UFC Fight Night 101's Derek Brunson on loss to Robert Whittaker: 'It really sucks'

MELBOURNE, Australia – UFC middleweight Derek Brunson was ready to step into title contention with a win over Robert Whittaker.

Instead, he wound up getting stopped in the first round.

“It really sucks,” Brunson told MMAjunkie after his FS1-televised loss in the headliner of UFC Fight Night 101, which took place at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. “I put together a streak, and worked really hard. But I came out here and fought with no game plan, like a chump tonight. I’ll take it on the chin. I’m better than I showed.

“This sport is growing. It’s about patience, rather than getting caught up in five in a row, want a title shot, main event. The goal is to put on a great fight and be smart.”

Brunson (16-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC), No. 6 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA middleweight rankings, admitted he had a “stupid” plan in trying to chase down a flashy finish early in the fight. He added he wasn’t prepared for the possibility of going five rounds with Whittaker (17-4 MMA, 8-2 UFC) and was “trying to impress” UFC brass before he wound up caught by a left hand that set the end in motion.

“I knew what this was about, getting it done in style,” he said.

Brunson walked into the cage with a five-fight win streak and was considered a possible contender for the title. He had stopped his past four opponents by knockout and wanted to make Whittaker part of his highlight reel.

“I had him against the cage, and I felt him breathing really hard,” he said. “I could have really slowed him down and gotten the takedown. But I didn’t make smart decisions. Instead of going to my wrestling, which I knew I had the upper hand, I was more intent on trying to knock him out.”

Now, Brunson goes back to the drawing board. While the experience still stings, he said he’ll use it to come back a better fighter. He noted winning two rounds against current contender Yoel Romero, the catalyst for his five-fight streak before the Whittaker loss, and said when he rebounds, “the fans are definitely going to demand seeing that fight again.”

“I just wasn’t really smart tonight,” Brunson said. “But hat’s off to Whittaker. I’ll just take it on the chin.”

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 101, check out the UFC Events section of the site.