Legacy FC 30 results: Holly Holm stays perfect, overwhelms Juliana Werner

Holly Holm‘s future in MMA is still uncertain, but for now, she can claim a title in the sport after downing an overmatched Juliana Werner for the Legacy FC women’s bantamweight belt.

The bout served as the headlining contest of Friday’s Legacy FC 30 event, which took place at Route 66 Casino Hotel | Albuquerque, N.M., and aired on AXS TV.

Southpaw Holm (7-0) held the center from the start, kicking the body of her orthodox opponent in the early going. Werner (7-4) stayed mobile in the first round and avoided taking any damage over what turned out to be a relatively cautious frame.

Holm, who enjoyed a noticeable size advantage, picked up the pace in the second frame, stringing together punching combinations but doing real damage with another massive kick to the liver. Holm verbally punctuated every blow as she used an impressive mix of punches and kicks to pick her opponent apart.

The meticulous work continued in the third, as an outclassed Werner simply couldn’t keep up with Holm’s pace. To her credit, Werner showed a solid chin by absorbing several big shots, but she simply had no answer for the pinpoint striking of her foe.

Werner’s nose was a bloody mess at the completion of the fourth, as the precision shots continued to take their toll. Holm was so confident, she actually mixed in a late takedown.

In the fifth, Holm put an exclamation mark on the performance, throwing a right hook-left high kick combination that saw the second blow land flush and sent her opponent to the floor. Holm pounced with punches to a downed opponent, sealing the win at the 1:50 mark of the fifth round and claim Legacy FC’s inaugural women’s bantamweight title.

Afterward, rather than call out UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, Holm expressed her interest in a matchup with Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino after it was presented AXS TV broadcaster Pat Miletich.

In the night’s co-feature Brazilian veteran Flavio Alvaro (47-10) improved to 15-1 in his past 16 fights with a convincing, if not exactly thrilling, decision win over a gritty Donald Sanchez (29-14)

Sanchez showed promising moments on the feet with quick hands and aggressive attacks, but Alvaro utilized a superior wrestling game to work to advantageous positions in each round.

“The Legendary” Alvaro slowed in the third, with the altitude apparently affecting his cardio, but he stayed out of trouble and was able to edge out his opponent, 29-28 on all three judges’ cards.

The night’s complete main-card results include:

• Holly Holm def. Juliana Werner via TKO (strikes) – Round 5, 1:50 – for inaugural women’s bantamweight title
• Flavio Alvaro def. Donald Sanchez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Ray Borg def. Nick Urso via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 4:01
• Enrique Briones vs. Adrian Cruz results in a unanimous draw (28-28, 28-28, 28-28)
• Martin Sano def. Clint Roberts via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 1:52
• Kamaru Usman def. Lenny Lovato via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 1:04

For more on Legacy FC 30, check out the MMA Events section of the site.

(Pictured: Holly Holm)