KELOWNA NATIVE WINS, SETS SIGHTS ON TITLE
Rory MacDonald says he’ll respect the decision of Ultimate Fighting Championship officials no matter who they decide gets the next welterweight title shot. That said:
“I think I’m ready,” MacDonald said after his star performance Saturday night at UFC 174, the fight company’s return to Rogers Arena after a threeyear absence.
MacDonald ( 17- 2) fought in the co- main event, but his showdown versus Tyron Woodley ( 13- 3) was the main attraction for many of the 13,506 fans in attendance who roared from the time MacDonald walked into the arena until he had his hand raised following what may have been the finest performance of his fight career.
While UFC president Dana White has declared the winner of next month’s bout between No. 1- ranked Robbie Lawler and No. 5 Matt Brown will get the next shot at champion Johny Hendricks, MacDonald — ranked No. 2 coming into his match versus third- ranked Woodley — doesn’t want the company to forget about him.
“They should know I’m ready,” said MacDonald, the Kelowna native who turned pro at the age of 16 and has long been tabbed as a future champion.
“One day, very soon, the belt will be mine.”
The last time he fought in Vancouver, at UFC 115 versus future UFC interim champ Carlos Condit, MacDonald was in control through two rounds but ran out of gas and lost via third- round TKO.
He let the moment get to him, he admitted.
“I didn’t let it become a factor tonight,” MacDonald said at the post- fight news conference.
The 24- year- old was prepared for Woodley’s wrestling and knockout power, putting on a perfect tactical display. He pressured Woodley, used his jab to create space and keep Woodley off- balance, and he showed flawless takedown defence. All three judges scored the match 30- 27.
“I was a little surprised how much it worked, but it was the game plan. Perfect world, that’s what I wanted to happen,” he said.
It’s not every day a fighter gets to compete so close to home — and be treated like a returning hero.
“The response was great,” he said. In other bouts: • The main event at UFC 174 saw one of the sport’s best pound- for- pound fighters do what he does best: Outwork, out- land and outscore whoever is put inside the cage with him, as UFC flyweight titleholder Demetrious Johnson ( 20- 21) outclassed No. 4- ranked Ali Bagautinov ( 13- 3). With unanimous 50- 45 scores, he defended his title for the fourth time.
“I’m the king. I’ll stay the king as long as I can,” said Johnson, who out- landed Bagautinov 16666 in total strikes, and 133- 36 in significant strikes, according to FightMetric. The difference in significant strikes was secondmost ever in a UFC title fight.
• Ryan Bader ( 18- 4) took a leap back up the light- heavyweight rankings, dominating Rafael Feijao ( 12- 5, 1 NC) on his way to unanimous 30- 27 scores.
• Former UFC heavyweight champ Andrei Arlovski ( 2210, 1 NC) returned to the octagon after six years to squeak by Brendan Schaub ( 11- 4).
• Ovince St. Preux ( 16- 5) broke the arm of Saint John, N. B., native Ryan Jimmo ( 19- 4), forcing a verbal submission at 2: 10 of the second round in a light- heavyweight contest.
• In a preliminary bout, a women’s bantamweight match that received much love from the boisterous crowd saw Montreal’s Valerie Letourneau ( 6- 3) awarded a split decision over Elizabeth Phillips ( 4- 2).