UFC Rio: Julia Polastri Lights Up Karolina Kowalkiewicz for TKO Finish

"Polastri seemed to have hurt Kowalkiewicz with a right hand and a kick to the body. That saw her looking to turn up the pressure, but not for long as Kowalkiewicz quickly recovered. They settled back in, exchanging, with Kowalkiewicz firing a spinning back fist that missed, and motioning for a takedown only to pull up short on it. A moment later, Polastri would clinch up, firing knee after knee."

"Round two saw Polastri the one walking forward to start, and soon, she was doubling up with her right hand and forcing Kowalkiewicz to retreat. A clinch, knees, and then a barrage of strikes followed. Kowalkiewicz stayed in it, but after likely losing the first round, she was trailing early in the second. Another flurry heavily favoring Julia Polastri followed. Again, Kowalkiewicz stayed in the fight, but she was being out-gunned badly."

"Kowalkiewicz was retreating again in the third, circling backwards on the outside. Polastri was having success on the inside, with her uppercuts and right hands and knees. Kowalkiewicz fired another spinning back fist that Polastri ducked; the Brazilian responded with a head kick that rocked Kowalkiewicz! Polastri then poured on the offense, letting fly with lefts and rights, snapping Kowalkiewicz's head back. She stayed standing but the ref didn't like what he was seeing and waved it off!"

Julia Polastri entered as the betting favorite against former title challenger Karolina Kowalkiewicz, who carried more experience but had lost two straight. Kowalkiewicz pressed early, walking Polastri down while Polastri answered with kicks and counters; Polastri appeared to hurt Kowalkiewicz with a right hand and a body kick and later used clinch knees. In round two Polastri pushed forward, landing right hands, clinch knees and a heavy flurry that left Kowalkiewicz trailing. In the third Polastri found inside success with uppercuts, rights and a head kick that rocked Kowalkiewicz, after which Polastri finished with strikes and the referee stopped the contest.

Read at Cageside Press