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MELBOURNE, Australia – MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Saturday’s UFC 243 event, and you can join us for live play-by-play and official results beginning at 6:45 p.m. ET (3:45 p.m. PT).
The event takes place at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.
In the main event, middleweight champion Robert Whittaker (20-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC) takes on interim champ Israel Adesanya (17-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in a title unification fight. In the co-feature, Dan Hooker (18-8 MMA, 8-4 UFC) Al Iaquinta (14-5-1 MMA, 9-4 UFC) at lightweight.
Follow along with our round-by-round updates and official results beginning at approximately 6:45 p.m. ET for the UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+ prelims, 8 p.m. ET for the prelims on ESPN2, and 10 p.m. ET for the main card on pay-per-view.
To discuss the show, be sure to check out our UFC 243 discussion thread. You can also get behind-the-scenes coverage and other event notes from on-site reporters John Morgan (@MMAjunkieJohn) and Ken Hathaway (@kenshathaway) on Twitter.
Enjoy the fights, everyone.
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Current fight
Maki Pitolo vs. Callan Potter
Round 1 –
Result:
Recap:
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Records: Maki Pitolo (12-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC), Callan Potter (17-8 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Broadcast: ESPN2
Referee:
Judging:
Results
Bruno Silva vs. Khalid Taha
Round 1 – Silva switches stances early as they set up in the center. Taha kicks at the legs. Silva very mobile to start. They both fire off big shots, but a Taha left hand lands clean and sends Silva to the floor. He pops right back to the feet, and they work briefly in the clinch before moving back to the center. Silva’s right eye already showing the damage from Taha’s power. Kicks traded to the body. Punches traded, as well. Silva with a nice kick to the body. He lands an overhand right, as well. Taha misses on a kick, but he follows with a clean right hand that scores. Silva kicks to the body, but it lands to the cup, and we get a brief pause. Silva whiffs on a big kick on the restart. He misses on a takedown, as well. Still, Silva pushes forward and is able to wrap the body. Silva with a knee in the clinch, and it lands directly to the groin again. Taha grimaces and falls to the floor. Taha takes a moment, but we carry on. Taha runs out on the restart, but Silva slips away. Big punches traded. Silva wraps the body, and we finish in the clinch. MMA Junkie gives the first to Taha, 10-9.
Round 2 – Silva out quickly and looking to strike. Taha right sends the action to the canvas, and then he just misses what would have been an illegal kick to the head of a seated opponent. Silva pops back up, and he’s retreating as Taha looks to attack. Silva survives the storm, and he changes levels, working hard to bring the fight to the floor. Taha gets to guard. Silva postures and punches hard to the body. Taha just misses an upkick. A second does land. Taha trying to scramble, but Silva adjusts and stays on top. Half-guard for Taha. Silva wants to strike, but he’s focused on keeping his position, as well. Taha back to full guard. Short punches and elbows landing from the top. Silva postures again, but Taha answers with dangerous upkicks. Less than a minute, and Taha turns to his knees. Silva controls the head. Choke isn’t there, but he’s keeping the action on the canvas. Silva steps over the right leg and tries to slip to the back. Taha turns to defend, and the round ends there. MMA Junkie gives it to Silva, 10-9.
Round 3 – Silva misses a big spinning kick to open. Taha kicks to the leg, but Silva grabs it and instantly takes the fight to the floor. Taha knows he can’t stay there and alertly gets immediately back to his feet. Silva with the underhook on the left side and pressing the action to the cage. Silva working hard for the takedown. Taha counters by grabbing the neck and then snaps the action down to the canvas, but Silva works almost immediately back to his feet. He wants a takedown, but it’s not there. Silva slips away, but he looks exhausted. He shoots from range, but Taha sprawls well and starts punching the head. He slips around to the back and wants the choke. Not there, but he traps the arm and spins. Arm triangle is there. Taha slips off to the side and starts the squeeze. It’s there, and Silva has to tap.
