Australia’s Rob Wilkinson was an outsider as he entered the PFL tournament at the start of the year.
The Tasmanian fighter ended up walking away with the US$1 million dollar prize money as he earned a stoppage over Omari Akhmedov earlier Saturday (AEDT) in the tournament finale.
Wilkinson split his opponent open with a knee in the second round and the ringside doctor ended the contest between rounds.
Prior he was on the front foot, walking Akhmdov down with precise shots, and came close with a fight finishing jumping knee at the end of the first round.
It’s a big redemption for the 30-year-old whose career was on tenterhooks after going 0-2 in his two UFC appearances. He was released in 2018 and ultimately ended up back on the local scene struggling to find match-ups.
Wilkinson moves his record to 17-2.
#AndNOW 2022 PFL Light Heavyweight World Champion, ROBERT WILKINSON! ??
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MAIN CARD:
- Larissa Pacheco def. Kayla Harrison via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
- Brendan Loughnane def. Bubba Jenkins via 4th round TKO (2:38
- Ante Delija def. Matheus Scheffel via 1st round TKO (2:50)
- Aspen Ladd def. Julia Budd via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Olivier Aubin-Mercier def. Stevie Ray by 2nd round KO (4:40)
- Sadibou Sy def. Dilano Taylor via unanimous decision (49-46. 49-46, 49-46)
- Robert Wilkinson def. Omari Akhmedov via 2nd round TKO (5:00 – Dr. stoppage)
ESPN+ Card
- Sheymon Moraes def. Marlon Moraes via 3rd round TKO (0:58 – punches)
- Natan Schulte def. Jeremy Stephens via 2nd round submission (1:32 – arm triangle choke)
- Magomed Magomedkerimov def. Gleison Tibau by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Dakota Ditcheva def. Katherine Corogenes via 1st round KO (4:20)
- Biaggio Ali-Walsh def. Tom Graesser via 1st round KO (0:45)
