Updated at 1.45
MAX HOLLOWAY SUCCESSFULLY defended his UFC featherweight title early Sunday morning, beating Jose Aldo via TKO in the third round at the Little Caesar’s Arena in Detroit.
It was the first time Holloway had attempted to defend the 145-pound title, beating Brazilian Aldo for the second time in less than six months following their initial meeting at UFC 212 back in June.
“You know, at the end of the day it is… what is is,” Holloway laughed following his win.
“I knew he was tired already, that was the whole thing”, he reflected when asked by UFC President Dana White if he had coaxed his opponent into a third round slug fest.
“My trainer said ‘let’s take him into deep water, we know he can’t swim there and then we’re gonna drown him.’ That’s exactly what we did.”
The win means Holloway continues a 12-fight unbeaten streak which stretches back four years, with the Hawaiian last falling to Conor McGregor in 2013.
“I still don’t know if Conor will ever fight again, so I’m rolling like he’s not,” Holloway told ESPN on the prospect of a rematch.
“If Conor comes back and defends the title, anything is possible.
He added: “I’ll gladly fight him. If the Conor fight doesn’t happen, it’s not on my side.”
Elsewhere on the main card Eddie Alvarez defeated Justin Gaethje with a powerful knee in the final round just as the fight looked like going the distance, while Cameroonian heavyweight Francis Ngannou recorded his sixth consecutive UFC win, beating veteran Alistair Overeem.
Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo got the better of Sergio Pettis, ending his four-fight winning streak, while Tecia Torres got a third straight win under her belt by beating Michelle Waterson by unanimous decision.
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#4 is madness (if Ive read it right), a team that doesnt get to the Ulster final (eg Armagh lets say) will have a knock out game against (randomly) either a Dublin/Kerry etc or a Clare/Westmeath.. The provincial championships are too unbalanced to be the basis of any seeding
A definite no on the first one. The others might be interesting, though unlikely to see every club introduce an underage hurling team.
@Ian Cunningham: Me thinks number one a great idea. Watching underage players now when they get onto a divisional never mind county panel, think they don’t have to show up for club games. Club ought to always come first for players, unfortunately though, there’s no money for the association incoming from club games, it’s inter county that generates that, alas this motion be turned down
@Jed Ward: Cork have enough injury concerns without having to worry about fellas playing meaningless RedFM League matches. If it was county championship matches maybe. That’s what the split season is for.
@Jed Ward: . The demands on inter county players at both underage and senior level are huge. Younger inter county players between the ages of 19 and 22 have in many cases the very significant additional demands of university competitions to cope with. A balance has to be struck. These huge demands are leading to soft tissue injuries. Additional demands being placed on this group of players are highly questionable.
@Richard Ford: as you say “the demands” on amateur players. There is actually no need to elaborate on this. The top brass don’t give a fiddle about “the demands” on players, players are just a commodity for their chunky pay packets and Croke Park
Would love to see football format returned to lose a game and you’re out of provincial championship. Four province winners go to all Ireland semi final and winners of that game onto final. Then again, it’s all about the money, so not a hope of ever seeing that format again in either code
@Jed Ward: given the commitment and training that players put in these days, you can’t have fellas knocked out after one game.
@Jed Ward: Catch yourself on. That format is outdated and way past its sell by date.
@Richard Ford: all about the money money money,
@Ian it’s taking to absolute Michael out of players who are amateur with all the training and commitment they put in. Again it’s all about the money money money. The Grab All Airgead association.
@Jed Ward: OK, you’re one of them. A GAA hater, who knows nothing about the GAA, but has a smart nickname.
@Ian Cunningham: 100% correct there Ian. Actually I’m an ex county player, now coaching an underage level and vice chairman with my juvenile club.
@Jed Ward: what a crock of … .