UFC 243: Robert Whittaker KOd, relinquishes middleweight title to Israel Adesanya
The hype is real! Israel Adesanya has knocked out Robert Whittaker in brutal fashion to take Aussie's UFC middleweight title in a scarily dominant display that should put the whole weight class on notice.
Believe. The. Hype.
Less than two years after arriving into the UFC with nothing but talk few others believed in, Israel Adesanya has gone and claimed himself the middleweight title.
Not for nothing, exactly as the outspoken New Zealander predicted, too.
None of which is good news for Australian Robert Whittaker, who wakes on Monday morning as a challenger once more after being dropped by a vicious left hook - and then some blink ‘n’ you miss it finishes - in round two his UFC 243 headliner at Marvel Stadium.
Worse, Bobby Knuckles was almost done in the first.
On that occasion, saved by both the bell and a referee who dived over him sprawled out on the canvas as Adesanya moved in to finish what had been a hard right hand.
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All of which confirms The Last Stylebender ... well, he is plenty more than hot air.
Talks loudly sure, but also carries that big stick.
“If I could sing,” he said last night, "Justin Bieber wouldn’t even have a job.
“But you don’t want to hear me sing.”
Maybe not.
But plenty now want to see demand superfights.
And Whittaker?
Well, after having gone nine appearances without loss, the rugged Sydneysider will remain among a shortlist of top middleweight challengers including Paulo Costa, Yoel Romero and Kelvin Gastelum.
At 28, still every inch a contender.
Asked about the loss, the Aussie said: “Me and him are two of the best strikers in the world.
“And I got caught.
“If you put two of the best strikers in the world in the Octagon together, that’s what happens -- someone is going to get caught.
“Unfortunately it was me.
“But trust me when I say I'm not going anywhere.”
Fought before a UFC record crowd of 57,127 – which included Hollywood actor Chris Hemsworth and $8 million in gate takings Marvel Stadium felt like Thunderdome on ‘roids.
Especially when Whittaker entered to Cold Chisel’s Khe Sanh.
Then there was Adesanya, the fighter who encouraged the crowd to boo him - and, certainly wasn’t disappointed - entering minutes earlier with what can only be described as a hip hop show.
The Kiwi and three dancers moving through a choreographed performance that he later revealed was rehearsed only four or five times Saturday.
Which was undeniably cool.
And just as he'd planned back on Tuesday when, midway through being interviewed by The Daily Telegraph in his hotel room, the fighter took his final booking call for said entourage.
“But please don’t tell anyone,” he said. “I want to make a statement.”
Which he did.
Big time.
Four years after American Holly Holm upset megastar Ronda Rousey in the same venue - a headliner, coincidentally, Adesanya paid to watch from the bleachers - the rising Kiwi prodigy went and stole the show himself.
Exactly, we should remind you, as American punter ‘Vegas Dave’ revealed on these pages a couple of days back.
The man who previously won $2.5 million betting Kansas Royals in the World Series, explaining he would’ve bet US$500,000 on Adesanya if not for a certain issue with the Feds.
Anyway, Australian fight fans now look ahead to UFC 245 and the world’s greatest Warilla Gorilla.
On December 15, Wollongong’s Alex Volkanovski set to throw down in his own title blockbuster against Hawaiian featherweight champ Max Holloway.
Volkanovski, 31, is on an undefeated tear stretching six years and 17 professional fights, including all seven inside the Octagon.
And the former bush prop is determined to give Australia back a UFC belt by Christmas.
Originally published as UFC 243: Robert Whittaker KOd, relinquishes middleweight title to Israel Adesanya