Robert Whittaker

Whittaker repeatedly found the jab and right hand as Krylov slowed. A final right hand injured Krylov's jaw, and the bout was stopped when he turned away at 1:01 of round three.

Key moments

• Whittaker repeatedly found the jab and right hand.
• Krylov slowed as the fight moved into the third round.
• A final right hand injured Krylov's jaw and forced the stoppage at 1:01.

Whittaker dropped a close five-round split decision in what proved his final middleweight bout; de Ridder's grappling pressure and volume edged the scorecards in a fight that swung on the grappling exchanges.

Key moments

• Grappling exchanges swung the scoring.
• Both men pushed late in the championship rounds.
• A razor-thin split verdict.
• His last fight at middleweight.

Chimaev took Whittaker down early and locked up a rare face crank for a first-round finish, dominating the grappling from the outset.

Key moments

• Chimaev secured an early takedown.
• Sustained top control and pressure.
• A rare face-crank forced the tap.
• First-round finish at 3:34.

Whittaker cracked Aliskerov with a clean counter and followed up for a highlight first-round knockout — a reminder of the timing and power that carried his title run.

Key moments

• A counter right hand landed flush.
• Finishing follow-up on the canvas.
• Sub-two-minute stoppage.
• A statement KO in a headliner.

Whittaker out-pointed Paulo Costa over three rounds with movement, counters and a higher work rate to sweep the cards in a measured technical performance.

Key moments

• Out-struck Costa with movement and counters.
• Controlled distance and footwork.
• A clear sweep of the scorecards.
• Bounced back into title contention.

Du Plessis's awkward pressure and volume overwhelmed Whittaker for a second-round stoppage, derailing his march toward another title shot.

Key moments

• Du Plessis applied sustained pressure.
• A second-round flurry hurt Whittaker.
• Referee stoppage at 2:23.
• Cost him a pending title shot.

Whittaker delivered a dominant performance at UFC Paris, repeatedly uncorking head kicks that wobbled Vettori, mixing in sharp counter jabs, body kicks and knees across all three rounds to earn a comfortable unanimous decision. Vettori's face wore heavy damage by the final bell.

Key moments

• Multiple head kicks landed cleanly and visibly rocked Vettori.
• Sharp counter jab and front kick to the body controlled the range.
• Shut down Vettori's clinch-and-wrestle game consistently.
• A dominant, clean sweep across all three rounds.

Whittaker pushed hard for a grappling-based answer in the rematch at Houston, landing takedowns in the later rounds, but Adesanya's speed, leg-kick pressure and precise counters were too consistent over five rounds as the champion retained his title by unanimous decision.

Key moments

• Adesanya dropped Whittaker with a strike in the first round.
• Whittaker worked takedowns in rounds four and five in a smart tactical shift.
• Adesanya's speed was a constant problem throughout the fight.
• Scores of 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46 reflected Adesanya's control.

Whittaker put on one of the most complete performances of his UFC career, landing a massive head kick that buckled Gastelum early and building from there to earn a dominant 50-45 clean sweep across all five rounds. The win positioned him as the clear number-one middleweight contender.

Key moments

• A big head kick buckled Gastelum in the opening round.
• All three judges scored the fight 50-45 — a total sweep.
• Whittaker neutralised Gastelum's counters with speed and footwork.
• Positioned him as the clear number-one contender for Adesanya's title.

In a back-and-forth co-main event on Fight Island, Whittaker outworked Cannonier over three rounds, nearly stopping him late after dropping Cannonier with a combination in the third — a right hand into a flush kick to the face — before swarming with ground-and-pound to take a 29-28 sweep.

Key moments

• Cannonier's thunderous low kicks were a threat early.
• Whittaker's jab shut down Cannonier's eye by the second round.
• A right-hand-into-head-kick combination floored Cannonier in round three.
• Whittaker nearly finished the fight, passing guard to threaten a choke before the bell.

Whittaker recovered from a first-round knockdown — an elbow in an inside exchange — to outwork Till across five rounds on Fight Island, using low kicks and takedowns to build a clear lead and win 48-47 on all three cards.

