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UFC 206: Holloway defeats Pettis by TKO

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Max Holloway (17-3-0) defeated Anthony Pettis (19-6-0) by technical knockout in the third round of the main event at UFC 206 on Saturday night in Toronto to win the interim featherweight title. Check out the round-by-round coverage for every fight on the card right here.

Max Holloway vs. Anthony Pettis live round-by-round coverage

Max Holloway knocks Anthony Pettis to the mat during their fight at UFC 206 in Toronto.
(Peter Power / Associated Press)

When the Daniel Cormier vs. Anthony Johnson fight for the UFC light heavyweight title fell through, this became the main event of UFC 206. As a way to add some sizzle to the bout, UFC announced that it would be for the UFC interim featherweight title but Pettis complicated plan that when he didn’t make weight. Now Holloway can be interim featherweight champion but Pettis can’t. Either way, UFC will look to make the fight between the winner and Jose Aldo for the full title as soon as possible. Holloway enters the contestt on a nine-fight UFC winning streak, a very difficult accomplishment given the nature of the sport. Pettis is the former UFC lightweight champion, and he won his featherweight debut against Charles Oliveira.

Round 1. The fighters start with brisk movement but not throwing a lot. Pettis throws a number of different types of kicks but isn’t able to connect with anything notable. Holloway is utilizing boxing more but he isn’t landing much either. Pettis lands a spinning back kick. Holloway hits Pettis with a few looping punches. Holloway lands a hard left hook, probably the best blow of the fight thus far. Pettis goes for a takedown late but time runs out. 10-9 Holloway.

Round 2. Holloway drops Pettis early but Pettis appears fine as he returns to his feet. Pettis’s right eye is a mess and that will likely present vision issues for the rest of the fight. Holloway continues to throw a lot of punches to the body, a tactic that you don’t see a lot in MMA compared with kicks and knees to the body. Pettis clinches and looks for a takedown but doesn’t get anything. 10-9 Holloway.

Round 3. Holloway lands a nice two punch combination. Pettis is throwing a series of front kicks. The fighters clinch, with Pettis pressing Holloway against the cage. Holloway breaks away. Holloway lands a combination to the body and head. Holloway uses a trip takedown on Pettis and lands in side control. Holloway stands back up. Holloway lands a hard body kick and follows with additional punches to the head. Pettis is forced to cover up by the cage and the fight is stopped.

Winner: Max Holloway, TKO, round 3.

That fight didn’t deliver the excitement of the previous two, but Holloway picked up another noteworthy win to continue his impressive streak. Holloway has developed into one of the best fighters in the sport, and he will provide an interesting challenge for Aldo. As for Pettis, it’s another setback as he has fallen short in two divisions. A couple of years ago, he was being groomed to be one of the superstars of the sport but that feels like it’s in the distant past now.

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Donald Cerrone vs. Matt Brown live round-by-round coverage

Donald Cerrone, left, battles Matt Brown during their bout at UFC 206 in Toronto.
(Peter Power / Associated Press)

It will be hard (OK, pretty much impossible) for this fight to top what preceded it, but Matt Brown vs. Donald Cerrone has all the makings of a very exciting fight. Both are action fighters known for entertaining standup battles. The key difference is where they stand in their careers. Cerrone has won 11 of his last 12 fights and is a top contender at 155 pounds and 170 pounds. Brown, on the other hand, has lost four of five including a really bad performance last time out against Jake Ellenberger. Brown needs the win to stay relevant while Cerrone needs the win to set up a title shot.

Round 1. Cerrone lands a hard body kick early. They exchange looping punches. Cerrone connects with a head kick and looks to finish with punches but nothing lands hard in the follow through. The fighters land hard hooks at just about the same moment. Cerrone is throwing kicks at different levels, throwing a series of leg kicks to get Brown thinking of defending low and then going up with a head kick that connects hard. Brown lands a hard body punch. He goes for a high kick but slips. Cerrone follows to the ground but Brown locks up a triangle choke. Cerrone escapes the choke and returns to his feet. Brown catches Cerrone with a right hand late. 10-9 Cerrone.

