Middleweight prospect Israel Adesanya opened up the UFC 230 pay-per-view main card against heavy-handed veteran contender Derek Brunson, looking to keep his unbeaten record intact and notch a huge win against a top-ten opponent. He certainly lived up to the hype with a first-round TKO of Brunson, as “The Last Stylebender” stuffed all eight of Brunson’s takedowns and then hurt him with a series of strikes in the final minute of the round, putting his foe down multiple times before Herb Dean intervened.
Brunson immediately shot for a takedown and into a body lock position. Adessanya defended it against the cage and stifled Brunson’s clinch striking. Brunson then lost the position for grabbing the shorts, which led to Adesanya flipping him off. After a jab landed for Adesanya, he stuffed another takedown and then a third single-leg attempt. Brunson swarmed with the left hand but again failed on a takedown and was just thrown aside. An Adesanya head kick brushed the shoulder of Brunson, who later changed levels on Israel and fended off another takedown.
The last unsuccessful shot proved costly, as Adesanya just wrecked Brunson with a counter knee had Derek badly hurt. Adesanya calmly picked Brunson apart and knocked him down at least three times, and a left hand proved to be the final knockdown the fight, as Herb Dean waived it off.
Official result: Israel Adesanya def. Derek Brunson by TKO (punches) at 4:51 of round 1