Opening up the regular season, Tasmania’s Rob Wilkinson Professional Fighters League debut went to plan as he stopped Brazilian Bruce Souto with strikes in the second round.
With bonus points awarded for stoppages in this league like promotion, the extra points will come in handy as Wilkinson looks to secure a play-off position.
Wilkinson dominated the first-round out-wrestling Souto where he was able to unload with short ground-and-pound.
It didn’t take long in the second round for Wilkinson to land a crisp uppercut that momentarily dropped Souto. Souto immediately looked for a takedown but was met with a pair of knees. Souto dropped and Wilkinson landed heavy ground-and-pound to force the referee stoppage.
The stoppage came officially at 0:46 of the second round.
“That’s something I have done since I started MMA. Ground-and-pound, takedown and ground-and-pound. I have been working heaps on my striking but always happy to take people down and punch them where they can’t punch me,” Wilkinson said in his post-fight speech.
Asked about earning 5 points for the stoppage, Wilkinson responded “I have 13 of my 14 wins are finished. The only one I couldn’t finish was in a ring and he kept wriggling under the ropes. Little bastard. This format suits me well. I don’t like going to the judges.”
The event took place at the Esports Stadium in Arlington, Texas and was broadcast live in Australia on Stan Sports.
Lightweight League:
- Clay Collard def. Jeremy Stephens via Decision (Unanimous)
- Raush Manfio def. Don Madge via TKO (Strikes), Rd 3, 2:42
- Olivier Aubin-Mercier def. Natan Schulte via Decision (Split)
- Alexander Martinez def. Stevie Ray via Decision (Unanimous)
Standings:
- Raus Manfio 1-0 – 4 points
- Alexander Martinez 1-0 – 3 points
- Olivier Aubin-Mercier 1-0 – 3 points
- Clay Collard 1-0 – 3 points
- Natan Schulte 0-1 – 0 points
- Stevie Ray 0-1 – 0 points
- Jeremy Stephens 0-1 – 0 points
- Don Madge 0-1 – 0 points
Light-heavyweight League:
- Antonio Carlos Jr. def. Delan Monte via Submission (D’arce Choke), Rd 1, 0:29
- Cory Hendricks def. Emiliano Sordi via TKO (Strikes), Rd 2, 2:13
- Marthin Hamlet def. Teodoras Aukstuolis via Decision (Unanimous)
- Omari Akhmedov def. Viktor Pesta via KO (Punch), Rd 1, 1:25
- Rob Wilkinson def. Bruce Souto via TKO (Strikes), Rd 2, 0:46
Standings:
- Antonio Carlos Jr. 1-0 – 6 points
- Omari Akhmedov 1-0 – 6 points
- Robert Wilkinson 1-0 – 5 points
- Cory Hendricks 1-0 – 5 points
- Marthin Hamlet 1-0 – 3 points
- Teodoras Aukstuolis 0-1 – 0 points
- Emiliano Sordi 0-1 – 0 points
- Bruce Souto 0-1 – 0 points
- Viktor Pesta 0-1 – 0 points
- Delan Monte 0-1 – 0 points
