Former Invicta FC alum Pannie Kianzad was without question on one of the best runs of her career heading into UFC 263. On her second run with the promotion, Kianzad had won three straight, against Jessica-Rose Clark, Bethe Correira, and Sijara Eubanks. On Saturday, she was looking to add another notable name to that list: Alexis Davis.
Davis had recently, and successfully, made her return to the bantamweight division by defeating Sabina Mazo. The Canadian was looking to make it two straight in Arizona, nearly seven years after a failed title bid against Ronda Rousey.
Right of the bat in the featured prelim fight Saturday, Kianzad landed a left hand over the top. Davis opted to counter-strike, and found some success, with Kianzad slowing after that early statement. She would clinch and put Davis on the fence, but couldn’t keep her there. As the round progressed, Davis found some success with her left hand, and they headed to the second with things rather close.
Kianzad landed a left and later a right in the first half-minute of the second round. Davis would go to the body with a kick a minute or so later. Plenty of back and forth, with Kianzad’s strikes putting Davis on the back foot whenever she decided to move into range. Davis would pop off a calf kick, but she wasn’t throwing enough for them to have any real effect. Towards the end of the round, Kianzad tried a spinning back fist, but it was Davis who finished things up by putting Kianzad down care of a trip.
Round three saw Davis landing her jab and adding a knee. She put a combination together, while Kianzad struggled a bit with her mobility. The round played out on the feed, with Kianzad bloodied, and backing up more and more as things progressed. Davis moved in-and-out, timing her attacks well. Kianzad found success with her right in the final minute.
By UD 🗣
🇸🇪 @PannieKianzad notches her 4th straight win! #UFC263 pic.twitter.com/ttLEI0ePwc
— UFC (@ufc) June 12, 2021
The third round was Davis’ best, but Kianzad had done enough to take home the victory on the scorecards.
Official Result: Pannie Kianzad def. Alexis Davis by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