Round 2. Brown drops Cerrone with a hard punch and looks to finish. He attacks aggressively by the cage but Cerrone is able to survive and recover. Brown lands another hard straight punch moments later. Cerrone lands a head kick and then drops Brown with a straight right hand. Brown gets back up. Cerrone pushes Brown back with heavy punches. Both men are doing a lot of damage to the other. Cerrone punishes Brown with a jab that staggers Brown backward. Brown’s face is a mess. Close round that could go either way. 10-9 Cerrone.

Round 3. The fighters touch gloves and do a mini-embrace at the start of the round, after a war of words before the fight. Brown gets a takedown but Cerrone immediately returns to his feet. Cerrone then knocks Brown out with a head kick.

Winner: Donald Cerrone, KO, round 3.

Cerrone did a masterful job of keeping Brown guessing with kicks from different levels. It ultimately proved Brown’s undoing, as he didn’t know where the kicks would be coming and wasn’t able to defend the fight’s closing shot. Brown in general gave a very good showing for himself but came up short against a dangerous opponent. Cerrone now is likely in line for a big fight, although it’s unclear what that fight will be. He has engaged in a war of words with Conor McGregor and has plenty of fun options at the top of the lightweight and welterweight divisions.

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Cub Swanson vs. Doo Ho Choi live round-by-round coverage

Cub Swanson, left, connects with a punch to the face of Doo Ho Choi during their featherweight bout at UFC 206 in Toronto.
(Peter Power / Associated Press)

This is a fight that has generated a lot of interest among close followers of the sport. Cub Swanson has been one of the best featherweights in the world for a decade, with wins over the likes of Dustin Poirier, Jeremy Stephens, Charles Oliveira and Tatsuya Kawajiri. He has won eight of his last 10 fights. Doo Ho Choi, on the other hand, is a phenom. 15-1 overall, he has knocked out his last eight opponents. Adding to the intrigue surrounding Choi is his appearance, as he looks like he could still be a high school student, but his unassuming smile and demeanor belie his ferocity in the cage. If he can defeat opponents like Swanson, he could become a star in the sport.

Round 1. Choi throws some punches early. Swanson clinches and Choi punishes him with a series of knees to the body. Swanson is forced to return to range, where Choi goes back to that extremely quick boxing. Swanson lands a hard right hook and is getting more comfortable in the exchanges. Still, Choi is landing more. Choi is precise with his jab in particular, but Swanson is countering with power shots so Choi remains in danger. 10-9 Choi.

Round 2. The fighters come out swinging at the start of the second, swinging looping punches. Swanson rocks Choi with a hook and moves in by the cage looking for a finish. He has Choi in big trouble, but Choi counters and has Swanson in trouble. He is hammering Swanson by the cage with precise punches but has to take a respite. Swanson gets a takedown and then full mount. He loses mount and Choi gets back to his feet. Choi immediately looks to reestablish his jab. Swanson goes for a cartwheel kick and then punches while looking in the other direction. An unaffected Choi continues working the exact same way. Swanson hurts Choi again by the cage and looks to finish with looping punches. He throws a spinning backfist and goes to work by the cage. That was one of the best rounds of MMA you’re ever going to see. That’s next to impossible to score. 10-9 Swanson.

Round 3. Swanson comes out with more big power punches. Choi answers with his usual rapid-fire boxing. Swanson goes for a takedown, but it is blocked. They scramble for position. It looks like Choi might get Swanson’s back momentarily, but then Swanson takes top position. Choi lands some elbows from the bottom. Choi gets up, but he is rocked by more looping hard punches from Swanson. Choi survives, but he gets thrown to the ground by Swanson. Choi works his way back up. Swanson hurts Choi with a couple more big hooks. Swanson is taking over in the third. Swanson gets a takedown briefly, but Swanson returns to his feet pretty much immediately. Swanson moves in looking to close late, nailing Choi with huge punches. He drops Choi and lands additional punches on the ground as the fight comes to an end. 10-8 Swanson, 29-27 Swanson.

