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Horror day for Aussies in Mark Hunt's final UFC fight night

Australia’s Tai Tuivasa’s unbeaten MMA record has been shattered in a second-round stoppage loss to former world champion Junior Dos Santos in their UFC clash in Adelaide.

Tuivasa, who was 10-0, did well in the final stage of the first round, but was knocked down by a right hand in the second.

Dos Santos then pounded the Australian with a number of blows before the referee intervened to stop the contest.

In the co-main event Australia’s Tyson Pedro suffered a third-round stoppage loss to Brazil’s former light heavyweight world champion Mauricio Rua.

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Mark Hunt had a sad end to his time in the UFC. Pic: Getty
Mark Hunt had a sad end to his time in the UFC. Pic: Getty

Heavyweight Hunt loses last UFC fight

Celebrated MMA heavyweight fighter Mark Hunt has suffered a unanimous points loss to American Justin Wills in Adelaide in the final fight of his UFC contract.

Ranked 10th, five places above Willis, Hunt was unable to land any of his famed fight-changing punches against an opponent who stayed out of range and picked off the 44-year-old veteran with a snappy right jab.

Hunt took some kicks to the leg and his footwork looked slow on Sunday as all three judges scored 29-28 to the American.

“My apologies about the performance,” said Hunt, the New Zealand-born, Sydney-based Super Samoan, who walked to the octagon following a haka.

Two Australian UFC debutants had mixed results at the event.

Victorian light heavyweight Jim Crute scored a submission win over Scotland’s Paul Craig with nine seconds of the three-round bout left, and NSW featherweight Suman Mokhtarian suffered a first-round TKO loss to a fellow debutant, American-based Nigerian Sodiq Yusuff.

Welterweight Jake Matthews’ three-fight winning streak at welterweight level came to an end in the third round against American Rocco Martin.

Brisbane-based American Ben Nguyen dropped a points decision to Brazilian Wilson Reis, who’s rated two places higher at No.8.