Adesanya drops Whittaker as the horn sounds in round 1! Wow! #UFC243 pic.twitter.com/lR0ss8amj8
— UFC (@ufc) October 6, 2019
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.
Updates
ROUND 2 of 5: Aussie Rob has recovered, lands a stiff jab and a glancing right hand. Adesanya to doing a beautiful job using a check right hook to evade the leaping Whittaker who is lunging in. IT'S ALL OVER! Israel Adesanya has knocked out UFC middleweight champion Rob Whittaker in violent fashion! Beautiful exchange and it's Adesanya who lands a perfect left hook that drops the Aussie before forcing referee Mark Goddard to stop the fight. That was just crazy. Adesanya calls out Jon Jones before targeting his likely next opponent Paulo Costa before going on a bizarre post-fight rant.
In contrast, Rob Whittaker was all class, telling the packed Melbourne crowd: "I'm only 28, I'm not going anywhere and I guarantee you I'll fighting him in one or two fights."
Adesanya knocks out Whittaker
ROUND 2 of 5: Aussie Rob has recovered, lands a stiff jab and a glancing right hand. Adesanya to doing a beautiful job using a check right hook to evade the leaping Whittaker who is lunging in. IT'S ALL OVER! Israel Adesanya has knocked out UFC middleweight champion Rob Whittaker in violent fashion! Beautiful exchange and it's Adesanya who lands a perfect left hook that drops the Aussie before forcing referee Mark Goddard to stop the fight. That was just crazy. Adesanya calls out Jon Jones before targeting his likely next opponent Paulo Costa before going on a bizarre post-fight rant.
In contrast, Rob Whittaker was all class, telling the packed Melbourne crowd: "I'm only 28, I'm not going anywhere and I guarantee you I'll fighting him in one or two fights."
Israel Adesanya just did the most cringeworthy entrance in UFC history. Male hip hop dancers bopping with the interim champion. Just walk to the Octagon and fight, mate.
The Reaper walks out to Khe Sanh. Now that's an entrance! Whittaker looks really fired up. Let's hope he hasn't expended too much energy before getting into the Octagon. Geez this fight is intriguing.
ROUND 1 of 5: Here we go! Both men take the centre of the Octagon. Whittaker looks lightning fast, targeting Adesanya's lead leg. Whittaker closes the distance so quickly but Adesanya is doing a good job of evading the Aussie's bombs. The Kiwi looking very calm. Accidental eye poke halts proceeding for a few seconds … and we're back. Both men starting to open up. Whittaker just blocks a head kick. Throws one of his own that whizzes past Adesanya's face. DROPPED! Adesanya drops Whittaker with a huge right hand one second before the horn. Huge finish for Adesanya and the Kiw takes the round.
Middleweight title showdown: Whittaker v Adesanya Round 1
Israel Adesanya just did the most cringeworthy entrance in UFC history. Male hip hop dancers bopping with the interim champion. Just walk to the Octagon and fight, mate.
The Reaper walks out to Khe Sanh. Now that's an entrance! Whittaker looks really fired up. Let's hope he hasn't expended too much energy before getting into the Octagon. Geez this fight is intriguing.
ROUND 1 of 5: Here we go! Both men take the centre of the Octagon. Whittaker looks lightning fast, targeting Adesanya's lead leg. Whittaker closes the distance so quickly but Adesanya is doing a good job of evading the Aussie's bombs. The Kiwi looking very calm. Accidental eye poke halts proceeding for a few seconds … and we're back. Both men starting to open up. Whittaker just blocks a head kick. Throws one of his own that whizzes past Adesanya's face. DROPPED! Adesanya drops Whittaker with a huge right hand one second before the horn. Huge finish for Adesanya and the Kiw takes the round.
On the button
ROUND 3: Hooker again using his length well even when he's being backed up. Iaquinta's leg is causing him serious trouble as it's hampering his movement big time. Hooker is pouring it on: right hand, left hook, jab, elbow – the bloke is like a striking sniper and he has Iaquinta busted up. This has been a close to flawless performance for Hooker against one of the toughest blokes in the UFC. Ragin' Al won't die wondering though, chasing the big Kiwi around the cage but Hooker is just negating everything the New Yorker is throwing. And that's it. The brutal leg kicks set up the win for Dan Hooker. Should be three rounds to zip … but stranger things have happened. Rankings don't mean that much in MMA but to put the win in perspective, Hooker, the 15th ranked lightweight, just beat the 6th ranked fighter in the world. Whoa. Dan Hooker just called out Dustin the Diamond Poirier. That's a pretty tasty punch-on.
RESULT: Hooker def Iaquinta 30-27 x 2, 30-26
Co-Main Event: Dan Hooker v Al Iaquinta Round 3
ROUND 3: Hooker again using his length well even when he's being backed up. Iaquinta's leg is causing him serious trouble as it's hampering his movement big time. Hooker is pouring it on: right hand, left hook, jab, elbow – the bloke is like a striking sniper and he has Iaquinta busted up. This has been a close to flawless performance for Hooker against one of the toughest blokes in the UFC. Ragin' Al won't die wondering though, chasing the big Kiwi around the cage but Hooker is just negating everything the New Yorker is throwing. And that's it. The brutal leg kicks set up the win for Dan Hooker. Should be three rounds to zip … but stranger things have happened. Rankings don't mean that much in MMA but to put the win in perspective, Hooker, the 15th ranked lightweight, just beat the 6th ranked fighter in the world. Whoa. Dan Hooker just called out Dustin the Diamond Poirier. That's a pretty tasty punch-on.
RESULT: Hooker def Iaquinta 30-27 x 2, 30-26
Co-Main Event: Dan Hooker v Al Iaquinta Round 2
ROUND 2: Iaquinta doing a good job of closing the distance and getting off a few shots early in the second … but Hooker looks very comfortable. Another leg kick from Hooker drops Ragin' Al and the New Yorker is very slow to his feet when Hooker calls him up. Ragin' Al answers with a couple of left hands. Fighting in south paw due to the damage to his left leg. Ragin' Al shoots and it's deep but Hooker defends beautifully, pressing Iaquinta up against the fence – they break – and BOOM! Hooker drops Ragin' Al with the sweetest right hook, elbows coming down but somehow Ragin' Al survives. Another round to Hooker – just. Hooker 20, Iaquinta 18.