Derek Brunson was so close, yet so far away.
The 32-year-old headed into UFC Fight Night 101’s main event against Robert Whittaker riding a five-fight win streak with four first-round stoppages, and was clearly knocking on the door for a title shot.
In a cruel twist of fate, however, it was Brunson who was TKO’d in the first round by a resilient Whittaker.
Brunson, who made his professional MMA debut in 2010, attacked ‘The Reaper’ from the opening bell and looked to add another first-round stoppage to his resume. Unfortunately, though, Whittaker maintained his composure and eventually caught him with several hard counters, prompting referee Herb Dean to end the fight at the four-minute mark.