Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has been slow to jump back into a title fight, having lost the belt to current champion Israel Adesanya near the end of 2019. He has been quietly getting back in the cage, knocking off other top middleweights, sharpening his tools for a potential rematch.
After rebounding from the loss of his belt, Whittaker rebounded with a win over Darren Till and then another dominant victory over Jared Cannonier.
Ahead of Whittaker’s UFC Vegas 24 headlining bout opposite Kelvin Gastelum on April 17, watch his full fight with Cannonier.
UFC Vegas 23 results: Marvin Vettori dominates Kevin Holland for five rounds
Marvin Vettori takes down Kevin Holland at UFC Vegas 23
The first round of the main event started with an ugly kick from Holland that delivered flush right into Vettori’s crotch area that would make any man cringe in perceptible pain. After that illegal foray, the first round was a mix between exchanges on the feet between the two middleweight contenders, along with clinch work that for the most part was dominated by the no. 6 ranked Vettori. Toward the end of the first, Vettori secured a takedown and maintained ground control until a beautiful transition from Holland to take the fight back to the feet.
No. 6 ranked middleweight Marvin Vettori spoke at the post-fight press conference after he defeated no. 10 ranked middleweight Kevin Holland at UFC Vegas 23 (aka UFC on ABC 2) on Saturday.
As far as what Vettori wants next after such a decisive victory, “The Italian Dream” made his case for why he believes he’s next in line to challenge Israel Adesanya for the UFC middleweight title.
Marvin Vettori storms Kevin Holland at UFC Vegas 23
“Five [fight] win streak. Accepting anybody at any time. Always showing up. Always making weight. Never complaining about nothing and I just show up and I just beat these guys very dominantly,” Vettori said. “I leave no doubt. The last fight that I had with Adesanya was the closest fight that he’s ever had and in my eyes I still won it and that fight has to be made again.”
Julian Marquez, Sam Alvey, Mackenzie Dern, and Mateusz Gamrot topped the UFC Vegas 23 bonuses, each of them taking home an additional $50,000 bonus check for their efforts on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Marquez and Alvey took home the Fight of the Night bonuses, while Dern and Gamrot were awarded the Performance of the Night honors.
UFC Vegas 23 Fight of the Night: Julian Marquez def. Sam Alvey
Julian Marquez continued to prove that he is more than a Miley Cyrus callout with his victory over Sam Alvey, which earned the Fight of the Night award.
Marquez showed great hand speed early and cracked Alvey, wobbling him. But Alvey returned fire, hurting Marquez, as well.