There has been a common trend with UFC Fight Pass exclusive events. For the most part what they have lacked in fanfare and hype, they have made up for with excellent pacing and great fights. UFC Fight Night: Miocic vs Hunt was no exception.
The fights just kept on coming at a relentless pace, and despite the late night finish (especially for those watching in the UK) sitting through all 12 fights never felt like a chore. The Australian crowd were vocal, and they were treated to excitement and shocks along the way.
Those that made the most of their UFC Fight Pass subscriptions were big winners on the night, but there were plenty inside the cage too. As always here is our rundown of the 3 biggest winners and losers coming out of the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Saturday.
#3 Winner – Alex Chambers
For two rounds bulked up Australian atomweight Alex Chambers struggled to cope with the size, athleticism and constant pressure applied by Kailin Curran. Having lost in the opening round of The Ultimate Fighter 20, and her official UFC debut against Aisling Daly, it is possible that defeat in Adelaide could have signaled the end of her UFC career. It was a point that was not lost on Chambers, who showed the heart of a true champion in grabbing hold of an opportunity in the third round and refusing to let go of it. Chambers submitted Curran with less than two minutes of the fight remaining and earned a performance of the night bonus in the process.
#2 Winner – Sam Alvey
Were it not for a telling off from UFC brass over a sponsored chest, Alvey would probably be sat at the top of this list. It wasn’t just that he smashed Dan Kelly in 49 seconds to pick up the win, but the way he connected with the fans after it that turned him into one of the event’s highlights. When fighters are soon to be earning revenue from Reebok kit sales, seizing every last opportunity to build a fan base is more important than ever. Alvey did exactly that, charming fans everywhere with a fun, unique personality and infectious smile, that had me wanting to go and buy something with his name on it.
#1 Winner – Robert Whittaker
When Robert Whittaker made the move to middleweight for his last fight against Clint Hester, serious questions were asked of his abillity to compete at 185lbs. With a second crushing performance in the division, Whittaker has answered the majority of them already. He looked quick and powerful, taking just 44 seconds to put top 15 middleweight Brad Tavares away. It was the biggest of all the home nation wins on the card and deservedly earned him another $50k bonus. It was all the more impressive when you consider that this was only the second time Tavares had been stopped in 17 career outings.
Notable Mentions: There were too many to pick just one, but Ben Nguyen set the tone in his UFC debut, stopping Alptekin Ozkilic with just one second left in the first round, while James Vick submitted highly touted prospect Jake Matthews in the first round of the main card opener.
#3 Loser – Anthony Perosh
Perosh was overwhelmed by a wild performance from Sean O’Connell that saw the Australian stopped in less than a minute. Perosh seemingly had no defense against O’Connell’s winging punches and turned into a punching bag towards the fight’s end. The 42-year-old has now lost three of his last five and did so in a manner that suggested there wasn’t much left in the tank.
#2 Loser – Kailin Curran
Curran became the first strawweight fighter to lose two fights in the UFC. What was most worrying is how winnable the fight seemed. Clearly ahead going into the third round, Curran only had to avoid being finished to pick up her first UFC win. Instead it was Alex Chambers’ opportunistic determination that shone through, forcing Curran to tap with less than two minutes left in the fight. The Hawaiian remains a work in progress with a definite upside, but she will not be afforded unlimited opportunities in the UFC if she continues to lose fights from such winnable positions.
#1 Loser – Mark Hunt
For nearly five long rounds Australian warrior Mark Hunt was beaten up by Stipe Miocic. Hunt was put on his back often, and hit with 361 strikes throughout a one sided contest. Hunt had rarely been taken down in previous UFC appearances, and could land no more than 46 strikes himself. When the end eventually came in the fifth it was merciful. It marked the end of Mark Hunt as a top five commodity in the heavyweight division. Under normal circumstances, at 41-years-old, that would not come as a surprise. Yet Hunt’s UFC career has told such an unlikely story that we did not see this coming either, at least not in such a painful, uncomfortably lopsided way.
Notable mention: Alptekin Ozkilic, whose days as a touted 125lb prospect may be over following his defeat to Ben Nguyen. Ozkilic looked far too hittable throughout, eventually stopped with just one second left in the first round. It was Ozkilic’s third defeat in a row.
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