This is the UFC 240 live blog for Max Holloway vs. Frankie Edgar, a featherweight championship bout at Saturday’s UFC event at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta.
Holloway, who has won his last 13 fights at 145 pounds, faces Edgar, who is challenging for a featherweight title for a third time, in the main event.
Check out the UFC 240 live blog below.
Round 1: Herb Dean is your referee for this championship bout. They take the center of the Octagon, neither man backing up. Edgar with the opening feints. He lands a leg kick and a punch to the body. Holloway staying patient on the outside. He doubles up on a jab and then avoids an Edgar charge. Edgar with the early lead in output, but Holloway has been defending against everything. Clean uppercut up the middle by Holloway as he stifles an Edgar clinch. Outside leg kick by Edgar. Holloway taking advantage of his reach with a jab, but Edgar is ducking in to land punches of his own. 1-2 over the top by Edgar. They trade clean punches and then again with punches to the body. Right hand by Edgar scores during an exchange. He walks right into Holloway’s jab. Counter jab by Holloway backs Edgar up. The champ starting to find his range. Frankie landing with his own jab when he doubles up.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Holloway.
Round 2: Holloway with a lunging jab, Edgar counters with a 1-2 and a leg kick. Overhand right by Holloway, partially blocked. He gets the better of an exchange, landing a left hook on Edgar. Leg kick by Edgar, Holloway responds with two more jabs. Holloway throwing his jab to the body now. Edgar shoots in for a takedown, Holloway has it well scouted and he’s out of there. Holloway’s jab has drawn blood from Edgar’s nose. Jab lands for Edgar. Holloway looking for an angle and he connects with a body punch, then a straight right before backing up. Masterful footwork by “Blessed.” Overhand right is good for Edgar, Holloway absorbs it. Punch to the body by Holloway and he stuffs another takedown. Edgar keeping up the pressure, but he’s not landing, Holloway’s straight punches are chewing him up. Pawing left hand by Holloway. Outside leg kick by Edgar, but he can’t connect without eating something in return. Holloway cracks Edgar with a spinning body kick to close the round, Edgar almost trips against the fence.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Holloway. Overall, 20-18 Holloway.
Round 3: Edgar immediately tries to tie Holloway up to open the round, but Holloway easily gets free. The challenger having some success with outside leg kicks and kicks to the body. Holloway stalking, choosing his shots wisely. Short combinations by Edgar. Right hand lands for Edgar, Holloway continues to stalk him. They clinch, Holloway gets a knee to the body before the separation. Spinning body kick by Edgar. They exchange, more evenly this time, though Holloway still seems mostly unaffected. They trade jabs. Spinning back fist by Edgar, dodged. Takedown attempt stopped and Holloway lands another knee to the body. The champion hasn’t thrown much in this round though. Uppercut by Holloway, followed by a knee that clips Edgar’s head. He pursues Edgar and lands a straight right. Edgar in with the takedown and he gets it, the first of the fight. Less than a minute to work. Holloway defending well, but Edgar finds a narrow opening to land some ground and pound. Holloway is up and he may have taken the round with the late burst of offense.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Holloway. Overall, 30-27 Holloway.
Round 4: Single leg right away by Edgar, Holloway blocks it and throws a straight right. Jab connects for Edgar, then a 1-2 lands solidly. Holloway cracks Edgar with a jab as he takes control fo the center of the Octagon. Leg kick by Edgar. 1-2 for Holloway. Single leg attempt by Edgar is avoided. He gets deeper on a takedown, but Holloway’s defense is rock solid and he brings Edgar back to the middle of the cage. Edgar doubles up and lands his jab. Holloway still landing the harder, more accurate punches. Nice kick to the body by Edgar, followed by another. He’s looking for different angles to shoot in, but Holloway leaving no openings for a takedown. 1-1-2 combo by Holloway and it all lands on point. Edgar looking to make this fight dirty though, he’s landing counter-punches with more consistency. That 1-1-2 again works for Holloway, He’s not backing down from a brawl and now it’s Edgar whose head is being bounced around. No takedown again for Edgar to end the round and after a body kick by Holloway, they stare each other down on the way to their corners.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Holloway. Overall, 40-36 Holloway.
Round 5: No early takedown attempt by Edgar this time. Holloway sticking with the gameplan and making Edgar miss while peppering him with punches from distance. Edgar has a takedown blocked. He’s getting inside on Holloway occasionally, finding a home for short hooks. Right hand lands for Edgar. Holloway is answering combinations with combinations. Every leg kick by Edgar is met with a stiff jab. Holloway turning it up midway through the round. Single leg by Edgar and Holloway stuffs it.Edgar has not let up with his attack, but Holloway is slipping most of his punches. Jab-hook lands for Edgar. Holloway loose and he tags Edgar with a straight right, then a left hook. A minute to go and the pace has not slowed. Holloway still keeping Edgar on the outside, it doesn’t look like a Hail Mary shot is coming. Holloway tries to end the round with a spin kick again, Edgar ties him up, but it won’t be enough.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Holloway. Overall, 50-45 Holloway.
Official result: Max Holloway def. Frankie Edgar via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 48-47)