Whittaker wins at UFC 197 despite broken hand

Aussie fighter Robert Whittaker has scored a unanimous decision victory over Rafael Natal at UFC 197, his fifth-straight win.

Whittaker knocked Natal down in the first round with a flurry of punches before delivering a brutal head kick in the dying stages of round three.

Both men traded punishing blows for three full rounds, but it was Whittaker (16-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC) who landed the more significant shots when it mattered most, dropping Natal (21-7-1 MMA, 9-5-1 UFC) en route to a unanimous decision victory by scores of 29-28, 30-27, and 30-27.

"I was looking for the finish the whole time, but he is a very tough guy," Whittaker said. "I think he knew I wasn't going to let him take me down, so he had to stand with me."

"I broke my hand early. My leg is a bit sore, too. I should've checked some of those kicks, but I got the win so it's all good. The plan is to continue going up the ranks. Myself and my coaching staff don't see a ceiling. I am just going to continue getting better."

The main card at UFC 197 kicked off with an almighty bang, with Pantera Rodriguez scoring a walk-off knockout victory over Andre Fili.

Rodriguez stunned his opponent with a brutal roundhouse kick to the head early in their bout in Las Vegas.

Fili was out as he hit the ground, with the referee calling it off before Rodriguez even had a chance to follow up.

Gobsmacked commentators called it "one of the most spectacular knockouts in UFC history".