UFC 266 was held at the T-Mobile Arena in Vegas, Nevada, and it was an extremely entertaining event. The featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski & women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko successfully defended their UFC belts.
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With around 20,000 UFC fans in attendance, the UFC held it’s 266 event in front of an excited crowd in Vegas. There were plenty of talking points throughout the night – let’s take a look at everything that happened on Saturday night.
The Main Event – Volkanovski Victorious Against Ortega
In the main event of the night, UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski went toe-to-toe with Brian Ortega. After a win in October last year against ‘The Korean Zombie’, Ortega challenged for the featherweight belt.
In a tense battle, the champion showed why he is the holder of the belt, dominating the challenger in all five rounds. Volkanovski landed 229 strikes, more than double of Ortega’s. The Australian champion was impressive throughout, and the judges agreed. With a unanimous decision victory, Volkanovski reigns supreme at the top of the featherweight division.
Shevchenko TKO’s Lauren Murphy in Co-Main Event
Just before the main event, Valentina Shevchenko further cemented her name at the top of the women’s flyweight division. Now flyweight champion since December 2018, Shevchenko has fought off six different opponents in that timeframe, beating each one convincingly.
In the fourth round of the clash, Valentina Shevchenko dominated Lauren Murphy with a flurry of punches. Then, after taking her opponent to the ground, Shevchenko connected with more brutal punches whilst Murphy laid on her back unable to move. The referee stopped the fight with one minute to go – another top performance from the champion.
Nick Diaz Returns to the Octagon - Unsuccessfully
After seven years of not being active, UFC veteran Nick Diaz returned to the octagon for the first time. A highly-anticipated rematch took place, with Diaz facing Robbie Lawler in their second fight. For those not aware, the first encounter between the two fighters took place in April 2004.
However, despite the eagerly-awaited return from Diaz, it was Robbie Lawler that came out on top in the octagon on Saturday night. Towards the end of the third round, in a five-round battle, Lawler managed to catch his opponent with a left hand, stunning Diaz. A right hand followed, and Diaz was unable to fight any longer.
Other Major Talking Points From UFC 266
It was an action-packed night, with plenty of talent appearing over the course of the night. On the main card, heavyweight Curtis Blaydes managed to record a decision win in his bout against Jairzinho Rosenstruik. Also, Jessica Andrade and Cynthia Calvillo kicked off the main card, with Andrade coming out on top via TKO at the end of the first round. As part of the prelims, New Zealand lightweight Dan Hooker secured a decision victory against Nasrat Haqparast.
Coming Up – UFC Action Every Week Until UFC 267!
UFC 267 - Sterling vs Yan 2 Extended Promo | UN-DISPUTED | #UFC267 Countdown
If you’re a fan of the UFC, then you’re in for a treat! Between now and UFC 267 – on October 30 – there’s UFC Fight Nights every single week! The run of events starts with Thiago Santos & Johnny Walker going toe-to-toe in a light heavyweight bout. Then, there’s a number of exciting matchups happening in the next month, including Holly Holm vs Norma Dumont, and Paulo Costa vs Marvin Vettori in a middleweight clash.
After all of that, UFC 267 is already lined up to be a very exciting event. At the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, light-heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz will put his title on the line against Glover Teixeira. The Co-Main event sees a bantamweight championship rematch, as Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan fight once again, after the last encounter ended in a DQ for Yan. The full fight card is still to be announced – watch this space!
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With an increasing number of online sportsbooks now operating in the US, betting on the UFC is much more accessible than ever before! So, if you’re looking to place a bet or two on any of the upcoming UFC action, then you can head over to our bookmaker reviews to find the best bookie for you! We recommend BetMGM – today’s leading US online betting site!
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