Aussie champ's great escape rocks UFC fans

MMA fans person been near stunned by Alexander Volkanovski's brutal combat against Brian Ortega astatine UFC 266, with the bout wide called 1 of the top of each time.

Volkanovski defended his featherweight rubric with a bloody, tumultuous unanimous determination triumph implicit Ortega.

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The Australian (23-1) dominated the scorecards — 49-46, 50-45 and 50-44 — successful his 20th consecutive victory, but inactive had to past an bonzer situation from the relentless Ortega (15-2), who didn't discontinue contempt a bloodied look and a intelligibly damaged nose.

The 32-year-old survived a spectacular 3rd circular successful which some fighters appeared to beryllium moments from finishing the other.

There was a hearty show of communal respect betwixt the 2 fighters aft the titanic bout (Getty)

Volkanovski mostly controlled the archetypal 2 rounds with his accustomed awesome enactment complaint and striking, but a bloodied Ortega knocked him down dramatically with a near manus successful the 3rd round.

Ortega pounced and astir finished the champ with a guillotine choke, but Volkanovski willed his mode retired of it and got backmost connected apical — lone for Ortega to flight and to trap Volkanovski successful a triangle choke that the champ besides hardly escaped.

"I thought it was implicit twice!" said Daniel Cormier connected commentary.

"Unbelievable that helium survived that round, he's a savage."

Volkanovski appeared to beryllium done successful the 3rd circular erstwhile helium was trapped successful a submission hold, but negociate to flight (Getty)

"One of the champion rubric rounds you'll ever see!" Jon Anik added.

The absorption from the brace of commentators was mirrored connected societal media, with fans near stunned that Volkanovski was someway capable to past the 3rd round.

Following his loss, Ortega admitted that helium thought helium had the combat won successful the 3rd circular erstwhile helium had Volkanovski connected the mat.

"I thought helium was done," Ortega said. "I was trying to spell for his head, but he's pugnacious arsenic hell.

"I tried to decorativeness him. I heard him gargling, but helium slipped out. He's the champ for a reason."

The bout was truthful brutal that Ortega was transported straight to a adjacent infirmary aft the combat and skipped his media obligations backstage arsenic a result.

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