MONDAY UPDATE:
Rob Whittaker said winning his middleweight bout on Saturday at Allphones Arena was another springboard for his career.
The professional competitor, who had a successful background in martial arts before turning his attention to UFC at 18, said he was happy with his victory over opponent Clint Hester.
He thanked his two coaches Henry Perez and Bernard Maglhaes for their support and guidance.
Whittaker grew up in the Sutherland Shire and went to Menai High School.
The 183-centimetre, 84-kilogram athlete said fighting in the higher middleweight division was a challenge, but one he conquered.
Whittaker said he previously fought in the welterweight division (77 kilograms).
‘‘It was my first middle-weight bout on Saturday,’’ he said.
Whittaker said the win would only boost his confidence.
‘‘You have to work your way up the ladder,’’ he said.
He said he would love a crack at a world title in the future.
‘‘It’s every fighter’s ambition to have a world title fight,’’ he said.
Whittaker, who gave up work as an electrician, said there is no thought of turning back.
‘‘Being an electrician is done and dusted,’’ he said.
Did you watch the bout?
SATURDAY:
About 10,000 people were expected to soak up the action, and gore, of the sixth Australian UFC Fight Night on the Luke Rockhold v Michael Bisping program on Saturday afternoon at Allphones Arena.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that millions of people were due to tune in globally to watch the fastest-growing sport in the world.
Menai former electrician Rob Whittaker, 23, didn't disappoint fans, winning his three, five-minute round middle-weight bout against Clint Hester.
Leader photographer Chris Lane was there to capture the bouts.
UFC involves two athletes competing in a cage, bare-chested and bare-footed, using any martial arts discipline from wrestling to kick-boxing. Not much is out of bounds, except for a list of 31 eye-watering fouls such as fish hooking, flesh pinching, hair pulling, head kicking and "small joint manipulation".
Minister for Sports and Police Stuart Ayres said this week that the bloody, bruising and bone-crunching sport of Ultimate Fighting Championship "may not be to everyone's taste" but he refused to back calls from his own police commissioner to ban the controversial form of mixed martial arts.
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