Winner: Cub Swanson, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).

Swanson after the fight said Choi made a mistake by calling Swanson out. Swanson took that to mean Choi didn’t think he had it any more, which made Swanson question himself but also train extremely hard to prove himself. Choi says that motivated him to train even more and he’ll never lose again. The crowd in Toronto gave both men thunderous ovations.

That is bound to be a legendary fight, one of the best bouts in the history of the sport. It was a wild brawl, but it also featured tremendous skill and heart on the part of both men. It’s the classic example of a fight where both the winner and loser are elevated by the nature of their performances. It was the first setback in the UFC career of Choi, but his ascent continues. Meanwhile, that is the performance that people will point to when looking back at the career of Cub Swanson as a testament to the sort of fighter he was.

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Tim Kennedy vs. Kelvin Gastelum live round-by-round coverage

Kelvin Gastelum celebrates after defeating Tim Kennedy by technical knockout in the third round of their middleweight fight at UFC 206 on Saturday in Toronto.
(Peter Power / Associated Press)

Tim Kennedy is a well-known figure due to not only his MMA success but his special forces background and television appearances. He is making his return to MMA after a two-year hiatus and holds a win over UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping. Kelvin Gastelum is an “Ultimate Fighter” winner with notable victories over Johny Hendricks and Nate Marquardt. He has been forced to move to middleweight due to problems cutting to welterweight.

Round 1. Kennedy takes Gastelum down early. He muscles Gastelum around, landing punches and looking for a choke. Gastelum returns to his feet, but Kennedy maintains control and lands a series of knees to the lower body while trying to muscle Gastelum to the mat. Gastelum finally gets away with a minute and a half left. He lands a solid punch on the break, and the fighters exchange from distance. Gastelum is landing the better shots before Kennedy clinches. Gastelum separates and looks to land a major shot. Gastelum hurts Kennedy with a big combination late, and it might have been major trouble for Kennedy if the round didn’t end. Kennedy dominated Gastelum for longer, but Gastelum had firm control late in the round. 10-9 Kennedy.

Round 2. They clinch, but this time Gastelum spins around and takes Kennedy’s back. Gastelum just seems to have a lot more energy than Kennedy at this point. Kennedy talked a lot about having more discipline than Gastelum, but Gastelum is 12 years younger, carries less muscle and has been much more active. That’s tough to overcome, and Gastelum appears to be taking over. Kennedy swings heavy shots and then goes in for the clinch, while Gastelum is slicker with his striking and movement. He lands some solid straight punches late. 10-9 Gastelum.

Round 3. Gastelum moves in with power punches and throws a big head kick that is blocked. Gastelum is looking for the finish, and Kennedy has to retreat across the cage. Gastelum lands a series of jabs and is eating Kennedy up by the cage. Kennedy lands a nice two-punch combination in retaliation, but Gastelum is in control. Gastelum catches Kennedy with a short right hand as Kennedy is moving in. Gastelum drops Kennedy with punches, and the referee mercifully steps in.

Winner: Kelvin Gastelum, TKO, round 3.

That was the most important win of Kelvin Gastelum’s career. He entered the bout facing a deluge of criticism about his discipline, but he turned in a dominant, statement-making performance. It was the sort of showcase fight he has been seeking for quite some time. It’s still an open question whether he’s better suited for 185 pounds or 170, but he is clearly a factor wherever he ends up competing. Kennedy, on the other hand, doesn’t look like he has a lot left as an MMA fighter. He has pursued a lot of other interests in recent years and may elect to move on to the next stage of his life.

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Jordan Mein vs. Emil Meek live round-by-round coverage

Emil Meek, left, and Jordan Mein of Canada trade punches during their welterweight fight at UFC 206.
(Peter Power / Associated Press)

Jordan Mein had his first amateur MMA fight at age 14, and he has been fighting ever since. Now 27, he has 39 professional fights and has competed against top opponents like Tyron Woodley, Matt Brown, Thiago Alves and Josh Burkman. His striking is his greatest asset. Emil Meek is a Norwegian fighter making his UFC debut after a knockout win over Rousimar Palhares.

