UFC 243 Whittaker vs Adesanya RECAP: Israel Adesanya TKO's Whittaker to claim MW belt
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live: Express Sport brings you all the ongoings from UFC 243: Whittaker vs Adesanya.
Hello, and welcome to Express Sport’s live coverage of UFC 243: Whittaker vs Adesanya.
This morning’s card, which took place at the Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia, was headlined by the eagerly-anticipated middleweight title unification fight between Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya.
The battle for middleweight supremacy was the latest instalment of the historic sporting rivalry between Australia and New Zealand, with Whittaker representing the Aussies and Adesanya the Kiwis. And it didn't disappoint, with Adesanya producing a sensational performance to claim the middleweight throne.
Scroll down to recap every moment from an unforgettable night at the Marvel Stadium:
Israel Adesanya's UFC 243 victory draws Conor McGregor reaction
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 07:50 - That's a wrap, folks.
That's all for me tonight. I hope you enjoyed Express Sport's coverage of UFC 243. In four weeks' time, we'll bring you live coverage of UFC 244: Masvidal vs Diaz, which takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York.
See you then.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 07:40 - Israel Adesanya breaks down Paulo Costa's style
"It’s basic," he said. "But that’s not a bad thing. Basic is what my s**t is built on. Foundations. I just know how to work off my basics. He doesn’t."
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 07:31 - Israel Adesanya goes in on Paulo Costa
He said: "He's a b***h. And he’s my b***h and I’m going to make him my b***h."
Whittaker vs Adesanya - Live - 07:18 - Adesanya is here
The man of the hour has arrived and is now answering questions.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 06:26 - Still waiting
Adesanya has yet to show up, but that's probably because he's enjoying the moment with his friends and family.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 06:05 - Post-fight press conference time
We're now waiting for Israel Adesanya to make his way to the post-fight press conference. He'll no doubt have a lot to say about his championship-winning performance.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 05:53 - Who is next for Israel Adesanya?
The answer to that question is the undefeated Paulo Costa, who was cageside for the changing of the middleweight guard. That fight will be an epic war.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 05:42 - What a display
That was an absolutely stunning performance from 'The Last Stylebender', who made good on his promise to end Whittaker's reign in emphatic fashion.
Welcome to the Adesanya Era, folks.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 05:35 - And new!
Israel Adesanya is the new undisputed middleweight champion. Whittaker left himself open to multiple counters in the first, and that proved to be his undoing in the second.
As he loaded up on a left hook, Whittaker left himself open for a counter left hook, an opening Adesanya viciously took.
After flooring Whittaker, Adesanya finished off the Aussie with ground and pound to claim his second UFC title in his last two fights.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 05:28 - Round one to the challenger
Whittaker had difficulty closing the distance and dealing with the stance switches of Adesanya. Adesanya didn't throw much volume, though he did drop Whittaker seconds before the end of the round.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 05:19 - Whittaker and Adesanya are in the Octagon
Here we go, folks. Australia versus New Zealand. Who will win the biggest fight in the history of Australasian mixed martial arts?
We'll find out shortly.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 05:10 - Here we go
Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya are making their way to the Octagon. The battle for middleweight supremacy is almost upon us.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 05:02 - A dominant performance from Dan Hooker
Hooker continued to punish Iaquinta with brutal leg kicks in the third, which left 'Raging' susceptible to eating further strikes.
The judges awarded the 29-year-old a unanimous decision victory, which prompted him into call out recent lightweight title challenger Dustin Poirier.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 04:55 - Another round in the books for the Kiwi
Iaquinta struggled to close the distance in the second and found himself eating several stiff jabs. Perhaps some level changes and more feints will help him get closer to Hooker.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 04:49 - Hooker in the ascendancy
Round one to 'The Hangman', who controlled every department of the fight. Iaquinta will need to do something drastically different in the second.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 04:34 - The co-main event is upon us
Al Iaquinta and Dan Hooker are making their way to the Octagon. This fight is going to provide fireworks.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 04:24 - Sergey Spivac silences the Marvel Stadium
As promised, Tuivasa vs Spivac is provided thrills and spills. Tuivasa wasn't able to get the job done, though, as he was choked unconscious by an arm triangle shortly after the third minute.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 04:17 - The main eventers have arrived
Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya have arrived at the Marvel Stadium. It won't be long until we find out who is the best middleweight on the planet.
