Germaine de Randamie defeats Holly Holm at UFC 208

By ADAM HILL LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

8 years ago

Germaine de Randamie, left, of the Netherlands, punches Holly Holm during a women’s featherweight championship mixed martial arts bout at UFC 208 early Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017, in New York. De Randamie won the fight. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Holly Holm kicks Germaine de Randamie, of the Netherlands, during a women’s featherweight championship mixed martial arts bout at UFC 208 early Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017, in New York. De Randamie won the fight. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Germaine de Randamie, left, of the Netherlands, fights Holly Holm during a women’s featherweight championship mixed martial arts bout at UFC 208 early Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017, in New York. De Randamie won the fight. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Germaine de Randamie, of the Netherlands, reacts as the championship belt is placed on her after her women’s featherweight championship mixed martial arts bout against Holly Holm at UFC 208 early Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017, in New York. De Randamie won the fight. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Germaine de Randamie, of the Netherlands, reacts to the decision after a women’s featherweight championship mixed martial arts bout against Holly Holm at UFC 208 early Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017, in New York. De Randamie won the fight. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Germaine de Randamie, of the Netherlands, elbows Holly Holm during a women’s featherweight championship mixed martial arts bout at UFC 208 Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017, in New York. De Randamie won the fight. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Germaine de Randamie, right, of the Netherlands, right, fights Holly Holm during a women’s featherweight championship mixed martial arts bout at UFC 208 early Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017, in New York. De Randamie won the fight. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Germaine de Randamie, top, of the Netherlands, fights Holly Holm during a women’s featherweight championship mixed martial arts bout at UFC 208 Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017, in New York. De Randamie won the fight. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Former Muay Thai world champion Germaine de Randamie landed big punches on Holly Holm after the bell had sounded to end the second and third rounds of the main event of UFC 208 on Saturday in New York.

Fortunately for de Randamie, she also had enough success between the bells to win a unanimous decision and capture the inaugural women’s featherweight title at Barclays Center.

De Randamie won 48-47 on all three scorecards. She had early success, but faded down the stretch as Holm tried to slow her by clinching and limiting the space de Randamie had to operate.

“I came to fight, but she didn’t want to fight me,” de Randamie said.

De Randamie landed a late punch in the second round, then appeared to land two big shots after the bell ending the third. She got a stern warning the second time, but the referee didn’t take a point. A deduction for the foul would have made the fight a draw and kept the title vacant.

“It was an accident to hit her after the bell,” de Randamie said. “It was just the heat of the moment. I am not that kind of fighter.”

The 145-pound weight class, the third division for females, was essentially created because Cris “Cyborg” Justino is unable to cut to 135 pounds to fight at bantamweight. But Justino was flagged for a possible violation of the UFC’s anti-doping policy.

De Randamie said she will have to put off a potential title defense anyway because she will require surgery on her injured hand.

The loss was the third straight for Holm since she won the bantamweight belt with a knockout of Ronda Rousey in November 2015.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-277-8028. Follow @adamhilllvrj on Twitter.