When Max Holloway faced Jose Aldo at UFC 212, it was a battle to unify the UFC featherweight title. Holloway had claimed the interim title with a third-round TKO win over Anthony Pettis at UFC 206. Aldo was promoted to undisputed champion in July after he defeated Frankie Edgar at UFC 200.
At the time, Holloway was on a 10-fight winning streak, with seven of those fights coming by way of stoppage. Aldo, who had defended the UFC 145-pound title on seven occasions in his first reign as champion, had bounced back from losing the belt to Conor McGregor in a bout where he was knocked out in 13 seconds, was in his second stint as the divisional kingpin. Holloway was the underdog on fight night.
Early in the fight, Aldo controlled the contest, but as the scrap got to the middle of the second round, Holloway seemed to settle into his rhythm and he upped his output. That increase in pace was the difference in the contest.
In the third round, Holloway put the peddle to the floor. In that stanza, he threw 124 total strikes to Aldo’s 25. The beginning of the end came with just under three minutes left in the third stanza. Holloway dropped Aldo to the mat and did everything he could to prevent Aldo from recovering. Referee John McCarthy gave Aldo as much time as possible to get back in the fight, but he waved things off with nine seconds left in the third round. The TKO win gave Holloway the unified featherweight title.
Holloway went on to claim a second stoppage over Aldo at UFC 218 in defense of his title. On Saturday, Holloway looks to defend his title for the second time when he faces Brian Ortega in the main event of UFC 231, which takes place at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Before that fight takes place, watch Holloway claim the featherweight crown from Aldo.