They're here. It's happening. @RobWhittakerMMA ������ @Stylebender goes down later tonight on ESPN+ ➡️ https://t.co/vfGtD2ggV1 pic.twitter.com/7PAFcpIOKh
— UFC (@ufc) October 6, 2019
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 04:10 - We return to the heavyweight division
Fan favourite Tai Tuivasa s about to throw down with Moldova's Sergey Spivac. If Tuivasa's previous showings on home soil are anything to go by, this should be a slugfest.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 04:00 - Lima gets the win
Lima gets the victory, with the judges awarding him the win via split decision. How one of the judges scored the fight in Jumeau's favour is beyond me.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 03:50 - Lima chipping away at the Aussie
Lima dominated the first and second rounds with brutal kicks to Jumeau's lead leg, which soon resembled a piece of beaten meet.
Jumeau needs to put himself into the fire and close the distance if he's going to avoid having his leg picked apart.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 03:36 - Another welterweight clash is on deck
Luke Jumeau and Dhiego Lima are about to throw down. Many causal MMA fans may not know that Lima is the brother of former Bellator welterweight champion Douglas Lima.
This fight should be a good one.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 03:23 - It's over
Yorgan De Castro starches Justin Tafa with a huge straight right two minutes and ten seconds in the first round. What a finish from the big man.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 03:10 - The heavyweights get the main card underway
Justin Tafa and Yorgan De Castro are about to kick off the main card. This heavyweight clash is a battle of two newcomers. Let's see how they handle fighting in front of nearly 55,000 fans.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 02:59 - Jake Matthews gets the win
Matthews picks up his eighth Octagon win via unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the bout 29-28 in his favour.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 02:57 - That's the end of the prelims
Matthews well and truly picked up the pace in the third, landing his strikes at will and evading those coming back at him. He should get the nod.
Co-main has arrived for tonight's PPV | LIVE on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/2E8gfoyAVw
— UFC (@ufc) October 6, 2019
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 02:52 - The co-main eventers are in the house
Al Iaquinta and Dan Hooker are in the building. I can't wait for this pivotal lightweight match-up.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 02:51 - A better second stanza
Matthews and Akman have finally woken up and are now committing to their shots. Matthews had some good success with his inside leg kick. Let's see if he continues to draw from that well and chew up his opponent's lead leg.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 02:46 - Not the best first round
Surprisingly, both men have been very tentative with their striking, much to the frustration of everyone watching the bout. Let's hope they get going in the second.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 02:38 - We're approaching the final prelim fight of the morning
A welterweight showdown between Jake Matthews and Rostem Akman is about to get underway. For me, this was the standout fight on the prelims list. Expect to be entertained, folks.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 02:31 - Potter gets the win
A solid third round from Potter sees him get back in the win column via unanimous decision, with all the judges scoring the contest 29-28. A solid performance from the 35-year-old, who now knows what it feels like to win in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 02:22 - Potter is slowly taking over
Pitolo is starting to fade and Potter is beginning to take over. To his credit, Hawaii's Pitolo is still throwing heavy counters. It'll be interesting to see if he can continue operating at Potter's pace, which has been nothing short of relentless.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 02:15 - A barn burner of a round
Potter and Pitolo didn't waste any time trading heavy leather, much to the satisfaction of the Aussie crowd. Pitolo, however, needs to be careful as he keeps getting caught with left hooks.
Let's see if he makes the appropriate adjustments in the second round.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 02:10 - Welterweights are on deck
A 170lb clash between Callan Potter ad Maki Pitolo is about to underway. Pitolo impressed many with his showing on Dana White's Contenders Series. It'll be interesting to see how he handles fighting on such a big stage.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 02:04 - The debut boy gets the win
A strong third round was enough for Riddell to earn victory in his Octgaon debut, with the judges awarding him a unanimous decision win. The New Zealander is hoping to have a quick turnaround and get back in the cage before the end of the year.
But after that war, he should definitely take some time off.
������������ New Zealand gets on the board first at #UFC243! pic.twitter.com/LYBleSfgEe
— UFC (@ufc) October 6, 2019
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 01:54 - What a third round!
