Robert Whittaker commanded the striking battle against Marvin Vettori tonight at UFC Fight Night 209 to secure a unanimous decision victory.
Round One:
Leg kick from Whittaker. He lands again to the calf. Left hand for the foremr champion. Back to the calf kick now.
Jab for Whittaker and then a side kick to the leg. Vettori taking the center of the Octagon but yet to make a clean connection.
Vettori with a low kick as Whittaker was throwing a punch. Stepping jab for Whittaker.
Vettori with hooks in close and Whittaker fires back. Head kick attempt from Vettori looked threatening.
Whittaker with a Left hand. Nice crisp jab for Vettori and a left hand behind it. Jab for Whittaker.
Front kick to the body for Whittaker. left hand for him and Vettori clinches up against the cage. Whittaker moves away quickly.
Inside leg kick from Vettori. Outside kick too now. Leg kick for Vettori. Nice jab for Whittaker and then gets away before Vettori can counter.
whittaker with another right hand and then gets away again. Body kick from Vettori. Jab from Whittaker and almost ducks into a knee in response from Vettori.
Round Two:
Front kick to the body from Whittaker. He lands it again. Head kick attempt from Whittaker but overcooks it and falls to the mat before springing right back up.
Left hand from Vettori. Vettori clinches up but Whittaker breaks free quickly.
Head kick attempt from Vettori misses. Side kick to the knee from Whittaker. Head kick attempt from Whittaker is blocked. He steps into a big straight right and it lands nicely.
Vettori comes up short with a few punches as Whittaker manages distance well. Whittaker overswings on a punch but does land a body kick.
Snappy jab for Whittaker. Now a kick upstairs that seemed to get through partially. Now a punch lands. Vettori with an inside leg kick. He lands another as Whittaker is coming into range.
Punch followed by a head kick from Whittaker, but it’s blocked. Vettori with a leg kick. Whittaker looking confident and focused at this stage in the fight. He lands a punch and body kick as he applies pressure.
Nice side kick to the knee from Whittaker. Leg kick for Vettori. Whittaker steps into another fast right hand.
Round Three:
Leg kicks for Whittaker. Now a front kick to the body. He lands it again. Right hand from Vettori over Whittaker’s jab.
Head kick attempt from Vettori. One-two for Vettori. Whittaker’s head kick whizzes past his head.
Leg kick for Whittaker. Head kick again from Whittaker and that landed, but Vettori stays upright. Whittaker continues to be crisp with his hands too.
Inside leg kick for Vettori. Outside leg kick from Whittaker. And again. That stepping right hand from Whittaker connects again. Vettori misses with a head kick.
Vettori in on a single leg attempt and then drives Whittaker up against the cage. Whittaker does well to break away.
Big right hand from Whittaker again. Side kick to the knee now. Head kick attempt that’s blocked. Jab from Whittaker and Vettori lands a counter.
Whittaker perfectly times a takedown. Vettori gets to his knees and is able to stand back up.
Body kick from Vettori. Right hand for Whittaker. Head kick attempt. Hard left hand from Whittaker. Another head kick attempt just whizzes over Vettori’s head.
Decision:
Whittaker was able to outclass and outclass Vettori over the course of three rounds and earns himself a convincing unanimous decision victory (30-27 x2, 29-28).