Result: Khalid Taha def. Bruno Silva via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 3, 3:00
Photos: Khalid Taha vs. Bruno Silva photos
Records: Bruno Silva (11-4-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC), Khalid Taha (14-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC)
Division: Bantamweight
Broadcast: UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+
Referee: Greg Klenjans
Nadia Kassem vs. Ji Yeon Kim
Round 1 – Kassem rushes forward looking to strike, but she walks into a straight punch and hits the deck. She pops back up, but Kim fires more punches. Kassem in trouble early. She has to scamper away and reset. She moves back in to engage and gets to the clinch, where she’s able to toss the action to the canvas. Slick move there, and she takes top position and lans a few big pinches. Kim tries to control the wrists, and Kassem backs away. Kim scrambles up, as well, and we start trading on the feet. Kim the more accurate striker, and she’s landing clean. Kassem already looks a little tired halfway into the first. Still, she’s game to scrap. Kim controlling the center. She’s measured in her approach, and she’s accurate when she strike. Kassem moving well on the outside, but she’s struggling to really get a rhythm. She grabs a Thai clinch, but she can’t control the action there. Round ends on the feet, and MMA Junkie gives to Kim, 10-9.
Round 2 – Kassem kicks the leg, but Kim with a perfect counter over the top. Kim walking forward, and Kassem looking to retreat and counter. She lands a nice kick to the body, but Kim returns fire with rapid punches over the top. Kassem kicking to all levels, but Kim unaffected and continues to punch. She’s stalking from the center. Jab lands clean. Right hand scores. Kassem lands a kick to the body and takes. deep breath. She is findign success with the kicks, but the punches are a problem. Kim starts to flurry, and time is called during the middle to replace Kassem’s mouthpiece. Questionable decision there. On the restart, Kim begins again. Kassem trying to swing back, but she’s outgunned. Kassem slips away and tries to reset. She’s using the kicks to keep space, but Kim pushing through and looking to finish this fight. Punches continues to land clean. Big left scores. Kassem covering on the fence in the final minute. Kim looking to end it. Blood pouring from the nose. Body shot lands clean and drops Kassem just before the bell, and this fight is over just before the bell.
Result: Ji Yeon Kim def. Nadia Kassem via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:59
Photos: Ji Yeon Kim vs. Nadia Kassem photos
Records: Nadia Kassem (5-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC), Ji Yeon Kim (9-2-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC)
Division: Women’s flyweight
Broadcast: UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+
Referee: Jim Perdios
Megan Anderson vs. Zarah Fairn
Round 1 – Quick start for Fairn, as she rushes forward to strike. Anderson a bit overwhelmed to open but grabs the clinch to slow things down. She tries to slip around to the back. Fairn punches as she defends, but Anderson stays firm in the position and trips the action to the canvas. She’s not quite on the back, so she steps over with the left leg, and she’s now in mount. Anderson controlling the head with her left arm. Legs are grapevined. Short right hands for Anderson. She’s heavy on top. Fairn wraps the body, but Anderson postures once she lets go and delivers a few punches. Fairn turns briefly to her side, but Anderson presses her flat again. More punches and elbows land from the top. Anderson not doing a ton of damage, but she’s certainly in control. Fairn turns to escape. Anderson tries to take the back but winds up falling over. Still, she’s got the triangle in place. Nice transition. Patient work on the bottom, cinching it up and turning to the side. Squeeze is there, and Fairn has to tap.
Result: Megan Anderson def. Zarah Fairn via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 3:57
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Records: Megan Anderson (9-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC), Zarah Fairn (6-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Division: Women’s featherweight
Broadcast: ESPN2
Referee: Greg Klenjans
Jamie Mullarkey vs. Brad Riddell
Round 1 – Mullarkey with a quick jab and then a kick to the legs. Riddell circling his left hand. He just misses a big right hand over his opponent’s low kick. Mullarkey chops the leg again. Riddell rattles off a quick combination. He’s using his jab now, as well, and he kicks the leg, too. Riddell turning up the volume a bit. His hands are quick. Lead uppercut scores for Riddell. Mullarkey moving well, but he’s starting to take some damage. Mullarkey changes levels, but Riddell with the whizzer is able to stay upright. Mullarkey drives the action to the cage. Riddell defends well there and finally pulls away with a little more than a minute left. Riddell the one setting the pace late. He digs to the body. They trade punches to close. MMA Junkie leans toward Riddell, 10-9.
