Dustin Poirier and Israel Adesanya claim interim titles at UFC 236 in Atlanta
Israel Adesanya was on the brink of disaster against Kelvin Gastelum before unleashing his full arsenal and busting open his opponent.
Live: UFC 236
Israel Adesanya and Dustin Poirier were the big winners at UFC 236.
The UFC has two new challengers for its middleweight and lightweight titles after back-to-back wars at UFC 236.
Israel Adesanya set up a trans-Tasman 185-pound title fight with Australia’s Robert Whittaker by winning a five-round war with Kelvin Gastelum while Dustin Poirier is looming large for lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov after also going the distance with Max Holloway.
Both interim titleholders fully deserve the opportunity after epic performances.
Adesanya won a unanimous decision 48-46 on all three judges scorecards. It was tied at 38-38 entering the fifth before the Nigerian-born Kiwi started landing his right hand at will and floored a bloody Gastelum three times.
Despite the urgings of commentator Joe Rogan for the referee to “stop the fight”, Gastelum was allowed to finish but it was a 10-8 round for Adesanya.
He is expected to fight Whittaker — who was forced to pull out of a fight with Gastelum earlier this year because of health issues — in Australia later this year.
Poirier was slightly more decisive as all judges scored it 49-46 after he exploded out of the blocks against Holloway, the 145-pound champion who was stepping up a division.
There was a noticeable difference in Poirier’s power and he hurt the Hawaiian more than anyone ever has, particularly in a brutal round one.
Poirier, 30, now has consecutive wins against four men who have held UFC gold — Anthony Pettis, Justin Gaethje, Eddie Alvarez — and is ready to end Khabib’s undefeated streak.
“Get your s*** together young man, we’ve got a belt to fight for,” Poirier said.
2.50pm
Holloway-Poirier: Round by round
R1: What an opening for Poirier. He used every bit of his size and power advantage to bludgeon Holloway in the opening round and put the featherweight champ in all sorts of trouble. Holloway stayed upright but there were several dangerous moments and there’s potential for the judges to go 10-8. Poirier 10-9
R2: Holloway looked like he was gaining a foothold in the fight, controlling the pace and outworking Poirier for most of the round. But the Louisiana native fired back late in the round and showed the huge power difference by rocking Holloway twice. The Hawaiian attempted to show he was unhurt but his reactions were showing otherwise and that’s another round that’s slipped away. Poirier 20-18
R3: Now it gets interesting. Can Holloway’s heart, endurance and volume overcome Poirier’s power? Holloway showed it was possible by coming on strong late in the third where he enjoyed his best period of the fight — peppering Poirier with punches and fighting off a takedown. Poirier 29-28
R4: Every war needs a splash of colour and this battle got it in round four as Poirier opened a gash between Holloway’s eyes with a glancing knee. Blood poured from the wound but it seemed to inspire the Hawaiian and he may have just snuck that round to square the fight. 38-38
R5: Amazing fight. Great show of respect both fighters after the final bell. This has to be Poirier’s fight. The fifth was close like the fourth but if you look at the face of both men you can see who took the most damage. Poirier 48-47
2pm
Gastelum-Adesanya: Round by round
R1: Adesanya scored first with a heavy body kick but Gastelum took control of the round with a right hand that knocked the Kiwi down momentarily and left him scrambling to get out of harm’s way. Gastelum 10-9
R2: Adesanya started to find a groove early in the second. Gastelum earned a brief reprieve with a stiff jab that set back his opponent, but it wasn’t long before the style bending resumed. Adesanya dropped Gastelum with a chopping right hand and rocked him again late in the round with a spinning elbow. 19-19
R3: Adesanya had the better of the striking exchanges but did get clipped with a right hand. Gastelum also scored a takedown late in the round, although he couldn’t keep Adesanya down. Adesanya 29-28
R4: What a fight. On the brink of going down three rounds to one, Gastelum came storming back, landing a high kick to the Kiwi’s head and hurting him badly. Adesanya staggered backwards but was clearly wobbled. He responded late in the round but this is all even. 38-38
R5: Thrilling ending to an epic. Adesanya was able to land his right hand at will and busted open Gastelum. He put him down three times. Likely a 10-8 round. Adesandya 48-46
1.30pm
Rountree chops down Anders
Khalil Rountree Jr failed to finish Eryk Anders — but that doesn’t mean the former college football star will be any less sore when he wakes up tomorrow.
