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The best is still “Blessed.”
In a thrilling affair, Max Holloway defended his UFC featherweight title with a fourth-round TKO stoppage over Brian Ortega, winning his long-awaited return to the Octagon in thunderous fashion on Saturday night in the main event of UFC 231. Holloway’s brilliance capped off a night at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena that also saw Valentina Shevchenko dominate Joanna Jedrzejczyk to claim the vacant women’s flyweight title.
Check out reaction to UFC 231’s two championship fights below, plus the best of the rest from a wild night north of the border.
MAX HOLLOWAY DEF. BRIAN ORTEGA
Good fight congrats to @BlessedMMA
— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) December 9, 2018
Ahh what a fight! So torn between the two. Such great men. I felt the difference was that handspeed for Max. Great technical fight! Ortega will be back for sure! He has the heart of a lion! #Classic #UFC231
— Aljamain Sterling (@FunkMaster_UFC) December 9, 2018
Predicted points but I was wrong. ♂️
— Danny Roberts #HC (@DanHotChocolate) December 9, 2018
And now everyone’s taking about this “blessed” guy ....and so they should.
I know the numbers must be crazy! #volume #ufc231
@BlessedMMA just figured Tcity out, beautiful work controlling the distance and sticking to game plan #ufc231
— noad lahat (@Neo_MMA) December 9, 2018
Omg @BrianTcity is my new hero. @BlessedMMA looked unreal. Good stoppage by the Dr. #FOTY hands down. They should just nominate these gentlemen 4 times in a row cuz they the only competition. #Unreal
— Seth Baczynski (@Sethbmma) December 9, 2018
Awesome fight! Ortega is tough as nails. @BlessedMMA is the GOAT! And Still!! #BlessedExpress #blessedera #UFC231
— BRYAN BARBERENA (@bryan_barberena) December 9, 2018
Blessed express #ufc231
— Emily (@emwhitmire115) December 9, 2018
That was a freaking fight!!! #ufctoronto
— Jessica Penne (@JessicaPenne) December 9, 2018
Holloway has gotta be one of the funnest strikers to watch, Ortega’s chin is too good for his own good. Let’s see these punch stats
— Jeremy Kennedy (@JeremyKennedyWC) December 9, 2018
Woooooooooo!!!!! Good Job Both Fighters!! Love To See That Kind Of Entertainment!!! @BlessedMMA #ufc231 Enjoy The Victory, If @TeamKhabib Ducks Me Let’s Run It - Respect
— Tony Ferguson (@TonyFergusonXT) December 9, 2018
Wow. Wow. Wow! So impressed by @BlessedMMA not only the best 45er but pound for pound one of the best fighters in the world. Props to @BrianTcity heart of a warrior! @ufc #UFC231
— Brad Tavares (@BradTavares) December 9, 2018
@BlessedMMA O.M.G. Thank you for the entertainment and inspiration. #ufc231
— Zak Cummings (@ZakCummings) December 9, 2018
What an amazing fight. Holloway is amazing and much respect to Ortega. Wow. #ufc231
— Scott Holtzman (@HotSauceHoltzy) December 9, 2018
Salute. @BlessedMMA @BrianTcity
— Andre Fili (@TouchyFili) December 9, 2018
Wow! What a performance by @BlessedMMA . That pressure! #GOAT #UFC231 @ufc
— Marion Reneau (@BelizeanBruiser) December 9, 2018
Fuck Max is a fucking animal that was a striking clinic. Ortega is amazing too.
— David Michaud (@bulldawgUFC) December 9, 2018
Holloway looking like the lost Diaz brother!! Loose hands, volume punching, and lots of talking
— Jimmy Smith (@jimmysmithmma) December 9, 2018
Which makes you wonder, just how good is Conor McGregor..?
