Aussie’s wild Thai KO sparks UFC buzz; Volk’s path to rematch revealed — The Takedown

Lachlan Stitt was holidaying in Thailand a few weeks back when he found a fight, iced a Yank, won a belt, and then, to take it home, got asked for 20,000 Baht.

“Or roughly $800,” he grins.

Which, undoubtedly, would’ve made for a unique addition to this young Australian’s rapidly growing collection.

Understanding that in Stitt, you have a rising Sydney welterweight who already owns a State kickboxing title, national MMA title, Oceania medal, even the nickname ‘Deadshot’ so accurate are those hands which now have finished eleven of 12 opponents.

Since turning professional last year too, this 23-year-old electrician -- and training partner for another qualified sparkie you likely know, Robert Whittaker -- has also finished both opponents in leading MMA promotion Eternal, with a PB time of just 26 seconds.

But the story which has really captured the attention of UFC types?

That’s the belt worth 20,000 Baht.

The result of a fight only three weeks back, when Stitt, holidaying with a mate in Thailand – and only days out from inking new chest and leg tattoos – decided on some training at famed gym, Tiger Muay Thai.

The first step in a week that would not only see him, unwittingly, take a Muay Thai fight, or finish his American rival with a crazy elbow, then vicious left hook, but eventually win that belt which, he was told, would cost him several hundred to keep.

“Which is when I asked if they were f…ing kidding,” Stitt recalled this week with a laugh.

“I remember saying to one guy ‘I’ve just won this belt by knockout. Now I have to pay for it?’ And he just looks at me and says ‘yes … but I’ll give you special price’.”

Which apparently was 800 bucks.

“So I just grabbed photos with the belt instead,” Stitt grins.

Wonderfully, got video of the win too.

The highlight of which, a vicious spinning elbow, has already caught the eye of UFC executives.

But to really understand the beauty of said knockout, and why Eternal are now pushing to get the young striker on their upcoming March 18 card, you have to hear the madness behind it.

A yarn that starts with the Stitt, while training at Tiger Muay Thai, being asked if he also wanted a fight?

“So I said ‘Ok, let’s give it a go’,” he recalled. “But I told them only kickboxing, and three rounds.

“And the guy organising says ‘yes, yes’ … so that was it’.”

Only it wasn’t.

“On fight day I’ve rocked up to the stadium, walked upstairs and the promoter points at me saying ‘come here’,” Stitt continued.

“So OK, I go over as he’s then calling out another guy, we stand next to each other, and he says ‘yep, you fight’.

“That was it.

“No discussions, no weigh-in ... I had no idea even how many fights the other guy even had.”

Better was to come too when Stitt entered the ring to find his rival, an American, performing a traditional Muay Thai pre-fight ritual.

“So we weren’t kickboxing,” he cackles.

No, instead the Aussie was fighting for a Muay Thai title.

Over five rounds.

Yet still, Stitt wasn’t without confidence thanks, in part, to the way his hands had been wrapped only minutes earlier.

“When your hands are wrapped in Australia, there’s no strapping tape past the knuckle,” the fighter explained.

“But over there, they put together what I’d describe as a brick of strapping tape, then sit it over your knuckle and bind it into your wraps, too.

“It’s like having knuckle dusters on.

“Even when I put a glove over the top, they were so old and worn I could feel the brick of strapping tape coming through.

“So I knew if I used my hands I should be able to finish him.”

With that elbow you see in the video dropping the American before, eventually, and clearly gone, he rises, gets told to go again by the referee – and is finished with a left hook.

All of which, combined, took 40 seconds.

But as for getting to keep his belt?

“Sounds ridiculous but apparently the stadium only has one,” Stitt grins. “So it always stays there.”

Apart from training at XXX Fight Academy, Stitt also travels regularly to the sprawling western Sydney complex owned by Whittaker Australia’s first UFC champion.

“And initially sparring Rob, I was hesitant,” he concedes. “Thinking ‘s… this is Rob Whittaker’.

“But after a while you learn to throw that all out the window and turn it on.

“Because Rob, he wants you to turn it.

“And I think his team asks me back for that reason.”

Stitt also labelled Whittaker the perfect role model both inside and out of the cage and plans, eventually, to make his own move into the UFC welterweight division like Whittaker did as a young CityRail electrician, way back in 2013.

“But I’m in no rush,” he stresses.

“Get three, maybe four fights with Eternal this year, get some finishes against good opponents and make sure when I do get to that (UFC) level, I’m ready.

“Because if you arrive and aren’t ready to go top 10, what’s the point?

“You need to arrive ready to steamroll people.”

Tuivasa reveals plans, takes aim at rival

Aussie heavyweight star Tai Tuivasa has revealed he is open to fighting hyped British talent Tom Aspinall in August – while also branding Curtis Blaydes a “boring c***” and Sergei Pavlovich the man most likely to round out 2023 as heavyweight king.

Among of the most recognised faces anywhere in the UFC, Tuivasa is currently on a self-imposed ‘Octagon break’ and has told Fox Sports Australia he won’t be re-entering the cage until August, or even September this year.

While the Mt Druitt slugger has been contacted several times by UFC executives with fight offers, he is standing firm on his desire to rest up, spend time with family and attend to his extensive business interests, which includes a new Drink West brewery in Penrith.