Key moments

• Till landed an elbow in a clinch clash that put Whittaker on the canvas in round one.
• Whittaker responded in round two with a big right hand that stopped Till in his tracks.
• Low-kick volume and takedowns built a steady lead through the later rounds.
• A five-round unanimous decision win despite the early adversity.

In front of a record UFC crowd of over 57,000 at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Adesanya unified the middleweight title by stopping Whittaker inside two rounds. A right hand floored Whittaker in round one; he survived but was stopped at 3:33 of round two when Adesanya's counter left hook put him down and the follow-up finished it.

Key moments

• UFC attendance record — over 57,000 fans at Marvel Stadium, Melbourne.
• Adesanya dropped Whittaker with a right hand late in round one.
• A counter left hook in round two put Whittaker down; follow-up punches forced the stoppage.
• Snapped a nine-fight winning streak and ended Whittaker's first title reign.

One of the most violent title fights in UFC history, Whittaker retained his middleweight belt despite surviving two devastating knockdowns in the championship rounds — a thunderous left hook in round five nearly finished him before he survived and fought back to win by split decision. Round three alone is widely regarded as a candidate for round of the year.

Key moments

• Romero missed weight, making the bout a non-title fight officially — though Whittaker retained the belt as champion.
• Whittaker was knocked down in round three and again in round five by Romero's extraordinary power.
• He survived both knockdowns and recovered to take the split decision, showing championship heart.
• Round three — featuring multiple downs and big shots from both men — was widely nominated round of the year.

Whittaker claimed the interim UFC middleweight title with a five-round unanimous decision over the powerfully dangerous Yoel Romero, neutralising Romero's grappling with strong takedown defence and wearing him down with body work and combinations across the championship rounds.

Key moments

• The fight was elevated to the main event after Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko was cancelled.
• Romero battered Whittaker's left leg with low kicks in the early rounds.
• Whittaker landed a stunning blow that dropped Romero in round three, shifting momentum.
• Strong takedown defence forced Romero to brawl on the feet, where Whittaker held the edge.

Whittaker produced a shocking upset, becoming the first fighter to stop Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza since 2008. A massive right hand dropped Souza early in round two, followed by head kicks and a hook that sent him to the canvas before short elbows forced the stoppage. Whittaker earned his third Performance of the Night bonus.

Key moments

• First fighter to finish Souza since 2008 — a major upset.
• A big right hand dropped Souza early in round two.
• Follow-up head kicks and a left hook sent Souza back to the canvas.
• Third Performance of the Night bonus for Whittaker.

The hometown hero produced a rapid statement finish in Melbourne, dropping Brunson with a counter left hook before a partially blocked high kick stunned him again and a swarming follow-up punches forced the first-round stoppage. The fight earned Fight of the Night honours.

Key moments

• Main event in Melbourne — Whittaker headlining in Australia for the first time.
• A counter left hook took Brunson's legs before the finishing sequence.
• A head kick stunned Brunson a second time, with follow-up punches completing the stoppage.
• Fight of the Night bonus.

A gritty back-and-forth fight that Whittaker won despite suffering leg damage from Natal's kicks — he landed sharp combinations and a head kick knockdown to put an exclamation mark on the third round and take a unanimous decision in Las Vegas.

Key moments

• Natal targeted Whittaker's lead leg consistently throughout the fight.
• Whittaker complained of a potentially broken hand between rounds yet stayed effective.
• A head kick knockdown late in round three sealed the unanimous decision.
• Fifth consecutive win, his fourth at middleweight after starting his UFC career at welterweight.

Whittaker beat a flashy, dangerous Hall before the huge Melbourne crowd at Etihad Stadium, winning a wild kickboxing match with speed, well-timed forward pressure and grappling exchanges that broke in his favour. He edged the card 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.

Key moments

• Hall stepped up on short notice, replacing the injured Michael Bisping.
• A wild kickboxing exchange throughout — both men landed hard.
• Whittaker's takedown-defence advantage in two grappling exchanges swung the scoring.
• Low kicks and explosive forward blitzes proved decisive in the scoring.

