Sunday's UFC show in Melbourne looms as the biggest combat sports event yet for both Australia and New Zealand.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Marvel Stadium show should attract over 50,000 spectators and could eclipse the UFC world record attendance of 56,214 set at the same venue in 2015.
Three of the four participants in the two main fights have links to New Zealand .
Middleweight world champion Robert Whittaker, who was born in New Zealand but has lived most of his life in Australia, will defend his title against interim champion Israel Adesanya, who is based in Auckland, but born in Nigeria.
In the co-main event, New Zealander Dan Hooker fights American Al Iaquinta in a bout between two world ranked lightweights.
Hooker is the most established Kiwi in the UFC ranks with 12 fights for that organisation over the last five years.
Dan Hooker Photo: Photosport
He fought in both of the UFC Fight Night's in Auckland in 2014 and 2017, but New Zealand has yet to host one of that organisation's pay-for-view shows.
That could well change if Adesanya dethrones Whittaker on Sunday, with UFC boss Dana White already suggesting as much.
But for the time being Sunday's card will be the biggest UFC showcase yet for New Zealanders, four of who are scattered across the show.
"This is easily the biggest card, for New Zealand and for combat sports in New Zealand," Hooker said.
"Dana White has already said there is a possibility of pay-for-view coming should Israel win, and he can defend the belt in New Zealand.
"We [New Zealand] have achieved more than than I ever expected we possibly could.
"I never thought the mainstream would accept our sport because they were so reluctant at the start of it.
"It all wouldn't have been possible without Israel."
Kiwi UFC star Israel Adesanya. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Hooker said Adesanya has been looking incredible in the gym in the lead-up, following on from his last fight interim title-winning effort over Kelvin Gastelum in a five-round war back in April.
"Every fight he learns something and especially coming off that Gastelum fight he's'found a new level which he's capable of," Hooker said.
-AAP
