Alexander Volkanovski dominates Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290 with ruthless TKO

Alexander Volkanovski dominated Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290, ruthlessly dispatching the Mexican by TKO in the third round of the main event in Las Vegas. 

Rodriguez, regarded as one of the most technically gifted, unpredictable and dangerous fighters in the UFC, was completely out-thought and well beaten by the man many consider to be the true pound-for-pound No 1. 

Jon Jones currently has that honour, but Dana White and Co may well re-consider after Volkanovski’s latest showing at T-Mobile Arena. 

He admitted to training with a healthy fear of Rodriguez’s spectacular striking but the challenger hardly landed any of his flashy strikes. 

Question mark kicks whizzed narrowly wide of the target and he was unable to let the reach advantage pay dividends, succumbing to a barrage of ground and pound strikes having been stunned by a hard right hand.   

Alexander Volkanovski roared in delight having beaten Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290 with a third-round TKO 

The referee intervened as Rodriguez failed to fight back in the face of Volkanovski’s onslaught after  a brilliant display

Rodriguez looked stunned as he lay bloodied and beaten on the canvas having been saved by the referee

Rodriguez grinned as he wobbled backwards, acknowledging the clean strike but unable to put up much resistance. 

Volkanovski marched forwards, kneeing the head, digging to the body and then slamming his opponent to the mat with ease before pumping in some shots on the ground to force the referee to wave it off. 

Round one belonged to the champ. He had a considered look early on but then secured a takedown, threatened a head and arm choke and landed some heavy ground and pound. It was back to the drawing board for Rodriguez, who needed to keep it on the feet. 

Volkanovski again found a takedown in the second and just leant on Rodriguez, exhausting him. The Mexican’s corner told him to give it everything like there’s no tomorrow but the champ was in full control, landing some really heavy elbows to cut the challenger open.

The devastating finish came in the third after some of Rodriguez’s best work as he found himself undone by a counter. 

Afterwards, Volkanovski reflected: ‘In camp there was a bit of fear there, this week I flipped the switch, I’m the champ and king of this division and nobody is ever stopping me. 

‘I knew he’d switch stance and the right hook would be good, I know I could go anywhere. I showed I can wrestle and strike with the rest of them. 

‘Sky is the limit. There’s a few options, I need surgery on my arm, camp was a struggle, I’ll get that as soon as I’m home and fight once more this year, I’ll squash Topuria and I still want that lightweight belt.’

The Mexican showed his striking prowess, particularly in the third, but it would be the round he lost the fight

The featherweight champion dumped his man to the ground and finished the fight rapidly afterwards

Volkanovski remains undefeated at featherweight and is likely to face Ilia Topuria in his next defence