Kevin Iole recaps the UFC 290 PPV from Las Vegas, Nevada.

Video Transcript

KEVIN IOLE: What is up, everybody? Kevin Iole here in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena. An unbelievable UFC 290 fight card just ended. Alexander Volkanovski retains his featherweight championship. He dominates and defeats interim champion Yair Rodríguez. Volkanovski wins by a third-round TKO. It was no contest. He dominated all throughout the fight.

Volkanovski went off as about a 3 and 1/2 to 1 favorite. Rodríguez was plus 275. I thought Rodríguez might be able to take it, but Volkanovski was way too well-rounded, way too good, and he just absolutely dominated the fight.

In the co-main event, one of the best fights I have ever seen, one of the best fights of the year for sure, Alexandre Pantoja, a plus 160 favorite, comes through and, for the third time in his career, he defeats Brandon Moreno. This time, he wins the UFC flyweight championship with that win. Moreno was a minus 190 favorite. It was a split decision. One judge had it 49-46 for Moreno, giving him rounds two through five. The other two judges had it 48-47 for Pantoja. That was the same score that I had.

Also on the card, Ruthless Robbie Lawler in the final preliminary bout. He retired. He was about a plus 170 underdog to Niko Price. I liked Lawler in this fight. It was his retirement fight, the former champion. Everything set up really well for him, and he took care of business big time. He knocks out Niko Price with three left hands in 38 seconds.

The crowd went wild, the fighters who were sitting over to the octagon’s right-hand side went wild. It was a big night for Robbie Lawler, who goes out in style with a first-round knockout victory as nearly a 2 to 1 underdog against Niko Price. From T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, I am Kevin Iole.

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