After dropping the lightweight title match in his last outing, Alex Volkanovski returned to featherweight to take on Yair Rodriguez in the headlining bout of UFC 290.
UFC 290: Alex Volkanovski vs Yair Rodriguez
Round 1
Volkanovski keeps switching stances while moving towards Rodriguez. Volk avoids a close question mark kick. Body kick by Rodriguez. Volk takes him down and sweeps him close to the cage right in front of his corner. He lands body shots from the body. Volk lands slicing elbows from the top. Rodriguez pushes him away and gets up to his feet. Volk keeps grappling and gets him down again. Rodriguez escapes and Volk follows to get him down again. He’s firing from the top in half guard. He’s looking for the arm triangle but Yair defends well. Volk throws shots from top position.
Round 2
They clash with low kicks. Rodriguez moves Volk back with his kicks. He blitzes in and throws a flying kick. Low kick and then high from Rodriguez. Rodriguez kicks down the middle and low. Volk lands a nice left hand. He pressures him to the cage, Rodriguez lands a punch and gets taken down by Volk. Rodriguez back up and Volk keeps him pinned against the cage. Volk gets him down. Big elbows from the top by Volk. Volk drags him down to the mat. He takes side position and lands from the back. He gets on top maintaining control and laying down the grounds and pounds. Elbows raining down from Volk. Rodriguez keeps him from passing the guard. He continues the brutal ground and pound from the top. Big right hand from Volk. Rodriguez tries to roll out but Volk flows with him and retains position.
Round 3
Rodrigues throws head kick down the middle and Volk attacked the body. Rodriguez attempts a flurry and eats a big right from Volk. Jab from Volk. Nice kick and big right from Rodriguez grazes past Volk. Volk low kicks. Rodriguez with two low kicks. Volk closes the distance and elbows. Leg kick by Rodriguez. Volk lands a right hook stepping in. Nice straight left from Volk. Head clash calls for a time out. Rodriguez lands a straight left, kicks to the head, lands a combo and heads kick again. Massive right hand from Volk stuns Rodriguez. Volk gets in range and digs to the body with uppercuts. He takes him down and rains a barrage of punches.
Official Result: Alex Volkanovski defeats Yair Rodriguez by TKO (R3, 4:19).
Check out the highlights below:
Undisputed gold is on the line, our #UFC290 main event stats NOW! pic.twitter.com/LGjtdcSW9a
— UFC (@ufc) July 9, 2023
STILL KING OF THE FEATHERWEIGHTS 👑🇦🇺@AlexVolkanovski stops Yair Rodriguez in Round 3!! #UFC290 pic.twitter.com/B4I8lR7WzD
— UFC (@ufc) July 9, 2023
There's nothing better.
All respect between @AlexVolkanovski and @PanteraUFC after our #UFC290 main event pic.twitter.com/67vrFou08i
— UFC (@ufc) July 9, 2023
Volk is headed back to the gym next week, the grind doesn't stop #UFC290 pic.twitter.com/2hf9RjzgV0
— UFC (@ufc) July 9, 2023