Whittaker needed only 44 seconds to finish Brad Tavares in Adelaide, landing a short left hook that put Tavares down, then following to the mat with accurate punches to earn a KO stoppage and his first Performance of the Night bonus.

Key moments

• The fight was over in 44 seconds — one of the quickest finishes of Whittaker's UFC career.
• A short left hook dropped Tavares for the first time in the exchange.
• Tavares rose but was dropped a second time by another left hook before the finish.
• First Performance of the Night bonus for Whittaker.

A wild two-round fight in Sydney that Whittaker controlled with sharp technical kickboxing, dropping Hester in round one and finishing him with a knee in the clinch in round two. The win earned Fight of the Night honours.

Key moments

• Both men landed significant shots in a scrappy first round.
• Whittaker dropped Hester with a counter strike and controlled top position to end round one.
• After a failed Hester takedown in round two, Whittaker pushed him into the cage and finished with a knee.
• Fight of the Night bonus in Sydney.

A competitive welterweight bout in Auckland that Whittaker won on the cards after both men had their moments — Whittaker rocked Rhodes late in round one, survived a round-two takedown and secured his own takedown in the final minute of the fight to tip the unanimous decision in his favour.

Key moments

• Rhodes landed his right hand twice in the early going but was rocked by Whittaker late in round one.
• Rhodes got a takedown in round two but Whittaker worked back to his feet quickly.
• A late takedown in round three cemented the verdict on all three cards.
• Third UFC appearance, still competing at welterweight before the move to middleweight.

Thompson's karate-based movement and range control gave Whittaker no clean entry throughout the opening round, with Wonderboy bloodying his nose and finishing the fight at 3:43 when a big right hand dropped Whittaker and a follow-up flurry brought the stoppage.

Key moments

• Thompson came in with a 20-0 kickboxing record and was a proven technical striker.
• Thompson's perimeter of axe kicks, hook kicks and straight punches controlled range throughout.
• A big right hand dropped Whittaker; the referee stopped the follow-up flurry.
• One of two losses that shaped Whittaker's decision to move to middleweight.

A razor-close welterweight bout in Indianapolis that Whittaker was competitive in throughout — he briefly dropped McGee with a stiff hook in round one — but McGee's relentless volume and forward pressure swung the third round and enough of the card to earn a split decision.

Key moments

• Whittaker briefly dropped McGee with a left hook in round one.
• McGee responded by mixing punches, knees and forward pressure across all three rounds.
• The split scores — 30-27, 27-30, 29-28 — reflected a genuinely close contest.
• Second UFC fight; Whittaker's record fell to 1-1 in the promotion.

In a battle of TUF winners, Whittaker shut down Smith's wrestling with strong takedown defence across a back-and-forth contest before landing the decisive stoppage in the opening seconds of round three with punches on the feet.

Key moments

• Matchup between two recent TUF winners — both Whittaker and Smith had won their respective seasons.
• Whittaker's takedown defence was a decisive factor across the fight.
• The third-round finish came quickly — 41 seconds in — from standing punches.
• Moved Whittaker to 2-0 in the UFC and set up his next step.

Whittaker won the TUF: The Smashes welterweight finale — and his UFC debut — with a unanimous decision over Scott in a competitive three-round fight. He controlled with head kicks, blitzing combinations and uppercuts, surviving a second-round trip that gave Scott brief ground control.

Key moments

• UFC debut and TUF: The Smashes welterweight finale.
• Whittaker became the first winner of TUF: The Smashes alongside lightweight winner Norman Parke.
• Head kicks and combination attacks were his primary scoring weapons.
• Scott's second-round trip gave him brief grappling success before Whittaker regained the feet.

Whittaker dropped a five-round unanimous decision to Juarez in a bout for the CFC Welterweight Championship, suffering his second career loss. Juarez's output and forward pressure over the full 25 minutes proved enough to win all three cards.

Key moments

• A CFC Welterweight Championship fight, contested over five rounds.
• Second career loss for Whittaker, bringing his record to 9-2.
• Juarez's volume over a full 25-minute fight was the decisive factor.
• One of only two losses before Whittaker entered the UFC via TUF: The Smashes later that year.