That final round proved to be an absolute war, with both men rocking each other. Riddell got the better of the exchanges, rocking Mullarkey multiple times and coming dangerously close to finishing the fight.
He should get the decision.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 01:48 - Blood is drawn
Both men spilled blood in the closely contested second. It'll be interesting to see who can dictate the pace in the third and final round and get the win.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 01:43 - Tough round to score
Neither man really landed anything of note in that round, nor were they able to impose their will on the other. Riddle, however, was the leader of the dance. So for that, I give him the first.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 01:36 - That's one hell of a break
After a lengthy intermission, Jamie Mullarkey versus Brad Riddell is finally underway. That was one of the longest breaks between prelim fights I can remember.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 01:27 - The welterweights are up next
Another Aussie will be in action shortly, with Jamie Mullarkey taking on New Zealand's Brad Riddell.
Whittaker vs Adesanya LIve - 01:17 - Megan Anderson is back
The former Invicta FC featherweight champion made light work of Zarah Fairn dos Santos, submitting her with a first-round triangle choke.
That win has seen the 29-year-old bounce back from her stoppage loss to Felicia Spencer. Now that's she's back in the win column, she'll be looking to resume her pursuit of the featherweight title.
Fire fists!! Ji Yeon Kim landing EVERYTHING on her way to the finish! ������������ #UFC243 pic.twitter.com/y7isjwjtaQ
— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) October 5, 2019
Whittaker vs Adesanya LIve - 01:04 - The Fight Pass prelims are in the books
Up next is a women's featherweight bout between Australia's own Megan Anderson and France's Zarah Fairn dos Santos.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 00:52 - Ji Yeon Kim gets the win
Both fighters had success with their strikes in the second, though Kim was the more accurate of the two. There was a very peculiar stoppage when Kassem's mouthpiece fell out and the referee wrongly halted the fight.
Kim went back to work and started overwhelming the Aussie with her volume, which led to the ref stopping proceedings one second before the buzzer.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 00:45 - A striking masterclass
Kim is really showcasing her wide range of striking this round, which has been a tough one to score. I give the edge to Kim, though, as she scored a knockdown early doors.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 00:35 - We move to the flyweight division
The first Australian in action tonight will be Nadia Kassem, with the New South Wales native taking on South Korea's Ji Yeon Kim. This should be a thoroughly entertaining affair.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 00:27 - It's over
Taha wins via third-round submission, trapping Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Silva with an arm triangle after stuffing a desperate takedown. An impressive victory from the Lebanese-born German.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 00:23 - Silva dominates the second
Round two starts in the same manner as its predecessor, with an irate Taha throwing heavy leather from the outset. His reckless approach, however, allowed Silva to close the distance and secure a big takedown.
The Brazilian's ground control was supremely strong, so much so Taha was unable to make his way back to his feet until after the buzzer.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 00:15 - A thoroughly entertaining round so far
Taha and Silva didn't waste any time throwing heat, with the former dropping the latter early doors. This round, however, was broken up by a series of inadvertent low blows from Silva.
I give this stanza to the durable Taha.
Whittaker vs Adesanya Live - 00:10 - The prelims are underway
Good morning, folks. UFC 243 is officially underway, with a tasty men's bantamweight bout between Khalid Taha and Bruno Silva lighting the blue touch paper.
Taha won his last fight with an emphatic one-punch knockout, so this one could be over in the blink of an eye.
UFC 243 fight card
Robert Whittaker vs Israel Adesanya - middleweight title unification fight
Dan Hooker vs Al Iaquinta - lightweight bout
Tai Tuivasa vs Sergey Spivac - heavyweight bout
Luke Jumeau vs Dhiego Lima - welterweight bout
Justin Tafa vs Yorgan De Castro - heavyweight bout
Prelims
Jake Matthews vs Rostem Akman - welterweight bout
Callan Potter vs Maki Pitolo - welterweight bout
Megan Anderson vs Zarah Fairn dos Santos - women’s featherweight bout
Jamie Mullarkey vs Brad Riddell - lightweight bout
Nadia Kassem vs Ji Yeon Kim - women’s flyweight bout
Khalid Taha vs Bruno Silva - men’s bantamweight bout