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SPORTS Monday 11 February 2019

Whittaker pulls out with injury, Adesanya wins at UFC 234

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) heard saying to Adesanya:
— Robert Whittaker provid- "I pass the baton onto you."
ed most of the early drama "I'm very happy, guys.
at UFC 234 in Australia and Thank you God, for giv-
Israel Adesanya quite a lot ing me one more chance
at the end. to come here and do my
About eight hours before best. I love my job," Silva
their scheduled fight, Aus- said at ringside during the
tralia's UFC middleweight presentations.
champion Whittaker with- The Nigerian-born Ad-
drew from his champion- esanya, 29, is considered
ship defense against Kelvin one of the UFC's most high-
Gastelum because of a se- profile title contenders ,
rious abdominal injury and with a spectacular fighting
subsequent emergency style that reminds many of
surgery due to a perforated the 43-year-old Silva in his
hernia. prime.
That moved up the highly Also elevated on the card
anticipated No. 1 contend- was the lightweight bout
er match between rising between American Lando
New Zealand star Adesay- Vannata and Brazilian Mar-
na and Brazilian veteran cos Mariano, which Vanna-
Anderson Silva (34-9) to the ta won by submission near
main event on the sold-out the end of the first round. Nigeria's Israel Adesanya, right, and Brazil's Anderson Silva fight during their middleweight bout at
Rod Laver Arena card. Vannata improved to 10- the UFC 234 event in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2019.
In an evenly matched fight 3, two by no contest, while Associated Press
over the first two rounds, Mariano fell to 6-5.
Adesayna landed the first UFC president Dana White Press. said the winners of the Whit- esanya-Silva fights would
blow — an outside kick to said the 28-year-old New "Then about 10 o'clock we taker-Gastelum and Ad- meet later this year.q
Silva's leg — then followed Zealand-born Whittaker, got a call from (Whittaker's
it up with a kick to his oppo- who has a record of 20-4, wife) Sofia saying he's got
nent's right thigh, but Silva became ill Saturday night some bad stomach cramps
fought back with two shots and complained of pain and he's in quite a lot of
to Adesayna's chin. Despite in his abdomen before be- pain and can't sleep ... it
the late flurry, Adesayna ing diagnosed at a hospital got to the stage at about
appeared to have margin- with a hernia. White said three in the morning where
ally taken the first round. Whittaker could have died he was taken to hospital."
Silva appeared to have if he went into the ring with Gastelum tweeted with
won the second round, such an injury. "much sorrow" that the fight
and chants for the Brazil- In a later statement, UFC was off.
ian went up in the crowd said Whittaker had under- "I wish @robwhittakermma
to start the third and final gone emergency surgery a speedy recovery champ!
round. But Adesayna, now due to a "severe abdomi- Get well soon!"
16-0, dominated the third nal injury." Whittaker's man- Tickets for the 15,000-seat
for a unanimous decision, ager Titus Day said Whittak- arena sold out in eight min-
29-28, 30-27, 30-27 as per er first reported some issues utes. UFC has offered full
the judges' cards. around 6 p.m. on Saturday. refunds due to the cancel-
"This is like, for a kid, if I "Rob said he was a bit lation of the main bout.
played basketball against bloated and a little bit It marks the second time
Michael Jordan... this is it for tired which is not uncom- Whittaker has been forced
me," Adesanya said. "An- mon when you are going to withdraw from a sched-
derson, thank you. You've through the process they uled title fight in Australia.
been doing this for a long are going through, reload- Injuries kept him from fight-
time my friend, I appreci- ing and putting some food ing Luke Rockhold at UFC
ate you." back in your body," Day 221 in Perth last year.
After the fight, Silva was told Australian Associated Earlier this week, White had