Round 1. The fighters exchange kicks early. Mein ducks down and gets a takedown, but Meek gets up in a hurry. Meek lands a couple of leg kicks, and Mein gets another takedown. Mein lands in side control. Meek gets up, and they exchange on the feet. Meek lands a few hard punches. Mein answers with a couple of hooks on his own. Mein gets another takedown, and Meek appears to have some sort of injury, perhaps to the ribs. Mein was landing on Meek but got countered, and Meek moves in aggressively looking for a finish. They end up in a clinch by the cage and an exciting first round concludes. 10-9 Mein.

Round 2. Meek is the aggressor in round 2, throwing more punches early and then getting a takedown. Meek controls Mein and lands punches on the ground. Meek looks to set up an arm triangle choke submission but then lets it go. Meek goes for it again, but Mein escapes. 10-8 Meek. Meek didn’t do a ton of damage, but Mein was so inactive in that round.

Round 3. Meek again presses the action with punches early. He gets a takedown a couple of minutes into the round and ends up in Mein’s full guard. Meek lands some punches from the top. He continues to control Mein as the round progresses, landing punches as Mein just holds on. Mein goes for an armbar late and then a Kimura. 10-9 Meek, 29-27 Meek.

Winner: Emil Meek, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).

That was a good, if not great, UFC debut for Emil Meek. He has a lot of personality and energy, which often translates inside the cage. Jordan Mein faded as the fight went on and didn’t seem to have a great deal of motivation as time went on.

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Nikita Krylov vs. Misha Cirkunov live round-by-round coverage

Misha Cirkunov of Latvia, left, tries to block a punch by Nikita Krylov of Ukraine during their light-heavyweight bout at UFC 206 in Toronto.
(Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images)

Krylov has emerged as a stealth rising contender in a thin light heavyweight division. He has five straight UFC wins, all by finish within two rounds, and now he just needs to prove it against the top fighters in the division. Cirkunov has three straight UFC wins in his own right, all by finish, so this is a fight between two fighters with great momentum.

Round 1. Cirkunov opens with some high kick attacks. When Krylov goes for a head kick, Cirkunov takes him down. Krylov is able to get up without taking much damage. Krylov lands a solid jab back on the feet. Cirkunov goes for another takedown and gets it. Krylov works his way back up in a hurry and takes Cirkunov down. Cirkunov sweeps and takes top position. Krylov then stands back up. Cirkunov badly hurts Krylov with a straight left hand late. He grabs a guillotine choke and gets the tap.

Winner: Misha Cirkunov, submission, round 1.

That was a crucial win for Cirkunov. He took on a fighter who had more hype at the moment and he took that to assist his own career. With this win, Cirkunov could be in good position to fight a name fighter next time out and he looks to have the ability to give a number of fighters in the division trouble.

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Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Drew Dober live round-by-round coverage

Drew Dober, left, and Olivier Aubin-Mercier trade blows during their bout on Saturday in Toronto.
(Peter Power / Associated Press)

Olivier Aubin-Mercier continues the trend of featured Canadian fighters. The former “Ultimate Fighter” finalist has done well in the UFC, principally relying on his ground game. He has won four of his last five. Drew Dober is a veteran of the sport who started his UFC career in rough fashion but has two wins in a row and will look to finish 2016 3-0.

Round 1. Dober confidently moves forward on Aubin-Mercier, but he isn’t connecting a lot. Aubin-Mercier lands a few nice counters. Dober is bleeding from the nose after one of those punches. Aubin-Mercier is relying principally on straight punches and a lot of jabs, while Dober is throwing more in the way of looping shots. 10-9 Aubin-Mercier.

Round 2. Dober drops Aubin-Mercier with a left hand and follows him to the ground. Dober opens up with punches there while Aubin-Mercier holds on. As Dober looks to stand up, Aubin-Mercier grabs Dober’s leg and uses that to take top position on the ground. Dober looks to stand up again, and this time Aubin-Mercier takes his back with a body triangle. Aubin-Mercier locks in the rear naked choke for the submission.

