In what is now recognised as the biggest ever audience for a combat sports event in the Southern hemisphere, the UFC returned to Australia this past weekend. The main event featured a Middleweight match-up between champion Robert Whittaker and interim champion Israel Adesanya. Whittaker gave a good account of himself, but potentially some of the time away showed a little. Adesanya was leading the pace in the first round and continued in the same vein in the second when he delivered a telling left hook just past the halfway marker of round two. It was enough for the referee who stopped the fight, ruling the TKO victory to Adesanya. Some have questioned his relatively quick rise to the top, but with such an impressive performance will have silenced a lot of those doubters
The co-main event at 155lbs, featured Al Iaquinta up against Dan Hooker. Hooker seemed to relish any opportunity to fight such an experienced fighter and his determination gained him a unanimous decision victory.
Rest of Fight Card – Results
265 lbs.: Sergey Spivak vs. Tai Tuivasa
Spivak def. Tuivasa via submission (arm triangle) at of 3:14 Round 2
170 lbs.: Luke Jumeau vs. Dhiego Lima
Lima def. Jumeau via split decision
265 lbs.: Yorgan De Castro vs. Justin Tafa
De Castro def. Tafa by KO (punch) at 2:10 of Round 1
170 lbs.: Rostem Akman vs. Jake Matthews
Matthews def. Akman by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
170 lbs.: Maki Pitolo vs. Callan Potter
Potter def. Pitolo by unanimous decision (29-28 x3
145 lbs.: Megan Anderson vs. Zarah Fairn dos Santos
Anderson def. Fairn dos Santos by submission at 3:57 of Round 1
155 lbs.: Jamie Mullarkey vs. Brad Riddell
Riddell def. Mullarkey by unanimous decision (29-27, 30-26 x2)
115 lbs.: Nadia Kassem vs. Ji Yeon Kim
Kim def. Kassem by TKO (punches) at 4:59 of Round 2
135 lbs.: Bruno Silva vs. Khalid Taha
Taha def. Silva by submission (arm-triangle choke) at 3:00 of Round 3
