UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Kattar Full Fight Results

Fans in attendance and a national audience on ABC was treated to a phenomenal UFC card to start 2021, with a flawless Max Holloway performance capping off a main card filled with knockouts and underdog victories. Any casual viewer who flipped on ABC and saw UFC for the first time is undoubtedly turned onto the sport after what went down Saturday, Jan. 16, at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

The event took place in front of 2,000 fans, the first time in nearly a year the UFC has had fans at a live show. After a decision-filled preliminary card, the main card started with knockouts from Punahele Soriano, Alessio di Chirico and Jianglang Li, all underdogs. Carlos Condit and Matt Brown put on a legends showcase before Max Holloway stole the show.

Results

Featherweight

Austin Lingo (-257) def. Jacob Kilburn (+221) by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)

Props: by decision (+209); over 2.5 (+100)

Matt’s pick: Lingo; Craig’s pick: Lingo

Austin Lingo woke up the crowd, fight fans around the world, and most notably Jacob Kilburn with a massive straight right early that dropped Kilburn. The heavy punches never stopped coming from Lingo, who landed the straight right at will. Kilburn, who the broadcast repeatedly pointed out, has never been knocked out and showed just how tough his chin was Saturday. “That’s a tough guy right there,” Lingo said during his in-cage post-fight interview. “I thought he was going to go down but he just kept going.” Kilburn nearly snagged a kimura in the third round, but it was all Lingo all the way as he cruised to a unanimous decision, with two judges giving him a 10-8 round for dropping and stunning Kilburn multiple times in the first round.

Women’s Bantamweight

Vanessa Melo (+149) def. Sarah Moras (-119) by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Props: by decision (+253); over 2.5 (-362)

Matt’s pick: Moras; Craig’s pick: Moras

Whatever energy Lingo-Kilburn generated at Etihad Arena, Sarah Moras and Vanessa Melo sapped out of it. Moras danced and screamed around the Octagon, including yelling once without even throwing a punch. Melo stalked her, landing heavier shots, but unable to cut off the Octagon or implement any bigger gameplan than throwing overhand rights when Moras got in range. Moras, a noted grappler, attempted one half-hearted takedown in the second round, which Melo easily stuffed. Judges gave the fighter moving forward the unanimous decision win, to the surprise of Moras but nobody else. We need the Men in Black “Neuralyzer” to forget about this one.

Welterweight

Ramazan Emeev (-310) def. David Zawada (+244) by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Props: by decision (-119); over 2.5 (-206)

Matt’s pick: Emeev; Craig’s pick: Emeev

In a fantastic clash of styles, Ramazan Emeev and David Zawada put on a show. Emeev took the first round with a flurry of takedowns after looking strong on the feet early. But Zawada came back by attacking the lead leg of Emeev in the second round. Emeev did cut Zawada after the bell signaling the end of round 2, but it didn’t phase Zawada too much, as he ended up in a mount position in the third round. Emeev reversed it and escaped to likely seal the split decision victory. “I was expecting a different style from him, but for me, it’s motivation to improve in different styles,” Emeev said in through a translator in his in-cage post-fight interview with Jon Anik.

Heavyweight

Carlos Felipe (-200) def. Justin Tafa (+165) by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Props: by decision (+196); over 2.5 (-101)

Matt’s pick: Felipe; Craig’s pick: Felipe

The heavyweights brought it in this preliminary bout! Justin Tafa, in just his fifth fight as a professional, started off well, landing some hard kicks to the legs and body of Carlos Felipe. But as the fight wore on, Felipe got stronger and earned a controversial split decision victory to improve to 10-1. Only four of 20 media members scored it for Felipe, according to MMA Decisions. It was the fourth straight fight Felipe has gone to decision, going 3-1 in that span.

Women’s Bantamweight

Joselyne Edwards (-113) def. Wu Yanan (-109) by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)

Props: by decision (+240); over 2.5 (-259)

Matt’s pick: Edwards; Craig’s pick: Edwards

The first female UFC fighter from Panama Joselyne Edwards made a name for herself with a unanimous decision victory over Wu Yanan. Edwards, a late-notice replacement for Bethe Correia, controlled from the start and showed she can start making some waves in the women’s bantamweight division. Matt and Craig were high on Edwards entering the week, and it was easy to see why. The future is bright for the young “La Pantera”.

