Max Holloway Landed More Strikes, Neutralized Nearly All Takedown Attempts, And Scored A Unanimous Decision Win Over Frankie Edgar!
UFC 240 PPV (pay-per-view) event is going down live now (Saturday, July 27, 2019) from inside the Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is headlined by the five-round Featherweight title fight between the reigning defending division kingpin, Max Holloway, and the former Lightweight titleholder, Frankie Edgar.
The third man inside the octagon is Herb Dean. The championship battle begins!
Round 1
Holloway looks very cautious. Edgar is trying to go forward, delivers a low kick. Big right-hand Frankie. Max Holloway moves well, front kick missed by Edgar.
Left punch Edgar, good exchange. Double jab Max. Holloway misses with a straight punch. Low kick Frankie. Edgar misses over and over, his strikes are simply too short. What an uppercut by Holloway, but Frankie survives and fires back!!!
Right low kick Edgar. Left hook Max. Holloway controls the center. Big right hand Edgar, awesome counter, Holloway retreats and escapes. 1-2 Frankie. Head kick blocked. Right cross Max.
Body shot. Wow, Holloway ate nasty left uppercut, this was so powerful, good exchange on both sides. Right low kick by Frankie Edgar, followed by a right cross. Left hook Max.
Right uppercut counterpunch Max Holloway, Edgar is not rocked! Jab Frankie. Low kick Edgar. Holloway misses with a right high kick, good exchange to end the round. 10-9 Holloway I think.
Round 2
Holloway jabs, follows by a left hook, Edgar fires back, great low kick. Awesome strikes on both sides. Edgar goes for 1-2 but misses. Left hook Frankie.
Low kick Frankie, Holloway fires back with two crosses, but misses with a right uppercut. Right hook. Front kick attempt to the knee Edgar, Holloway evades well.
Edgar goes for a takedown, presses Max against the fence, but the attempt is stuffed. Two big strikes by Max. Frankie goes forward but misses over and over.
Edgar goes for a side-kick to the body, missed by a hair. Jab Holloway. Edgar lands a right cross. Body shot Max. Overhand right Frankie.
Great exchange on both sides. Right hook off the clinch Max. Frankie ducks under Max’s cross and delivers a big counter. Good right hand.
Holloway jabs and circles again, good kick by Frankie. Low kick Edgar, followed by a high kick, blocked. Edgar goes for a takedown, stuffed. Edgar wants to brawl but Holloway moves away. Edgar misses with a high kick, but Holloway hits him hard with a nasty spinning back kick to the chest. 10-9 Holloway.
Round 3
Edgar immediately goes for a takedown, Holloway defends well. Spinning backfist attempt Edgar, followed by a great left kick to the body. Superman punch Frankie.
Two jabs by Holloway. 1-2 Edgar, missed. Body punch Edgar followed by a low kick, but Frankie ate right hook. And another one!
Frankie goes for 1-2, Holloway retreats and escapes. Fighters clinched up but separated almost instantly. Spinning back kick to the body Edgar. Now both fighters are throwing haymakers!
Few short punches by Edgar. Holloway keeps throwing short punches, Frankie goes for a single-leg takedown, stuffed.
Right body kick Max. Right uppercut again, Edgar pulls back, but he goes for a takedown! I think Edgar lost his mouthpiece. Edgar takes Holloway down, the Hawaiian sits against the fence. Edgar doesn’t let him get up, a few ground and pound strikes. Holloway gets up, but Edgar sticks like glue. I think 10-9 Edgar.
Round 4
The championship rounds are underway. Left-right Holloway, Frankie goes for a takedown, eats big right hand. 1-2 Edgar. Low kick miss by Frankie, both fighters slowed down. Not much action.
High kick attempt by Edgar, missed. Low kick Edgar. Holloway keeps missing with left jab. Edgar goes for a single-leg again, but Holloway stops it. Another takedown attempt, Max is pressed against the fence, but he reverses Edgar well and stays on his feet.
Tough exchange. Oh, it seems Frankie is bleeding! Good uppercut by Max. Left low kick to the body Edgar. Right high kick missed by a millimeter, this was close. Three quick punches Edgar.
Right cross Edgar. Both fighters seem fatigued. Awesome combo by Edgar, he finished with a low kick, and this turns now into a wild brawl! Edgar goes for a takedown again and pressed the Hawaiian against the fence, short punches Max. Fighters separate. Right spinning back kick to the body Holloway. Very close round, unsure.
Round 5
The last round kicks off. Frankie pressed Holloway. Left kick to the body. Front kick Edgar. Right hand Holloway. Good jab Holloway, Edgar runs forward but Holloway moves to the side. Frankie goes for a takedown again, he has both under-hooks in. Holloway defends well again!
Overhand right. Big right hand Max. Jab Frankie. Nasty right cross Holloway. A lot of short punches by the current champ. Good exchange on both sides.
Two nasty jabs by Max, Frankie is bleeding again. Edgar goes for a single-leg, Holloway sprawls well, both fighters on their feet. Low kick Max. Two good strikes Holloway. Holloway counters Edgar well, what a brutal right hand.
Three quick punches by Holloway again this is his round. Fast punches Edgar, but he misses over and over. Spinning backfist attempt by Frankie, but Holloway keeps his right hand high and neutralizes this dangerous strike. Awesome tactical battle on both sides.
Last 20 seconds, Edgar must go for all or nothing, he control Max’s back, Holloway is pressed against the fence, fighters are trading shots. 10-9 Holloway.
Final Result: Max Holloway defeats Frankie Edgar via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 48-47)
Check the highlights below:
Max Holloway improves the score to 21-4 MMA, 17-4 UFC, Frankie Edgar drops to 23-7-1 MMA, 17-7-1 UFC.