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This Week in MMA: Holly Holm dominates in the Middle East, Paul Daley retires

Dominant victory for Holm and Daley announces retirement plans.

This Week in MMA, the UFC held its second card of the promotions spell on Fight Island on Saturday night, with former women's bantamweight champion Holly Holm headlining against highly touted prospect Irene Aldana.

Holm put on a dominant display on her path to victory, out-striking Aldana 154 to 69, while constantly dictating the pace of the fight.
"The Preacher's Daughter" came close to ending the fight on two occasions, after securing
full mount in the second round. She was able to land several strikes before Aldana was able to hip bump her off balance and get into a safe position.
The second close finish came in the final round, where Aldana was barraged by Holm's strikes and got forced to cover up tightly before being saved by the bell.
The former champion now holds a 14-5 record and there could be an argument that she deserves a shot at regaining her title in her next fight.

End of the road for Daley

Elsewhere, Bellator put on two European Series events this week in Milan. The Thursday night card was supposed to be headlined by Paul Daley and Derek Anderson in a welterweight fight, but this was pulled after Daley had complications with his weight cut.

On his Instagram, Daley revealed that he had issues with cramps due to his weight cut. "I went back to the medical room.. Lied down, started to get some cramps… some severe cramps in my hip.

"Unfortunately, because of the (Covid-19) restrictions this had to take place down stairs in full view of other fighters, Bellator staff etc. so I can see why everyone was taken aback by this.
"I wasn't allowed to leave so I then started calling for assistance from the Bellator staff, I need to lower my body temperature, I need to keep getting fluids on board, and if someone could massage my leg that would be a big help…
"It took about 15 or 20 minutes for people to take me seriously, everyone is giving me countdowns to get up for the fake weigh-ins, you've got six minutes, five minutes, 90 seconds Paul, these times on the bed, you know not doing too good.
"I'm saying look, I need some help, someone grab my bag, someone grab my fluids, someone stretch my legs out.
"So this escalated to me saying, you know what, get me an ambulance, you know, cancel the fight, get me an ambulance, I'll just have an IV."
Daley later said he knew the fight would be cancelled as soon as he got the IV drip due to strict rules on them being prohibited.
Conflicting reports came out that Daley had to be taken out of the hotel on a stretcher, and that Bellator staff had requested an ambulance for Daley, instead of "Semtex" asking for it.
Daley later took to Instagram again to announce his next fight, the 73rd of his career, which will be his last and fought at a catchweight of 175lbs.
The Nottingham based fighter will go down as a legend in the UK MMA scene, but will also remain infamous for the post fight punch he threw at Josh Koscheck, which saw him cut from the UFC.
Bellator's second event of the week was headlined by the long awaited fight between James Gallagher and Cal Ellenor. The fight had been booked three previous times but called off due to injuries.
Gallagher walked out the victor after forcing the "Sunderland Strangler" to tap out of a rear naked choke in the last minute of round one.

By Kieran Cobley @cobleyreporting

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