Author: Chandra Moulee Das
UFC 290 took place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday (July 8). The event witnessed an electrifying atmosphere when Alexander Volkanovski successfully defended his featherweight title by defeating Yair Rodriguez by technical knockout in the third round.
After his unsuccessful lightweight title fight against Islam Makhachev, Volkanovski returned to the featherweight division and showed his dominance, reminding everyone that he is still the current champion, despite his setback in a higher weight class. Rodriguez was expected to pose a significant challenge to Volkanovski, but the Australian fighter won convincingly, marking his fifth consecutive title defense and solidifying his status as the greatest featherweight in the history of the sport, surpassing Max Holloway.
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Volkanovski applied relentless pressure, employed ground control and takedowns to neutralize Rodriguez’s striking skills in the first two rounds, culminating in a decisive finish in the third round.
In the first round, Volkanovski pressured Rodríguez and kept control on the ground. The champion continued his dominance in the second round, unleashing a flurry of ground-and-pound blows while displaying top control. At the start of the third round, Rodriguez tried to improve his striking game and had little success in keeping Volkanovski at bay. However, the champion unleashed a powerful right hand that hit Rodriguez directly. This drained Rodriguez’s remaining energy, allowing Volkanovski to finish the fight with a burst of ground-and-pound.
With this win, Volkanovski now has the option of seeking a rematch against lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, seeking redemption for his February fight, which resulted in his first UFC loss, or defending the featherweight title. However, before making a decision, Volkanovski has indicated that he intends to take time off to recover and heal.