Israel Adesanya claimed the middleweight title in stunning fashion tonight at UFC 243 with a second round knockout of Robert Whittaker.
Round One:
The main event of the evening is underway at the Marvel Stadium in Melbourne.
Whittaker comes forward with an early punch and Adesanya back away from it.
Whittaker in again and almost seems to lose his balance a little as he throws a punch.
Left hand from Whittaker just grazing past Adesanya’s head and then he loads up and misses with another punch.
Whittaker reaching with punches there. Adesanya with a jab. Overhand right from Whittaker after Adesanya steps into range.
Whittaker with a left hand. Again he lands the jab. He misses with a head kick attempt.
Oblique kick and then an overhand attempt for the champion. Brief clinch and an eye poke catches Adesanya, but he’s ok to continue quickly.
leg kick for Whittaker. Glancing right hand for Adesanya. Superman punch from Whittaker. missed punch from Adesanya and then a left hook from Whittaker.
Head kick attempt from Adesanya. He tries it again, but both are blocked. He tries for another head kick that misses this time.
Whittaker loading up on a lot of his strikes at the moment. Adesanya seems more measured, but less active.
Leg kick for Whittaker. Overhand right for the champion. Final seconds of the round and Adesanya is using head movement but gets caught with a couple of punches, only to then unleash a right hook that floors Whittaker just as the bell sounds.
Round Two:
Olbique kick attempt from Whittaker. Whittaker lunging in with punches. Nice jab from Whittaker and now a right hand too.
Adesanya moving his head out of reach of some punches here. Jab lands for Adesanya. Both men come in but don’t land cleanly.
Snapping jab from Adesanya. Right hook for him too. Head kick from Adesanya and Whittaker seemed a little wobbled for a split second.
Hard right hand from Adesanya. Right and a left from Whittaker, but didn’t land cleanly.
Left hand gets through from Adesanya. Low leg kick from him now. Left hook lands for Whittaker. Exchange in close and then Whittaker lands a head kick.
Again in close Whittaker lands a right hand. Good left hand for Whittaker, but then he lunges in and gets blasted with a right hand counter and then a left hook that staggers Whittaker backwards onto the mat, badly hurt.
Whittaker’s legs were wobbling as he reeled backwards there and the ref quickly swoops in to end the fight by KO at 3.33mins of the second round.
