UFC 213 saw a new No. 1 contender rise to the top in the middleweight division as Robert Whittaker claimed the interim belt with a unanimous-decision win over Yoel Romero in the surprise main event from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday.
MMAjunkie tweeted out the judges' scorecards:
MMAjunkie#UFC213 results: @robwhittakermma def. Yoel Romero via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47) https://t.co/sCg089Y3Zw https://t.co/zPXJedn67e
The first round served as a preview for why this was a tantalizing matchup. Both fighters attacked in bursts, with Whittaker landing quick combinations with his hands. Romero attacked with vicious kicks to the legs and body, connecting on a front kick to Whittaker's left knee that appeared to have an impact on his movement.