Despite closing out last year with consecutive losses against Ciryl Gane and Pavlovich – both of which came within the space of 12 weeks – the No.5 ranked heavyweight knows his next fight will be against another big name, with Aspinall among possible contenders.

Currently, the Englishman sits one spot below Tuivasa, while Blaydes occupies the spot above.

Arriving to the UFC in 2020, Aspinall was on a strong tear until coming up against Blaydes last July -- when a serious knee injury suffered just 15 seconds into the first round rendered him unable to continue.

So what chance of an Ashes style showdown once the Englishman is fully recovered?

“That would be a great fight,” Tuivasa agreed.

“Great fight.

“He’s a really good fighter, Tom Aspinall. A guy I watch too.

“But he’s also a guy who I think is going to be around for a little bit.

“A lot of fighters will tell you they are going to be around a long time, and then they’re gone. But he will be around.

“So that fight, I think (the UFC) might hold off on it for a little bit longer, for the company’s sake.

“But we will see.

“My stocks always stay high and that would definitely be a fight that excites me.”

While Blaydes sits just one spot above Tuivasa, the former Sydney Roosters prop conceded the wrestling specialist would not be a good match up for his own striking style.

“He’s a boring c…, too,” laughed the man with arguably Australia’s heaviest hands.

“And nobody wants to watch paint dry.

“Right now in the heavyweight division, you’ve either got really exciting guys or boring c…s.

“So, no, he’s not the first guy I’d pick. But don’t get me wrong, I’d also get in there and try to punch f… out of him.”

While Jon Jones and Gane will fight for the vacated heavyweight title at UFC 285 this Sunday, Tuivasa offered another name when asked who will be reigning champ by the back end of the year.

“I think Sergey Pavlovich is on a roll and one to watch,” he said of his most recent opponent, who finished him via KO.

“He’s a big human.

“And definitely hits hard compared to the rest of the division.

“He’s a guy I would definitely love to fight again, too.

“Obviously I was a bit down (for their fight in December) but I got a hiding and that’s how this sport can play out.

“Sometimes you’re at the top of your game, sometimes you eat s….

“But I’ve always been that fighter who basically fights whoever, whenever.

“So this break is really good for me.”

'Weird position': Whittaker won't wait to fight

Robert Whittaker remains hopeful of a return to the Octagon as soon as May, but says it will unlikely be against Brazilian Paulo Costa who has “made a fool of himself with the company”.

While initially set to fight Costa for a title eliminator at UFC 284, Whittaker says the Brazilian has almost certainly lost that opportunity after withdrawing due to an ongoing contract dispute.

While Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira are also set to rematch for the middleweight strap at UFC 287 in April, Whittaker says he would rather fight than sit around waiting for the winner.

The 32-year-old also said talks of him potentially welcoming welterweight star Khamzat Chimaev to the division made little sense, stressing “my top priority is UFC gold”.

“I’m in a weird position right now,” Whittaker conceded.

“Just lurking around on the fringes of Pereira and Adesanya, (laughs) waiting for one of them to fall down the stairs.

“But I don’t want to wait until after that title fight to compete again.

“I don’t want to be inactive that long.

“Obviously a lot will depend on who I fight next – a lot of the names are locked up – but I think May would be a good month for me to go again.”

Asked about Costa, he continued: “I don’t think the UFC will give him that fight now.

“Because that opportunity, it benefits him.

“He beats me, he potentially gets a title shot because I’m the ultimate gate keeper.

“I think he’s made a bit of a fool of himself with the company at this point.”

On talks of Chimaev, he added: “People say that fight makes sense but it doesn’t because he’s not even a middleweight.

“Not in the middleweight rankings.

“So I dunno.

“Fighting a dude that isn’t even ranked, especially when my top priority is UFC gold … it’s a weird position I’m in.

“But what I do know is that the next time I step in the Octagon, it will be the best version of myself.

“And I believe that has been the steady trend thus far.

“With this fight being pushed back, I’ve really gone to great lengths to grow.”

'Makes sense': Volk's likely next move

Alexander Volkanovski looks set to defend his UFC featherweight belt next – and potentially during International Fight Week – before getting another shot at Islam Makhachev.

While Australia’s No.1 fighter has been demanding an immediate rematch with Makhachev after narrowly losing out to the lightweight king at UFC 284, Dana White appears to have other plans.

Speaking with US media this week, the UFC boss said he wants Volkanovski to first defend against Rodriguez, who himself won the interim featherweight title in Perth.

“To me, the fight that makes sense is Yair versus Vokanovski,” White said.

“Islam versus somebody whenever that happens, and then you do the rematch.”

White added however that he would be happy to eventually rematch the pair saying: “When you make a super fight, could you possibly have a better result than we did?

“The entire world is arguing on who won. That’s a superfight and it delivered.

“The only thing that could possibly be better than that is the guy who’s fighting for the interim title, comes out looking incredible, too.

“So now you have Yair versus Volkanovski. We’ll see what happens with Islam and who he ends up fighting next.

“(But) you have to do Yair. You have to do that fight.

“He came out looking like an absolute stud that night. And then you have the rematch after they both fight again.”