Strawweight action at UFC Rio saw Julia Polastri take on former 115lb title challenger Karolina Kowalkiewicz.
Polastri was a sizeable favorite in the bout, despite the experience edge of Poland’s Kowalkiewicz, who had lost her last two bouts.
Kowalkiewicz pressed the action early, walking Brazil’s Polastri down. For her part, Polastri worked kicks and counters; both women were landing, but after about a minute. 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!
Official Result: Julia Polastri def. Karolina Kowalkiewicz by TKO (head kick and punches), Round 3, 2:56