Rountree absolutely brutalised Anders over three rounds at light heavyweight, including a savage second round where he knocked him down four times and almost forced the referee to step in. “He is just beating him up,” Daniel Cormier said in commentary.
But Anders battled on bravely and finished the fight on his feet, despite having a purple front leg from repeated kicks. All three judges gave it to Rountree 30-26.
1pm
Grant takes one in the pills
Dwight Grant won a controversial split decision in his welterweight fight against Alan Jouban — which was pretty forgettable apart from one painful moment.
Before two judges scored it 29-28 for Grant (the other had it 30-27 for Jouban), the New Yorker was kicked in the one spot no fighter wants to be kicked.
“No question about that one,” Daniel Cormier said in commentary.
“That might be the cleanest one we’ve ever seen,” added Joe Rogan.
Jouban reacted furiously after hearing the decision. “Get the f*** out of here! No! No!” he roared.
But his reaction was dismissed by Cormier, who said Jouban had no right to argue given the lack of strikes he landed.
12.30pm
Ukrainian chokes out OSP
Nikita Krylov had to wait five years for revenge against Ovince Saint Preux but did it in style with a submission win.
Krylov tapped to OSP at UFC 171 in 2014 but flipped the script by winning via rear naked choke in the second round.
Saint Preux scored a couple of takedowns in round one but the Ukrainian was able to quickly return to his feet and began taking over in the second.
He picked up OSP and slammed him hard on the canvas before transitioning into mount and slowly applying a squeeze to force a tap at the midway point of the second. OSP has now lost twice since submitting Australia’s Tyson Pedro in June last year.
12pm
Results: Preliminary card
Lightweight
Matt Frevola defeated Jalin Turner decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Flyweight
Alexandre Pantoja defeated Wilson Reis via TKO (punches) R1, 2:58
Welterweight
Max Griffin defeated Zelim Imadaev via decision (majority) (29-27, 27-29, 28-28)
Bantamweight
Khalid Taha defeated Boston Salmon via TKO (punches) R1, 0:25
11.30pm
Pantoja wins Brazilian derby
Alexandre Pantoja made short work of fellow Brazilian Wilson Reis, dropping the MMA veteran in the first round with a clean right hand before unleashing on the downed 34-year-old.
Reis was left defenceless and lasted seconds on the canvas before the referee stood in and called it off at the three minute mark.
10.40pm
Clubbing one-two does the job
It took just 25 seconds for German bantamweight Khalid Taha to assert his dominance, opening up the preliminary card with a brutal knockout over Boston Salmon.
Fighting in just his second UFC bout, the 27-year-old stunned his opponent with a savage left hand to send him to the canvas, lights out.
9.50am
That can’t be healthy
A gruesome jab from Curtis Millender resonated through the crowd late in the first round of his clash against Belal Muhammad, rounding off the exciting early preliminary card.
A solid right hand from Belal caught Millender on the jaw but the American immediately fired back with a counter. He later told his corner he knocked out his opponent’s contact lens with the jab.
But it wasn’t enough to get the win as Belal reigned supreme, snagging victory by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 30-26).
Decision wins to Montel Jackson and Poliana Botelho followed a clinical second round rear-naked choke from Brandon Davis over Randy Costa to kick off the night of fighting.
Early preliminary card
Welterweight
Belal Muhammad defeated Curtis Millender via decision (unanimous) (29-27, 29-27, 30-26)
Bantamweight
Montel Jackson defeated Andre Soukhamthath via decision (unanimous) (30-26, 30-27, 29-27)
Women’s Flyweight
Poliana Botelho defeated Lauren Mueller via decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Bantamweight
Brandon Davis defeated Randy Costa via submission (rear-naked choke) R2, 1:12
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