South Auckland-born Robert Whittaker has created history by becoming the first Australasian fighter to win a UFC title with a unanimous decision win over Yoel Romero at UFC 213.
Whittaker edged his Cuban opponent by a solitary round in their interim middleweight title challenge, and will now square off with English middleweight champion Michael Bisping in an attempt to consolidate his championship.
"That was the most agonising 15-seconds waiting for an announcement I've ever had," he said moments after having the belt strapped around his waist.
"It was tooth and nail there, but it's unbelievable"
The victory continues a staggering rise through the division's ranks by the Auckland-born, Sydney-raised fighter, who proudly represents both his Maori heritage and his Australian roots each time he enters the Octagon - the evidence of which is inked across his shoulder and chest.
"I'm half-caste and I'm proud of that," he told Newshub in late 2016.
"I get a lot of stick from the Maori side or the Aussie side, trying to pick and debate over it - but why can't I have both?"
However it was a fight which commenced uncertainly for the 26-year-old, who was hindered early in the contest by a previously injured knee which prevented him from establish any sting on his jab, allowing Romero to implement his wrestling game in the opening stages.
Whittaker expertly utilised his elite takedown defense to limit its effect, but it was apparent his knee was restricting his movement.
"It sustained an injury early in the camp. I thought it'd be 100 per cent by now and the bastard kicked it and set it back weeks," Whittaker admitted post-fight.
But the muscle-bound 'Soldier of God', as he so often does, quickly tired as the fight entered its latter stages, while Whittaker began to find his rhythm and range as he tagged the Cuban consistently throughout rounds three and four as his opponent's output waned significantly.
Both fighters' corners reiterated the apparent as the contest entered its final round, that the winner of the fifth would take with him the belt.
As it eventuated, it was 'The Reaper' who clearly closed out the strongest, securing a takedown late in the round and landing some definitive elbows as the clock wound down to clinch the bout and all its spoils.
His imminent opponent, the notoriously brash Brit Michael Bisping, confronted Whittaker in the middle of the Octagon to firmly lay down the impending challenge in no uncertain terms.
"The fact that you're standing there with that f**cking belt on like you're a champion makes me sick. You should be ashemd of yourself," he shouted at a bemused Whittaker.
UFC boss Dana White was full of praise for his newly-crowned interim champion.
"It was a great fight," White said.
"I’ve been a Whittaker fan for a long time. How much this guy has improved in just a few years — he’s only 26-years-old — is phenomenal.
"First of all, his leg was shot — right in the first round. His corner did an amazing job of calming him down, walking him step by step through what he needed to do."
"And his takedown defence is ridiculous. It looked incredible against Jacare (Souza), it looked unbelievable against a guy like Yoel Romero tonight."
In the card's co-main event, Alistair Overeem edged Fabricio Werdum in a razor close split decision to complete their head-to-head trilogy with the decisive win.
While output for both heavyweights through the first round was low, it was Overeem who landed the most damaging blows before going on to secure the second round via a handful of telling combinations.
Decorated jiu-jitsu champion Werdum managed to drag the Dutchman to the mat in the final stanza where he dictated proceedings, but it all proved a step too late.
Former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis was another who was victorious on the night, looking much closer to his lethal former self with a clinical unanimous decision win over the rugged Jim Miller.
Newshub.
