Tasmania’s Rob Wilkinson has continued his fine form in the Professional Fighters League, advancing to the light-heavyweight play-offs final with another stoppage victory.
Wilkinson was the number one seed after the regular season and took on the number 4 seed in Delon Monte from Brazil.
The bout took place out of the Hulu Theater at the Madison Square Garden arena in New York earlier today and was broadcast live in Australia via Stan Sport.
With both Wilkinson and Monte in the cage, the bout was substantially delayed as officials waited for a doctor to be available cageside.
Once the bout did get underway nearly 10 minutes later, the two waisted no time exchanging leather. Monte was the more aggressive of the two as Wilkinson countered with knees from the clinch. Wilkinson bit down on his mouthpiece and fired back with punches and this time connected with a flush knee up the middle that sent Monte crashing to the canvas.
The referee immediately halted the contest, only 1:37 into the fight.
“Feels pretty good. It’s a crazy experience. I have been riding in my journal every day for the past almost years that I would become world champion in 2022 and I just need to win one more that and that would have come true,” Wilkinson said in his post-fight speech.
It’s a fifth straight victory for Wilkinson who moves his record to 16-2 while Monte drops to 9-3.
Wilkinson will face Omari Akhmedov in the final who progressed with a unanimous decision against team-mate Josh Silveira.