— Chael Sonnen (@ChaelSonnen) December 9, 2018
Amazing #UFC231
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) December 9, 2018
Crazy heart from Ortega that fight was awesome max is a monster Anderson Silva in his prime level
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) December 9, 2018
Damn that was a great scrap. Congrats to Holloway and Respect to both #UFC231
— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) December 9, 2018
BREAKING NEWS: Max Holloway is healthy... What a fight #ufc231
— Damien Brown (@beatdown155) December 9, 2018
Ortega an absolute warrior ’s off to both of those weapons #UFCToronto
@BlessedMMA is a beast, what a fight!
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) December 9, 2018
What a Fucking fight boys!!!!! Proud to watch two men put on a show like that. @BlessedMMA @BrianTcity @ufc
— Ian McCall (@Unclecreepymma) December 9, 2018
Wowwwwww! @BlessedMMA you tha man brotha congrats!! God bless
— Stephen Thompson (@WonderboyMMA) December 9, 2018
@BlessedMMA you are next level mate.
— Anton Zafir (@AntonZafirUFC) December 9, 2018
What a fight
— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) December 9, 2018
Congratulations @BlessedMMA you are great champion.
VALENTINA SHEVCHENKO DEF. JOANNA JEDRZEJCZYK
Man, @BulletValentina is good.
— Ryan Hall (@ryanhall5050) December 9, 2018
Joanna needs to switch things up or this fight W will easily run away with Shevchenko.#UFC231
— Aljamain Sterling (@FunkMaster_UFC) December 9, 2018
On top of a fist fight I feel like it’s also a fight to see who can scream loudest each strike. #ufc231
— Scott Holtzman (@HotSauceHoltzy) December 9, 2018
Valentina def has the best spinning back in the game! @joerogan text book and no Telegraph! Love it #UFC231
— Stephen Thompson (@WonderboyMMA) December 9, 2018
We really need to discuss what exactly merits a "significant strike" because the numbers that come up lead me to believe it's anything other than a jab. #UFC231
— Gerald Meerschaert (@The_Real_GM3) December 9, 2018
Round the corner there will always be a bigger faster version of you. outsmart yourself!
— Danny Roberts #HC (@DanHotChocolate) December 9, 2018
Valentina is just to strong and technical
— James Vick (@JamesVickMMA) December 9, 2018
Great fight, Shevchenko mixing in the takedowns made it look like she was cruising and that spin kick counter to the legkick was crazy impressive! But now we have to watch that dance again... ::sigh:: #UFC231
— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) December 9, 2018
Valentina is on another level #ufc231
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) December 9, 2018
@BulletValentina way too strong for this division!! #ufc232
— Alex Volkanovski (@alexvolkanovski) December 9, 2018
Great fight @joannamma vs @BulletValentina both Amaizing warrior!!!
— Krzysztof Jotko (@JotkoMMA) December 9, 2018
GUNNAR NELSON DEF. ALEX OLIVEIRA
That ref is a fucking peace of shit. #Ufc @ufc fuck you Canada
— Seth Baczynski (@Sethbmma) December 9, 2018
That’s the most blood I’ve seen in a bit. #ufc231
— Scott Holtzman (@HotSauceHoltzy) December 9, 2018
Great, now Im craving @gushers. Thanks a lot Gunnar #UFC231
— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) December 9, 2018
Blood bath after that elbow.. solid performance from @GunniNelson #ufc231
— Shane Burgos (@HurricaneShaneB) December 9, 2018
Calculated comeback by Gunni after that first round. Beautiful to watch and great to watch him back in there #ufc231
— Damien Brown (@beatdown155) December 9, 2018
Gunni Nelson is BACK!! Wicked elbows from mount after a back and forth scrap over a SUPER tough Oliveira! #UFC231
— Aljamain Sterling (@FunkMaster_UFC) December 9, 2018
@GunniNelson is an animal. What a display of composure and precision.
