerous finishes, the wins by Andrea Lee and Khaos Williams were picked for the “Performance of the Night” awards. The award gave both fighters $50,000 on top of what they were already expected to receive for their fights.
Williams scored a brutal third-round stoppage win over Miguel Baeza, catching him with an overhand right for the knockout win. The victory only continued his explosive UFC run which now includes four wins through five appearances.
Lee’s appearance on the prelims saw a high volume of shots against Cynthia Calvillo earn her a win. Calvillo wore the damage from strikes after 10 minutes of action, causing the fight to end before the third round was set to begin.
A full report for UFC on ESPN+ 55 can be read here.
Here are the quick results:
Preliminary Card (1:00PM EST / 10:00PM PST) (ESPN+ / UFC Fight Pass Canada)
Bout 1: Jung Da-un def. Kennedy Nzechukwu via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 3:04)
Bout 2: Rafael Alves def. Marc Diakiese via Submission, Guillotine Choke (RD 1, 1:48)
Bout 3: Cortney Casey def. Liana Jojua via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 4: Sean Woodson def. Collin Anglin via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 4:30)
Bout 5: Andrea Lee def. Cynthia Calvillo via TKO, Strikes (RD 2, 5:00)
Bout 6: Joel Alvarez def. Thiago Moises via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 3:01)
Main Card (4:00PM EST / 1:00PM PST) (ESPN+ / UFC Fight Pass Canada)
Bout 7: Song Yadong def. Julio Arce via TKO, Strikes (RD 2, 1:35)
Bout 8: Khaos Williams def. Miguel Baeza via TKO, Strikes (RD 2, 1:02)
Bout 9: Felicia Spencer def. Leah Letson via TKO, Strikes (RD 3, 4:25)
Bout 10: Marcos Rogerio de Lima def. Ben Rothwell via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 0:32)
Bout 11: Max Holloway def. Yair Rodriguez via Decision, Unanimous
Opinion
UFC On The Prelims: Prospects Shine In Striker’s Delight
This week’s “On The Prelims” column focuses on how striking was showcased during Saturday’s undercard. The column specifically talks about the wins from Sean Woodson, Rafael Alves and Jung Da-un, discussing not only how they won but where they can go from here.
You can give the story a look here if interested.
Stay Connected
Twitter: @JackWannan - Follow the site: @KnockdownNews
Reading this update on a browser? Sign up for free with your email to get the newsletter sent to you right as it drops!