Middleweight

Punahele Soriano (+144) def. Dusko Todorovic (-174) by KO (R1, 4:48)

Props: by KO/TKO (+268); under 1.5 (+136)

Matt’s pick: Todorovic; Craig’s pick: Todorovic

Welcome to the UFC, Dusko Todorovic. An undefeated 10-0 entering the world’s top promotion, fellow undefeated Punahele Soriano caught Todorovic with a hard left and ended things with a series of blows before Herb Dean pulled Soriano off the newcomer. Soriano is now 2-0 in the UFC, following up his win over Oskar Piechota.

Middleweight

Alessio di Chirico (+230) def. Joaquin Buckley (-293) by KO (R1, 2:12)

Props: by knockout (+760); under 1.5 (+152)

Matt’s pick: Buckley; Craig’s pick: Buckley

The Italian Alessio di Chirico put Joaquin Buckley’s 2020 Knockout of the Year well in the rearview Saturday with an early nominee for 2021 Knockout of the Year. Just over 2 minutes into the first round, di Chirico connected on a head kick that snapped Buckley’s head and sent him to the mat. Keith Peterson quickly jumped in to call an end to the fight. It snapped a three-fight skid for “Manzo”, who now puts himself back into the middleweight conversation.

Welterweight

Jingliang Li (+266) def. Santiago Ponzinibbio (-341) by KO (R1, 4:25)

Props: by knockout (+585); under 1.5 (+179)

Matt’s pick: Ponzinibbio; Craig’s pick: Ponzinibbio

So much for Santiago Ponzinibbio’s seven-fight win streak. Coming off a two-year absence from the Octagon, Jingliang Li welcomed back the Argentinian with a brutal knockout. Evading a Ponzinibbio strike, Li countered with a left hook that sent Ponzinibbio to the mat. Referee Jason Herzog called an end to the fight at 4:25 of the first round to give the underdog a big welterweight win.

Welterweight

Carlos Condit (-210) def. Matt Brown (+171) by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Props: by decision (+238); over 2.5 (+103)

Matt’s pick: Condit; Craig’s pick: Condit

Two welterweight legends came into the Octagon and we saw the skills they have become known for…. You know, Carlos Condit’s wrestling? The 37-year-old’s biggest weakness turned into a great strength in rounds 2 and 3, as he controlled the 40-year-old Brown, who picked up a cut in the first round after scraping across the fence on a successful takedown. Condit then controlled the wrestling exchanges the rest of the way including a unique takedown that got analyst Daniel Cormier out of his seat in round 2. The blood continued to pour out of Brown’s forehead as Condit cruised to the unanimous decision win.

Featherweight

Max Holloway (-162) def. Calvin Kattar (+136) by unanimous decision (50-43, 50-43, 50-42)

Props: by decision (+129); over 4.5 (-186)

Matt’s pick: Holloway; Craig’s pick: Holloway

Unbelievable! Max Holloway, one of the greatest featherweights of all times, looked the best he ever has. He attempted more than 600 strikes, the most of any UFC fight ever, and landed a big percentage of them. He went to the body, went to the head, landed elbows and spinning attacks. It was a flawless performance from the former featherweight champ, who has a case for a third meeting with Alexander Volkanovski. “If you’re not a Max Holloway fan, you’re a hater,” Calvin Kattar said in his in-cage post-fight interview.

Scorecard

Total Fights: 10

Ended by decision: 7

Ended by submission: 0

Ended by knockout: 3

Matt’s picks: 6-4; Craig’s picks: 6-4

Underdogs: 4-6

Biggest underdog winner: Jingliang Li (+266)

Biggest prop hit: di Chirico by KO/TKO (+760)

Performance bonuses ($50,000 each): Jingliang Li, Alessio di Chirico, Max Holloway, Calvin Kattar