Kevin Holland flattens Santiago Ponzinibbio with nasty left hook at UFC 287
The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to us tonight, April 8, 2023, for UFC 287, going down live from the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.
Headlining the event is a middleweight championship rematch, or quadrilogy, however you look at it, as current champion Alex Pereira (7-1) aims to make the first defense of his newly claimed title opposing former champion Israel Adesanya (23-2).
Co-headlining the event is a welterweight contenders’ bout between a pair of former title challengers where no. 5 ranked Gilbert Burns (21-5) takes on no. 11 ranked Jorge Masvidal (35-16).
Our second bout on the main card tonight also came at 170 lbs, this one between Kevin Holland (23-9, 1 NC) and Santiago Ponzinibbio (29-6).
Holland came into the bout on a two-fight skid, following an impressive two-fight finish streak upon arrival in his new division from March to June of 2022, while Ponzinibbio, following a seven-fight win streak, had gone 2-3 since returning from a two-plus year absence from the sport.
Continue reading to see how this welterweight encounter went down:
Official Result: Kevin Holland def. Santiago Ponzinibbio via KO (punch) at 3:16 of round three
Holland is doing a good job of rolling with Ponzinibbio’s punches in round one, making sure none of them land flush, though he does get his lead leg ate up with Ponzinibbio’s kicks.
Ponzinibbio catches a kick thrown by Holland late in the opening stretch but eats a nasty backfist in the exchange that drops him at the very end of the round. He eats some follow up shots until the bell sounds and we go into round two.
This was so Kevin Holland #UFC287 https://t.co/w8NbkpJ7os
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) April 9, 2023
Holland continues to look sharp in round two, utilizing great defensive and offensive boxing. He hurts Ponzinibbio with a combination late in the round, though Ponzinibbio stays in the fight, and we see the third and final round.
Ponzinibbio lands three solid leg kicks through the first minute of round three, and they’re really beginning to effect Holland’s movement.
However, Holland lunges in with a nasty left hook that badly hurts Ponzinibbio, who drops immediately after the shot lands. A couple follow up shots later and the fight was stopped.
KEVIN HOLLAND WITH THE ONE HITTER QUITTER #UFC287 https://t.co/fxqJFNql8d
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) April 9, 2023
Kevin Holland gets back to his winning ways at UFC 287 with a stoppage victory over Santiago Ponzinibbio.
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