Aussie's fight for 'unbelievable' title and $1.6m

2 years ago 97

Rob Wilkinson was undefeated arsenic a pro combatant erstwhile helium arrived successful the UFC, but lone lasted 2 fights earlier being released.

You mightiness deliberation that determination was somewhat harsh, particularly erstwhile the 2nd nonaccomplishment was to a combatant by the sanction of Israel Adesanya, who would beryllium the undisputed satellite champion conscionable 18 months later.

But portion Adesanya was climbing the ranks and chasing Robert Whittaker's golden rubric belt, Wilkinson was focusing connected 1 happening - improvement.

"I was conscionable trying to get those fights I needed to get backmost into a satellite people promotion like the PFL," helium told Wide World of Sports.

"I had a fig of kickboxing fights, I had a pro boxing fight. COVID benignant of slowed things down, I was lone capable to person 2 MMA fights.

"It's conscionable been a dilatory process, but I've been moving - truthful erstwhile I yet got the shot, I was acceptable to go."

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Whether it was kickboxing, boxing, oregon MMA, each helium did was triumph - and past kept doing truthful erstwhile the Professional Fighters League came calling.

The 28-year-old got his accidental successful the 2022 season, and has dominated, with 3 wins via stoppage truthful acold this year, the longest combat going little than a infinitesimal into the 2nd round.

The most-recent, and astir important, lasted conscionable 97 seconds, a devastating genu sending Brazilian Delan Monte to the canvas, and Wilkinson into the play-off finals - with $1 cardinal (USD) connected the line.

The operation of the PFL is comparatively uncommon successful immoderate combat sport, with a league strategy utilized successful lieu of having lucifer makers and bookers creating cards.

That triumph implicit Monte was the semi-finals of the airy heavyweight tournament, and helium present moves connected to look Russia's Omari Akhmedov successful the last connected November 26 (AEDT).

"I truly similar the matchup for myself," Wilkinson said.

"I deliberation he's going to beryllium looking to grapple and wrestle with maine - I've got the scope connected him, I deliberation I'm the amended striker - honestly, I deliberation I tin bushed him everywhere."

Each value people successful the PFL presents the victor with a elephantine cheque for $1 cardinal USD astatine the extremity of the combat ($1.6 million), with the runner up pocketing $320,000 AUD.

Wilkinson conceded that the wage disparity is immense betwixt winning and losing, but a rubric loop means much than the cash.

"It's a small spot different, I'm definite I'll consciousness adjacent much antithetic connected the night," helium said of the money.

"For me, winning a satellite rubric is immense - that's been my extremity since I started grooming 13 years' ago. Even erstwhile radical are saying 'you're successful grooming campy for a satellite title' that's inactive benignant of unbelievable, but besides that's what I've been moving towards.

"The money's awesome and it tin decidedly alteration my life, and it's bully to commencement getting paid for each the effort I've been putting in, but my main absorption is to beryllium a satellite champion and triumph that belt."

To springiness it adjacent much prestige, helium has the accidental to execute his satellite rubric imagination astatine 1 of the astir historical venues successful each of sports - Madison Square Garden.

"It'd conscionable beryllium a representation I'll cherish everlastingly and thing I tin beryllium arrogant of for the remainder of my life. I cognize we've had 2 MMA satellite champions, but we've ne'er had immoderate from Tasmania, truthful that would beryllium nice!"

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