The conclusions of UFC 276
Adesanya, increasingly mature
It wasn’t the fight the fans wanted, but it was the fight Izzy needed to keep the belt. It seemed simple to come out and trade with Jared Cannonier, but on the few occasions the American let his hands go he showed he could do damage.
Adesanya adjusted well, defended takedowns and had few dangerous situations against an opponent who threatened with right hands and constant guard changes to land kicks. He continues in his step of making history at 185 pounds and now he is very clear that his next opponent will be Brazilian Alex Pereira, who already defeated him twice in kickboxing.
Alexander the ‘Very Big’
Volkanovski presented at UFC 276 one of the best performances of his entire career and probably in the history of featherweight, especially if we take into account the quality of the opponent, Max Holloway, who looked far from what he showed in the two previous fights.
Volkanovksi outboxed Max by far in volume, handled his footwork well and simply showed the evolution he has been talking about.
He came out with a broken hand so the date of his return is unknown, although he is now in control of his destiny. His clearest options: go for the 155-pound belt when the champion is defined or give the opportunity to a new challenger at featherweight.
Josh Emmett and the Ortega-Rodriguez winner appear as options.