Winner: Olivier Aubin-Mercier, submission, round 2.

That was another impressive win for Aubin-Mercier, who outstruck Dober on his feet, where he figured to be less well-suited, and then closed the show on the ground, where he is best.

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Slideshow: Photos from UFC 206 in Toronto

Max Holloway, left, punches Anthony Pettis during their interim featherweight title bout at UFC 206. To see more images from the fight card, click on the photo above.
(Peter Power / Associated Press)
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Valerie Letourneau vs. Viviane Pereira live round-by-round coverage

Valerie Letourneau, left, and Viviane Pereira exchange punches during their bout at UFC 206.
(Peter Power / Associated Press)

Valerie Letourneau is another Canadian favorite, and she badly needs a win here after consecutive losses to Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Joanne Calderwood. Viviane Pereira is 11-0, and the 23-year-old Brazilian makes her UFC debut in this fight.

Round 1. The taller and longer Letourneau looks to utilize range with straight punches up the middle. Pereira looks for a takedown briefly but doesn’t come close. Letourneau then gets a takedown of her own. She quickly moves into full mount and lands punches from there by the cage. Letourneau loses mount but continues to work from the top. Pereira finally gets back up to her feet late in the round. They work in the clinch as the round comes to an end. 10-9 Letourneau.

Round 2. The standup in the second is hesitant and uneventful, just like in the first. Neither is throwing much nor landing much. Pereira gets a late takedown. Letourneau returns to her feet. Bad round. 10-9 Pereira.

Round 3. The standup follows the pattern of the first and second. The crowd is dead; nobody is landing basically anything of note. It feels like a sparring session. Pereira clinches with two minutes left and lands a few low knees before breaking. Pereira clinches again late. They show a little bit more energy at the end, opening up in the final 15 seconds or so. 10-10, 29-29 draw.

Winner: Viviane Pereira, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).

That was an awful fight. It’s hard to imagine anyone will come out of that excited to see either competitor’s next bout.

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Mitch Gagnon vs. Matthew Lopez live round-by-round coverage

Matthew Lopez raises his arms in triumph after defeating Mitch Gagnon in a bantamweight fight at UFC 206 in Toronto.
(Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images)

Mitch Gagnon is a solid Canadian veteran who has won four of his last five with his only setback to former champion Renan Barao. He is a ground specialist. Matthew Lopez was undefeated headed into his UFC debut but is now 8-1 and looking to rebound in his second UFC contest.

Round 1. Gagnon aggressively moves to close distance and look for a takedown. He grabs Lopez’s legs by the cage and fights to bring Lopez to the ground. Lopez uses a nice throw to put Gagnon on his back, and then Lopez stands back up. Gagnon drops Lopez with a left hook and looks to finish Lopez on the ground. He follows with a series of hard punches on the ground, and the fight looks close to being stopped. Gagnon takes the back and looks to lock in a rear naked choke. Lopez nicely spins out of back control and takes top position on the ground. Gagnon gets back up to his feet, and a wild scramble ensues. Gagnon looks to attack the ankle, and Lopez does the same on the other side. 10-9 Gagnon.

Round 2. Gagnon looks for a takedown early in the second. Lopez briefly threatens with a guillotine but gives it up. Lopez throws Gagnon again like he did in the first. They briefly land in mount, but Gagnon works his way out of that in a hurry. Lopez maintains top position. He lands some punches and controls Gagnon’s back as Gagnon tries to return to his feet. Lopez grabs a rear naked choke, but Gagnon is able to successfully defend. Gagnon works his way back up late, but Lopez slams him down and lands some punches at the close. That was a dominant, borderline 10-8 round for Lopez. 10-9 Lopez.

Round 3. Lopez gets a takedown early. They end up by the cage with Gagnon attempting to stand up like in the second, but this time Gagnon gets up without Lopez taking his back. However, on the feet Lopez lands a few solid punches and a body kick, and Gagnon is forced to scramble for a takedown. Lopez scores a definitive takedown at the midpoint of the round. Lopez takes the back and controls Gagnon from there. Gagnon finally works his way back up to the feet at the end. 10-9 Lopez, 29-28 Lopez.

