Just days after his 1st round TKO vs. Uriah Hall, Derek Brunson has been booked for a big middleweight showdown with Robert Whittaker.
It didn’t take Derek Brunson long to receive his next opponent.
Following his 4th consecutive 1st round finish, Brunson will face Robert Whittaker at UFC Fight Night 101 in Melbourne, Australia. UFC officials announced the matchup on Wednesday night.
Brunson (16-3) wrecked Uriah Hall with a left hook and recorded the 1st round TKO in last week’s UFC Hidalgo co-main event. The former Strikeforce fighter has won five straight, and none of his last four fights has lasted even 3 minutes. Other notable wins Brunson has recorded during his winning streak include Roan Carneiro, Sam Alvey, Ed Herman, and Lorenz Larkin.
Whittaker (16-4) has also won five in a row, including a perfect 4-0 record at 185 lbs. The 25-year-old also holds a win over Uriah Hall, albeit a unanimous decision. He also scored a decision victory against Rafael Natal at UFC 197. Whittaker’s two finishes at 185 were knockouts against Clint Hester and Brad Tavares.
Current UFC middleweight rankings have Whittaker at 7th, while Brunson’s win over Hall has him up to 8th.
UFC Fight Night 101 is headlined by a five-round middleweight clash between Luke Rockhold and Ronaldo Souza. The main card will air live on Fox Sports 1 from the Rod Laver Arena on Saturday, November 26th, although the time zone difference means the event is technically on Sunday, November 27th.