— Ryan Hall (@ryanhall5050) December 9, 2018
The blood pouring out from that nasty elbow great fight by gunni #UFC231
— Stephen Thompson (@WonderboyMMA) December 9, 2018
HAKEEM DAWODU DEF. KYLE BOCHNIAK
Tough fight for @KyleBochniak!! Shake it off bruh. #ufc231
— RobFont (@RobSFont) December 9, 2018
Please give me Dawodu @seanshelby @danawhite @dawodu
— Chas Skelly (@ChasSkelly) December 9, 2018
.@meanhakeemko you’re not pretty! You look like a short broke @obj
— Chas Skelly (@ChasSkelly) December 9, 2018
Wow judges just robbed @KyleBochniak of a big @ufc win #ufc231
— Charles Rosa (@CharlesRosaMMA) December 9, 2018
Lol split dec? Judges get your shit together. #ufc231
— tim means (@MeansTim) December 9, 2018
But why he mean mugging still? Lol #UFC231
— Aljamain Sterling (@FunkMaster_UFC) December 9, 2018
THIAGO SANTOS DEF. JIMI MANUWA
Holy Santos.... My Gawdddd that was entertaining and vicious #ufc231
— Damien Brown (@beatdown155) December 9, 2018
@TMarretaMMA you Fucking monster! @ufc CONGRATS !!!
— Krzysztof Jotko (@JotkoMMA) December 9, 2018
Was that the honest game plan!?
— Dustin Ortiz (@DustinOrtizMMA) December 9, 2018
Love it, Great Fight #ufc231
I couldn’t emotional handle watching that. I’m sweating like I just fought. Wow, Santos and Manuwa need to be arrested for attempted murder! #ufc231 pic.twitter.com/JjajfSZm51
— Zak Cummings (@ZakCummings) December 9, 2018
What a fight!!!! @ufc
— James Vick (@JamesVickMMA) December 9, 2018
Wow what a f*cking round and KO @TMarretaMMA @ufc @AmericanTopTeam #UFC231
— Charles Rosa (@CharlesRosaMMA) December 9, 2018
What a way to start the main card. Holy shit #UFC231 #crazy
— John Dodson III (@JohnDodsonMMA) December 9, 2018
Santos is the kind of guy that sets up big hooks with big hooks. Amazing fight and tenacity! #UFC231
— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) December 9, 2018
Crazy fight!! #UFC231
— Alex Volkanovski (@alexvolkanovski) December 9, 2018
That fight was worth the ppv price #UFC232
— Jordan Johnson (@doublejmma) December 9, 2018
What a fight #ufc231
— Shane Burgos (@HurricaneShaneB) December 9, 2018
OMG!! The power these dudes have. Awesome fight!! Nice left hand by Santos! #UFC231
— Stephen Thompson (@WonderboyMMA) December 9, 2018
That was extra violent in person #UFC231
— Tatiana Suarez (@TSPMMA115) December 9, 2018
That's 50 for sure #UFC231
— Gerald Meerschaert (@The_Real_GM3) December 9, 2018
Such crazy power! I could only imagine what a shot like that feels to my head! #UFC231
— Aljamain Sterling (@FunkMaster_UFC) December 9, 2018
That's HOW YOU FUCKING START A FIGHT CARD! #GUNSBLAZING #UFC231
— Marion Reneau (@BelizeanBruiser) December 9, 2018
Santos is a fucking gangster @ufc @danawhite wow
— Jeremy Stephens (@LiLHeathenMMA) December 9, 2018
What a fight and what a finish!!!!!!! #UFC231
— Siyar The Great (@Siyarized) December 9, 2018
What a fight!!
— Bonecrusher (@Marc_Diakiese) December 9, 2018
The hammer next champ
— Platinum Mike Perry (@PlatinumPerry) December 9, 2018
Poll
Whose UFC 231 performance stood out the most to you?
This poll is closed
-
81%
Max Holloway def. Brian Ortega
-
3%
Valentina Shevchenko def. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
-
4%
Gunnar Nelson def. Alex Oliveira
-
0%
Hakeem Dawodu def. Kyle Bochniak
-
10%
Thiago Santos def. Jimi Manuwa