Winner: Matthew Lopez, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-27).

That was an excellent win for Lopez. Gagnon proved dangerous early, but Lopez took over as the fight progressed and was the dominant fighter both standing and on the ground.

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John Makdessi vs. Lando Vannata live round-by-round coverage

With a distinct striking style, the Canadian John Makdessi was once thought to be a potential future star. However, his octagon performances have been up and down, and he’s now in the position of veteran gatekeeper for new rising stars. Lando Vannata made his UFC debut on short notice against elite lightweight Tony Ferguson and gave Ferguson all he could handle before succumbing to a D’Arce choke. Now there’s much curiosity as to how Vannata will do with full camps and not thrown in against the best of the best.

Round 1. Vannata starts out with a series of kicks from different angles. Makdessi, also very comfortable with kicks, is concentrating more on his boxing. Vannata knocks Makdessi out with a beautiful wheel kick.

Winner: Lando Vannata, KO, round 1.

Vannata’s remarkable introduction to the UFC continues. After a tremendous war with Tony Ferguson, one of the top lightweights in the world, he scored a spectacular, highlight-reel knockout that they’ll be playing before his fights for years. The question is now what level of opposition to match him with, whether he will be given time to compete against softer opposition or if he’ll be deemed worthy of more top-10 opposition sooner rather than later.

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Rustam Khabilov vs. Jason Saggo live round-by-round coverage

Rustam Khabilov lands a punch against Jason Saggo during their bout at UFC 206.
(Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images)

Rustam Khabilov is another in a stream of Dagestani MMA fighters who are having great success abroad. He is 6-2 in the UFC, including wins over Norman Parke and Jorge Masvidal. He missed weight for this fight. Jason Saggo is a Canadian fighter who gets to fight in his home country tonight. He is 3-1 thus far in the UFC, but Khabilov is a significant step up in competition for him. Khabilov is a sizeable betting favorite in this bout.

Round 1. Khabilov comes out putting a lot of power into his punches, while Saggo is more measured with his strikes. Saggo mixes in some low kicks. Khabilov connects with a couple of power punches and then capitalizes on that advantage by slamming Saggo down with two minutes left in the round. Khabilov isn’t landing much of anything from the top. Saggo, meanwhile, mostly just holds on from the bottom. Khabilov lands a few punches from the bottom. The announcers praise Saggo for using the rubber guard to neutralize Khabilov at the end, but without threatening any submissions or doing any damage himself, lying for two minutes on his back isn’t likely to win over the judges. 10-9 Khabilov.

Round 2. Saggo is walking down Khabilov in the second. He connects with a nice straight punch. The pace is measured. Khabilov gets a takedown right around the same point he did in the first round, with two minutes left. Saggo looks for an omoplata or triangle but can’t get it. As Khabilov gets out, Saggo stands back up. As Saggo stands up, Khabilov attacks aggressively and lands a series of big punches that appear to hurt Saggo. It’s easily the biggest offense of the fight. Khabilov gets another takedown at the close of the round. 10-9 Khabilov.

Round 3. The third round begins like the first two with a slow pace. Saggo is doing a terrible job of capitalizing on these moments of opportunity before Khabilov makes his big offensive pushes. After very little action in the first half, Khabilov explodes again with a takedown and puts Saggo on his back. Khabilov drops some elbows from the top. Saggo gets up late, but Khabilov takes him right back down. 10-9 Khabilov, 30-27 Khabilov.

Winner: Rustam Khabilov, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

That was Khabilov’s UFC career in a nutshell. He demonstrated he is a force to be reckoned with, but not a fighter that provides the sort of entertainment that fans want to see. As such, he’s stuck in mostly low-profile positions despite his considerable skill.

