9 takeaways from UFC 245

UFC 245 took place Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and featured three title fights.

In the main event, Kamaru Usman retained the welterweight belt with a fifth-round TKO of Colby Covington. Earlier, Alexander Volkanovski captured the featherweight strap with a decision over Max Holloway, and Amanda Nunes kept the women's bantamweight title with a decision over Germaine de Randamie.

Here are 9 takeaways from the promotion's final pay-per-view card of the decade.

There's real hate between Usman, Covington

Usman and Covington both generally fight at a high pace, but they hit another level on Saturday night. Based on how hard and how often each of them threw punches, it was clear these welterweights have a real dislike for one another - one that isn't manufactured at all.

Saturday's bout may also have been the most important fight of their respective careers. It was for the UFC title, of course, and it potentially started a rivalry. Usman topped Covington with a TKO late in the fifth round, but the latter was game throughout the entire contest. A rematch down the road is a possibility.

Volkanovski beat Holloway at his own game

Volkanovski took the UFC featherweight title away from Holloway in the evening's co-main event, but not in the fashion that many expected.

"The Great" outstruck the Hawaiian, which was a surprise despite his reach advantage. Volkanovski usually excels on the ground, where he uses his strength to bully opponents and employs a vicious ground-and-pound attack.

Volkanovski tried to take Holloway down a couple of times throughout Saturday's five-round affair, but the latter's takedown defense held up. That ultimately didn't matter, though, as Volkanovski walked away with a unanimous decision victory.

De Randamie a test, but Nunes still the best

De Randamie's striking skills tested Nunes, but they weren't enough to dethrone the women's bantamweight champion.

The challenger rocked the champ in the second round, but Nunes recovered and went on to dominate de Randamie with takedowns and grappling prowess as the fight went on.

If De Randamie had been able to keep the fight on the feet, she would've had a shot at beating Nunes. But that's what makes the champ so good. She's smart and plays to her strengths. That's how she won on Saturday night.

Aldo looked better than expected

There was a lot of concern surrounding former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo's decision to drop down to 135 pounds. Even after Aldo made weight and looked OK on the scale Friday morning, many pundits believed Marlon Moraes would be able to ice him.

That did not happen.

While Aldo fell to Moraes by a narrow - and somewhat controversial - split decision, he looked way better than expected in his bantamweight debut. Again, there had been legitimate reasons for concern. Aldo has historically struggled to hit the 145-pound featherweight limit, and many fans have called for a move up to lightweight. But Aldo largely proved the doubters wrong by showing he could compete well at bantamweight.

There's no shame in losing to Moraes, the No. 1 contender in the division, in a competitive fight. It was a loss on paper, but it was otherwise a win for Aldo.

Yan more than deserving of a title shot

Bantamweight contender Petr Yan put on a master class against Urijah Faber in the opening pay-per-view bout, stopping the UFC Hall of Famer with a head kick in the third round.

After the win, Yan called out bantamweight champ Henry Cejudo. "No Mercy," who entered the Faber fight ranked No. 4 in the division, is more than deserving of a shot at UFC gold. He's now won six in a row since signing with the promotion last year.

Unfortunately for Yan, the 135-pound weight class is stacked and its champion is still recovering from a shoulder injury. It's unclear when Cejudo will return, and he'll need to decide if he wants to fight at bantamweight or flyweight, where he's also the titleholder. Meanwhile, Yan is one of many fighters who want a shot at Cejudo, so he may not be up next.

But as long as he keeps winning, Yan will likely get that opportunity sooner rather than later.

Neal a real threat

If you weren't already aware, Geoff Neal is here to stay.

In his first fight since quitting his part-time serving job, Neal knocked out Mike Perry early in the first round of their welterweight bout. We knew Neal possessed a ton of power, but this was a major statement, as Perry is known for his rock-solid chin.

Saturday's win showed that the Fortis MMA product is ready for a big step up. Neal is a force to be reckoned with in the welterweight division - perhaps even a future champion.

Aldana has arrived

Ever since Irene Aldana made her UFC debut a few years ago, there's been a notion that she could go far. However, she'd always come up short in the biggest fights - at least until Saturday night, when she went out and destroyed the returning Ketlen Vieira with a brutal left hook.

Vieira had been ranked No. 2 in the bantamweight division ahead of this bout, so the victory certainly put Aldana in prime position for a No. 1-contender match. Whether Aldana will realize her dream of winning UFC gold is still very much up in the air, but this was a career-changing moment for the Mexican.

Young Hooper the real deal

Twenty-year-old Chase Hooper, the youngest fighter on the UFC's roster, was successful in his promotional debut, stopping Daniel Teymur in the first round with strong ground-and-pound. Hooper had to overcome some adversity, fighting off a Teymur submission attempt early in the fight. The 31-year-old was a good test for Hooper, and the newcomer ultimately passed it with flying colors.

While he's raw and still developing, Hooper showed skills - especially on the ground - that indicate he could be a real problem for many featherweights down the road. If he's brought up slowly, Hooper could enjoy a lot of success in the UFC.

Flyweights deliver once again

It's unfortunate that the focus of this card won't be on Brandon Moreno and Kai Kara-France, because they put on a show in their flyweight bout. Moreno, nicknamed "The Assassin Baby," won a decision in a back-and-forth scrap that highlighted how exciting flyweights can be.

Simply put, Moreno and Kara-France kept up a pace through three rounds that many heavier fighters couldn't keep up through one. It's crazy to think that not long ago, the UFC was considering getting rid of the weight class. Only now are fans beginning to celebrate the 125-pound fighters for the frenzied action they bring to the cage.