The UFC returns to Australia as Melbourne hosts UFC 243. The main event features a middleweight title unification bout that promises to be exciting. UFC middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker has been out of action since June 2018. That fight took place at UFC 225 as he faced Yoel Romero in a rematch of their 2017 fight. Romero happened to miss weight prior to the fight and they would therefore face each other in a non-title fight. Along with that and having to battle injuries, Whittaker will be looking for his first title defense on Saturday. Standing across from him will be the interim champion, Israel Adesanya.
Adesanya’s run in the UFC has lasted only a little more than a year and a half as he opened his UFC career at 4-0. The quick rise would grant him a fight with former middleweight champion, Anderson Silva. The two would become last second headliners during the UFC’s last visit to Melbourne in February at UFC 234. Adesanya defeated Silva by unanimous decision, which would earn him an interim title fight with Kelvin Gastelum just two months later at UFC 236. Adesanya surely faced his toughest test in Gastelum and after a five round war Adesanya was crowned the interim champion by unanimous decision. He now looks to become UFC middleweight champion less than two years after making his UFC debut.
The co-main event features an exciting clash in the lightweight division. Coming off a main event loss to Donald Cerrone, Al Iaquinta looks to bounce back. But he faces a tough task in New Zealand‘s Dan Hooker. Since returning from a two year layoff, Iaquinta has gone 2-2 including a title fight loss to current lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov. His opponent, Hooker, enters the contest having won five of his last six with that lone loss coming to Edson Barboza. His most recent win came at UFC on ESPN 4 when he knocked out James Vick in the first round. He looks for his biggest win when he takes on Iaquinta.
UFC 243 Results
Kicking off the main card will be a heavyweight contest as Justin Tafa takes on Yorgan De Castro. Both men will be making their UFC debuts coming off of TKO wins in their last outings. Next up will be a welterweight fight as Luke Jumeau takes on TUF vet, Dhiego Lima. Both men defeated their previous opponent by decision as Jumeau defeated Daichi Abe and Lima defeated Court McGee. Finally, before the co-main event will be another fight in the heavyweight division. Australia’s Tai Tuivasa returns to the cage to take on Serghei Spivac. Both men are looking to bounce back from recent losses as Spivac lost in his UFC debut and Tuivasa has lost two straight.
Follow along with MMASucka as we provide you with the results throughout UFC 243.
MAIN CARD (PPV/ESPN+ – 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT)
Israel Adesanya def. Robert Whittaker via Knockout (Punches) at 3:33 of Round Two
Dan Hooker def. Al Iaquinta via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Serghei Spivac def. Tai Tuivasa via Submission (Arm Triangle) at 3:14 of Round Two
Dhiego Lima def. Luke Jumeau via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Yorgan De Castro def. Justin Tafa via Knockout (Punch) at 2:10 of Round One
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN 2 – 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT)
Jake Matthews def. Rostem Akman via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Callan Potter def. Maki Pitolo via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Brad Riddell def. Jamie Mullarkey via Unanimous Decision (29-27, 30-26, 30-26)
Megan Anderson def. Zarah Fairn via Submission (Triangle Choke) at 3:57 of Round One
PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+ – 6:45 p.m. ET/3:45 p.m. PT)
Ji Yeon Kim** def. Nadia Kassem via TKO (Punches) at 4:59 of Round Two
Khalid Taha def. Bruno Silva* via Submission (Arm Triangle) at 3:00 of Round Three
*Silva missed weight at 137 lbs. and will forfeit 20 percent of his purse
**Kim missed weight at 128 lbs. and will forfeit 30 percent of her purse
MAIN IMAGE:Embed from Getty Images
