The 10: Top UFC Fight Island Performances

Though it didn’t have the sudden momentum shifts and palpable tension of some of the other top fights of the last 12 months, the rematch between Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway was even closer than their first encounter, which was a hotly debated decision in its own right.

After going back-and-forth for 25 minutes in their first go-round, the Australian champion and Hawaiian challenger engaged in another dogged battle drawn out over the full five rounds in the sequel, prompting numerous re-watches, countless debates, and even calls for a third consecutive bout, even though Volkanovski once again earned the nod and now holds a 2-0 edge in their championship series.

(Watch Volkanovski Vs Holloway 2 On UFC Fight Pass)

This was a fight that really makes you appreciate the little things and the minute details that can determine the outcome a fight: a low kick here, a quick counter combination inside there, the consistent volume and pace of each man, the divergent emotions washing over their faces as the verdict was announced.

The mark of a great fight and tremendous rivalry is if you would happily sit down and watch the two combatants spend the next five years of their careers only battling each other, and in the case of Volkanovski and Holloway, I know that I would without hesitation… though I’m certainly looking forward to seeing what each of them has to offer up against different opponents in 2021 as well.

Watch enough fights and you can develop a little bit of an ability to see things that are about to happen before they actually happen; not in some Mystic Mac, “I predict these things” kind of way, but rather you get a sense for what can come from different movements and positions.

This was one of those times.

The women landed on the canvas early in the fight, with Lipski chasing Carolina to the deck after stinging her with a body shot. As she stood up and looked to pass the legs, Carolina threatened with a leg lock and took Lipski’s back, resulting in a quick scramble where the “Queen of Violence” ended up sitting on Carolina’s stomach with their legs interlocked.

(Watch Lipski's Kneebar Victory On UFC Fight Pass)

As soon as Lipski began to untangle their lower limbs, you could see what was coming: Carolina’s leg was in a perfect position to be grabbed, pulled, and torqued in a nasty way and that’s exactly what happened.

Carolina cried out as soon as Lipski leaned back, bending her knee at an angle it’s not supposed to reach, bringing the fight to a halt and giving the emerging flyweight contender the top submission finish of 2020.

The silver medalist in the Fighter of the Year race, Blachowicz capped off the biggest year of his professional career with an incredible showing on Fight Island, stopping Dominick Reyes late in the second round to claim the vacant UFC light heavyweight title.

After stumbling out of the gates in his UFC career, the Polish veteran started to find his groove towards the end of 2017 and flashed some of that “Legendary Polish Power” in his second-round stoppage win over former middleweight champ Luke Rockhold at UFC 239 just under two years later. He flashed it again against Corey Anderson in February and promised to show it against Reyes once they stepped into the Octagon, and he did just that.

(Watch Blachowicz Secure The Light Heavyweight Title On UFC Fight Pass)

Look at any of the pictures of Blachowicz from the time he’s standing in the center of the UFC cage waiting for the official decision to be announced through to when he exits the Octagon and you’ll see just how much joy and satisfaction this performance brought the 37-year-old veteran.

Though not the kind of “one shot, one kill” blow that often wins Knockout of the Year, this was an impressive finish and outstanding performance, nonetheless.

“The Last Stylebender” made this one look easy, just as he told us he would.

What really stands out to me about this performance is how the finish came from the first instance where Adesanya had a real opportunity to put Costa away. There were a couple points earlier in the contest where he landed clear and had the Brazilian challenger backing up, looking for a little time and space, but none that were obvious instances where he could unload his clip and end things.

But when Costa reached out with a lazy jab midway through the second, Adesanya pounced.

(Watch Adesanya Defend His Middleweight Throne On UFC Fight Pass)

Right to the temple, left to the chin on the way down.

He saw an opportunity and capitalized, making good on his promise to finish Costa and do so without much trouble.

You might balk at the idea of a fight where all five rounds were scored 10-9 in favor of the winner landing on this list, but if you watched this featherweight main event, you understand.

This was Ortega’s first fight since his loss to Max Holloway at UFC 231, as injuries and delays kept the L.A. original on the sidelines for nearly two years. It was his return after tasting defeat for the first time, and his first bout since stripping his team and himself down to the studs and rebuilding something new.

When he walked into the Octagon, he looked like a new man — the flowing locks twisted into braided designs he’d become known for replaced by a freshly shorn head and steely intensity. Stylistically, he was a different fighter as well.

(Watch Ortega's Triumphant Return On UFC Fight Pass)

Ortega decisively and effortlessly outboxing “The Korean Zombie” wasn’t something many people thought would happen, but that’s exactly how this one played out. At every turn, “T-City” was quicker, sharper, cleaner, working at a steady pace that kept Jung from ever really finding a rhythm or having any kind of prolonged period of success.

When a fighter suffers a lopsided loss like the one Ortega did at the hands of Holloway, I’m always curious to know how they’re going to respond. In his case, that drubbing was his first professional loss, so the experience of losing was completely foreign to him as well, which only upped the intrigue.

Against Jung, the ultra-talented 29-year-old showed that not only were there no ill effects of his first loss, but that he was ready to challenge for championship gold once again.