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Zach Makovsky vs. Dustin Ortiz live round-by-round coverage

Dustin Ortiz, left, attempts to kick Zach Makovsky during a flyweight fight in Toronto.
(Peter Power / Associated Press)

UFC 206 will kick off with a flyweight bout between Zach Makovsky and Dustin Ortiz. Makovsky is the former Bellator bantamweight champion. He is 3-3 in the UFC, but his losses have been to elite opposition: Jussier Formiga, John Dodson and Joseph Benavidez. Ortiz fits a similar mold. He is 4-4 in the UFC and like Makovsky has fallen short against the best in the division: Formiga, Benavidez, John Moraga and Wilson Reis.

Round 1. After some feeling out in the standup, Ortiz clinches and looks for a takedown. They grapple up against the cage. Neither man can get an advantage and they separate. Ortiz gets a takedown and takes control of Makovsky’s back. Makovsky scrambles out and takes top position. Ortiz works his way back up to his feet and lands some punches and knees to the body in the clinch. Makovsky gets a takedown with 30 seconds left and looks for an armbar. He can’t get it and Ortiz takes top position. Ortiz lands a few punches from the top as the round ends. 10-9 Ortiz.

Round 2. They clinch again by the cage. Ortiz, like in the first, is pushing the action more. Ortiz takes Makovsky down momentarily, but Makovsky gets right back up. Ortiz gets another takedown and appears to have Makovsky secured better, but Makovsky threatens with a heel hook. Ortiz gets out of that and locks Makovsky in a body triangle to control Makovsky’s back. It’s the most advantageous position for either fighter yet in the fight. Makovsky is able to work his way out and return to the feet. Makovsky then takes Ortiz down. Ortiz won’t settle for that position and works to take the top. Makovsky prevents that and they end up back on their feet. 10-9 Ortiz.

Round 3. Makovsky shoots in for a single leg and gets Ortiz down. Ortiz grabs a guillotine choke in the process but can’t do much with it. Makovsky ends up in Ortiz’s butterfly guard. Ortiz elevates with the butterfly hooks and stands back up. Once again they battle for a takedown. Makovsky gets it briefly. Ortiz threatens with a Kimura and works his way back up. Ortiz gets a takedown and attempts to move into full mount. He can’t do so and Makovsky gets back up. Ortiz goes for a high kick, and Makovsky takes the opportunity to slam Ortiz down. Ortiz deftly transitions into top position at the close. 10-9 Ortiz, 30-27 Ortiz.

Winner: Dustin Ortiz, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).

Makovsky was probably fortunate that the scorecards were that close. It was a competitive fight throughout, but Ortiz generally was getting the better of the scrambles and controlling the action. It wasn’t a thrilling contest but a quality win for Ortiz against a game opponent.

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Max Holloway looks to make the most of his chance

(Jayy’s MMA Highlights / YouTube)

Max Holloway’s most recent UFC defeat was to Conor McGregor in 2013.

While McGregor has poured on the charm since then to complement his impressive skill in the octagon, Holloway has operated with far less fanfare, defining himself by grinding through an impressive run of nine consecutive victories.

And while McGregor has become the first UFC fighter in history to simultaneously wear two belts as featherweight and lightweight champion, Hawaii’s Holloway (16-3) is just now getting a semifinal chance to fight for the featherweight belt the UFC recently took from McGregor.

“Man, hard work and dedication … I believe in the old-school ways that if you want something, you go out and get it. You prove it. Nothing was handed to me,” Holloway recently told The Times at a luncheon in Los Angeles. “Tune in [Saturday]. You’ll see how hard work pays off.”

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Anthony Pettis misses his chance at interim featherweight belt

Former UFC champion Anthony Pettis missed weight Friday.

After proclaiming that returning his training base to his home in Milwaukee had resulted in superb conditioning and fitness, Pettis weighed in at 148 pounds — three pounds above the featherweight limit.

“You’ve got to be in shape no matter what — with the adrenaline pumping, the arena, the crowd — you’re going to get tired,” Pettis told the Los Angeles Times last week. “To me, mentally knowing I have 25 minutes to prove I’m better than this guy, it means not getting too excited, not looking to finish so fast, being smart.”

And making weight.

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