UFC Fight Night results: Holly Holm tops Irene Aldana by unanimous decision on Fight Island
Holm landed a career-high five takedowns to shut out Aldana over five rounds, extending her win streak to two in a bout held without fans on Yas Island.
Holly Holm defeated Irene Aldana by unanimous decision in the main event of UFC Fight Night, with scores of 50-44 and 50-45 twice, according to ESPN. The bout was held Saturday, October 4, 2020, at the Flash Forum on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi — the promotion's "Fight Island" — without fans present because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Holm (14-5) dominated across all five rounds, mixing her striking with a career-high five takedowns after Aldana had been taken down only twice in her previous eight fights combined, per ESPN's reporting. Holm wobbled Aldana with a left hand in the second round and achieved full mount in the third.
The win extended Holm's winning streak to two fights, her first such streak since she beat Ronda Rousey in 2015, and marked her sixth UFC main event, tying Rousey's record for most women's headlining bouts in UFC history, according to ESPN.
How the fight unfolded
Aldana (12-6), who had won two straight fights coming in and became the first Mexican-born women's fighter to headline a UFC event, was unable to find an answer for Holm's grappling. Holm said afterward, "I came to be a mixed martial artist ... I just want to put it all together," per ESPN.
Holm's framing of the win
Addressing younger fighters looking to make a name against her, Holm said, "They think this is their stepping stone. And I'm not gonna be that," according to ESPN's coverage of the post-fight comments.
What the result signals
A shutout decision built on takedowns rather than her traditional striking pedigree suggested a deliberate gameplan shift for Holm, who has historically been known as a striker.
Aldana's account of the loss
Aldana issued her own statement after the fight, reported by MMAmania and Sportskeeda, saying "Today things didn't go my way" and apologizing to her corner for not executing their game plan. She said she felt something was wrong with her left foot from the start of the fight and offered no excuses, saying she had faced the best version of Holm and congratulating her on the win. Reporting on the loss noted Aldana later said she had broken her foot in a training accident two days before the bout, which outlets connected to the injury she referenced afterward.
The rest of the card
Below the main event, Wikipedia's event record (compiled from official UFC results) shows Germaine de Randamie submitted Julianna Pena with a third-round guillotine choke at 3:25, Carlos Felipe defeated Yorgan De Castro by unanimous decision, Kyler Phillips stopped Cameron Else by TKO in round two, and Dusko Todorovic finished Dequan Townsend by TKO in round two. On the preliminary card, veteran welterweight Carlos Condit shut out Court McGee by unanimous decision, Nassourdine Imavov and Casey Kenney also won decisions, Loma Lookboonmee defeated Jinh Yu Frey, Luigi Vendramini stopped Jessin Ayari in round one, and Charles Jourdain and Joshua Culibao fought to a split draw.
US In News compiled this archived account from contemporaneous coverage by ESPN, cross-referenced against the event's official result record. It restores a story originally published on this site in October 2020; figures are as reported at the time.