Holly Holm absolutely dominates Yana Santos at UFC on ESPN 43
The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to us tonight, March 25, 2023, for UFC on ESPN 43, going down live from the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas.
Headlining the event was a bantamweight showdown between a pair of dangerous finishers in no. 3 ranked Marlon Vera (20-7-1) and no. 5 ranked Cory Sandhagen (15-4).
Co-headlining was also a bantamweight clash, this one coming between former UFC bantamweight champion Holly Holm (15-6) and former Invicta FC bantamweight champion Yana Santos (14-7, 1 NC).
Both women came into tonight’s co-main event having lost their latest bout following two-fight win streaks.
Continue reading to see how this 135 lb co-main event went down:
Official Result: Holly Holm def. Yana Santos via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
Santos closes the distance immediately when the bout begins and secures double underhooks, pressing Holm into the fence. The two battle along the fence for much of the opening round, each of them taking turns pressing the other into the fence.
They separate in the final minute, where Holm secures a takedown and ends the first in Santos’ side control.
Holm really begins to break Santos in the second; she knocks her down momentarily with a nice push kick, and she took her down once again and controlled a good portion of the round on top.
Holm reigns down vicious punches and elbows from Santos’ side control, and she secures a mounted crucifix for a time, before ultimately ending the round in mount.
Holm secures another beautiful trip takedown to start the third and final round, and one minute in she’s already mounted Santos again. She goes back-and-forth between mount, side control, and half guard, just absolutely mauling Santos.
Santos is eventually able to make her way back up, before Holm slams her back down in the final 30 seconds, securing all four of her takedown attempts.
To think, a former professional boxing (33-2-3) champion, a former kickboxing (14-1) champion, a 41 year old – you wouldn’t expect someone like that to out-wrestle and out-grapple a Russian, and Holm just did it easily.
Former UFC bantamweight champion Holly Holm is now 3-1 in her last four fights, the only defeat coming via split decision to no. 4 ranked Ketlen Vieira, a fight many people believed she won.
If you enjoyed this piece, feel free to share it on social media!