Round 2 – Riddell out quickly and looking to string punches together. Mullarkey slips under and drives the action to the floor. Mullarkey pops right back to the feet, but Mullarkey stays tight to the body and drags the action to the canvas. He tries to step over and control the legs, but Riddell is able to work back to his feet and slip away. Quickly, though, he throw a low kick, and Mullarkey grabs it and sweeps the other leg out, sending his opponent to the floor. Riddell again proves hard to control, and he sits up and powers over into a sweep. But Mullarkey is equally crafty and crawls up before turning to a single leg. Riddell battles it well, and they reset to the center. Riddell with a nice low kick on the restart. His left eye is busted up. Still, he’s throwing heavy shots. Mullarkey shoots from range. Riddell stuffs it. Reshot, and Riddell stuffs it again and actually pushes Mullarkey to his back. Mullarkey turns to his knees. Riddell on the back and wants the choke. He can’t quite get it under, and he slips off the side. Mullarkey finishes on top. Close round. MMA Junkie leans Mullarkey, 10-9.
Round 3 – Both men trade punches in the center to start.Spirited work. Mullarkey with a jab, then he changes levels. Not there. Riddell counters with his own takedown and gets the action to the canvas. He backs away, and Mullarkey quickly scrambles up. Big punches traded again, and Riddell lands a stiff right hand. Mullarkey tough as ails. Big punches landing. Mullarkey with a crisp left counter. Riddell to the floor. Mullarkey jumps on his back. He wants the choke, but Mullarkey keeps his chin tucked. Mullarkey very high on the back. He finally pops out, and referee Marc Goddard replaces Mullarkey’s mouthpiece, which had popped out earlier. Big shots on the restart. Absolute war. Mullarkey rocked. He crawls back to the feet. They tee off before Mullarkey shoots. Riddell sprawls well and turns Mullarkey to his back. Riddell on top and looking to punch. He backs away. Mullarkey is exhausted, but he stands. They tee off again. Mullarkey’s mouthpiece out again. He reaches down to pick it up. Riddell just as tired. Mullarkey shoots, but Riddell sprawls and starts punching again. All heart from Mullarkey. Riddell swarming, but Mullarkey is tough as nails. MMA Junkie gives the final round to Riddell, awarding him the fight 29-28.
Result: Brad Riddell def. Jamie Mullarkey via unanimous decision (29-27, 30-26, 30-26)
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Records: Jamie Mullarkey (12-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC), Brad Riddell (7-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Broadcast: ESPN2
Referee: Marc Goddard
Judging:
Rostem Akman vs. Jake Matthews
Round 1 –
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Records: Rostem Akman (6-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC), Jake Matthews (14-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Broadcast: ESPN2
Referee:
Judging:
Yorgan De Castro vs. Justin Tafa
Round 1 –
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Records: Yorgan De Castro (5-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), Justin Tafa (3-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Division: Heavyweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
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Judging:
Luke Jumeau vs. Dhiego Lima
Round 1 –
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Records: Luke Jumeau (13-4 MMA, 2-1 UFC), Dhiego Lima (14-7 MMA, 3-5 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
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Judging:
Sergey Spivak vs. Tai Tuivasa
Round 1 –
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Records: Sergey Spivak (9-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC), Tai Tuivasa (10-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC)
Division: Heavyweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
Referee:
Judging:
Dan Hooker vs. Al Iaquinta
Round 1 –
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Records: Dan Hooker (18-8 MMA, 8-4 UFC), Al Iaquinta (14-5-1 MMA, 9-4 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: Iaquinta No. 6, Hooker No. 14
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
Referee:
Judging:
Robert Whittaker vs. Israel Adesanya
Round 1 –
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Records: Robert Whittaker (20-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC), Israel Adesanya (17-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: Whittaker No. 1, No. 9 pound-for-pound; Adesanya No. 2, No. 11 pound-for-pound
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
Referee:
Judging:
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