Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya squared off for the undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight crown in the UFC 243 headliner before a record-setting crowd at Marvel Stadium on Saturday in Melbourne, Australia. While there were a number of memorable performances at the event, five stood out.
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1. Israel Adesanya
Adesanya completed his meteoric rise to the top of the 185-pound weight class, as “The Last Stylebender” disposed of Whittaker with second-round punches to claim the undisputed middleweight championship. Whittaker was the busier and more aggressive fighter in the first round, but a right hook floored him just before the horn and altered the direction of the bout. Adesanya wobbled “Bobby Knuckles” with another right hand early in Round 2, attacked the body and countered beautifully during a wild exchange in the center of the cage. A short left hook caught Whittaker on the chin, sent him to the canvas and left him in no condition to defend himself. A few more punches from Adesanya brought it to a close.
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2. Dan Hooker
The City Kickboxing star rolled to his sixth win in seven outings, as he captured a unanimous decision over The Ultimate Fighter 15 finalist Al Iaquinta in the three-round lightweight co-main event. Scores were 30-27, 30-27 and 30-26, all for Hooker. Iaquinta (14-6-1, 9-5 UFC) played right into the Kiwi’s hands. Hooker exploited his physical advantages, chewed into the Serra-Longo Fight Team mainstay’s lead leg with repeated kicks and cracked him with a thudding jab. He had Iaquinta in significant trouble in the first round, where he advanced to the back and hunted the rear-naked choke. Hooker then floored the New York native with a counter right hand in the middle stanza and continued to widen his lead in the third. The victory moved him to 19-8 overall and 9-4 in the UFC.
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3. Ji Yeon Kim
Kim put away Nadia Kassem with punches in the second round of their preliminary women’s flyweight affair. Kassem succumbed to blows 4:59 into Round 2. Kim overwhelmed the 23-year-old Aussie with accurate punches and a merciless pace. She dropped Kassem inside the first 10 seconds with a counter left hand, weathered a kick-heavy attack from her counterpart and waited for damage to accumulate. Late in the second round, Kim unleashed a stream of punches that had the Australian Top Team standout ducking for cover. Two right hooks to the body doubled over Kassem and prompted the stoppage.
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4. Sergey Spivak
Spivak rebounded from his first professional defeat and did so in resounding fashion, as he choked Tai Tuivasa unconscious with an arm-triangle in the second round of their featured heavyweight encounter. Tuivasa blacked out 3:14 into Round 2. Spivak controlled much of the fight with his takedowns and positional control, routinely grounding the former Australian Fighting Championship titleholder. In the second round, the Moldovan secured another takedown, dropped elbows and opened a cut on Tuivasa’s right eyelid. From there, Spivak set the choke, cleared the Aussie’s legs and tightened his squeeze until the job was done.
Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC (Getty Images)
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5. Megan Anderson
The former Invicta Fighting Championships titleholder submitted Zarah Fairn dos Santos with a triangle choke in the first round of their undercard clash at 145 pounds. Anderson drew the curtain 3:57 into Round 1, netting her first submission victory in nearly five years. Fairn dos Santos charged the Aussie with punches at the start, wandered into the clinch and surrendered a takedown. Anderson advanced to mount without much resistance before unleashing punches and elbows, one of which appeared to cut the British Association of Mixed Martial Arts veteran. Fairn dos Santos reversed position but fell into the triangle, and though she struggled briefly to free herself, she had no choice but to raise the white flag.
Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC (Getty Images)