Whittaker captured the Superfight Australia Welterweight Championship with a first-round TKO of Spooner in Perth, adding a regional title to his growing record ahead of his TUF: The Smashes selection later that year.

Key moments

• A title fight for the Superfight Australia Welterweight Championship.
• First-round finish at 4:01, consistent with his pattern of stoppages in this era.
• Added a regional belt to his credentials before the TUF: The Smashes opportunity.
• Part of an unbeaten run through the Australian regional circuit.

Whittaker returned to the Cage FC banner with a first-round TKO finish of Bone, bouncing back strongly after his loss to Hoon Kim in Macau two months earlier.

Key moments

• First fight back after his triangle-choke loss to Hoon Kim at Legend FC 6.
• First-round stoppage via punches at 3:15 — a confident bounce-back performance.
• Part of his unbeaten run through the Australian Cage FC promotion.

Whittaker's first career loss came in Macau against South Korean prospect Hoon Kim. He moved forward aggressively, took the back, and attempted an armbar, but ended up in a low position where Kim locked up a triangle choke for the tap. The submission was awarded Submission of the Night.

Key moments

• First career loss — Whittaker had been unbeaten through six fights before this.
• Fought in Macau at Legend FC, outside the Australian regional circuit for the first time.
• Attempted an armbar from a dominant position but was reversed and caught in a triangle.
• The submission was awarded Submission of the Night at the event.

Whittaker submitted Nelson with an armbar in the second round, continuing his undefeated run through the Australian Cage FC promotion and demonstrating the grappling side of his skill set.

Key moments

• Second-round armbar submission — showed versatility beyond his striking.
• Part of his unbeaten run through Cage FC, compiling a strong regional record.
• Continued his pattern of finishes; he had not yet gone to a decision at this stage.

Whittaker submitted Ben Alloway with a rear-naked choke in round one, adding another finish to his growing regional record. The fight is also notable because Alloway later became a TUF: The Smashes cast member alongside Whittaker.

Key moments

• Rear-naked choke at 4:07 of round one.
• Alloway later appeared alongside Whittaker as a cast member on TUF: The Smashes.
• Another first-round finish maintaining his 100% finishing rate at this stage of his career.

Whittaker added another first-round rear-naked choke to his record, stopping Thomson inside 2:21 to continue his unbeaten run through the Australian Cage FC regional circuit.

Key moments

• First-round rear-naked choke at 2:21 — a quick submission finish.
• Fourth consecutive fight in Cage FC, all ending inside the distance.
• Built toward the championship-level bouts coming in his regional career.

Whittaker needed just 32 seconds to submit Cobain with an armbar, the quickest finish of his early career and another statement win inside the Australian Cage FC promotion.

Key moments

• 32-second finish — the quickest win of his career at that point.
• First-round armbar showed sharp early grappling instincts.
• Part of a dominant string of stoppage wins through the Cage FC promotion.

Whittaker stopped Ariel with a punch in round one, recording his first knockout win and adding another finish to his unbeaten regional record inside the Australian Cage FC circuit.

Key moments

• First knockout win of his professional career.
• First-round stoppage via punch at 2:50.
• Showed the striking power that would later become his trademark in the UFC.

Whittaker submitted Walsh with a rear-naked choke in round two for his second professional win, his first fight with the Cage FC promotion that would become his primary regional home through 2011.

Key moments

• First Cage FC appearance — the promotion that would host most of his early career.
• Second-round rear-naked choke at 2:40.
• Moved to 2-0 as a professional with back-to-back finishes.

Whittaker made his professional MMA debut at age 21 at Xtreme Fighting Championships in Sydney, stopping fellow debutant Chris Tallowin by TKO in the first round and beginning a career that would eventually lead to the UFC middleweight title.

Key moments

• Professional MMA debut — both Whittaker and Tallowin were making their first pro appearance.
• First-round TKO via punches in Sydney, Australia.
• Signed with Xtreme FC in 2008; debuted the following March at age 21.