The loss for Diamond continued a tough opening for Israel Adesanya’s team, with New Zealand featherweight Shane Young left convulsing momentarily after being submitted just 59 seconds into his fight with Brazilian Gabriel Miranda.

One of six fighters on the card from Adesanya’s City Kickboxing crew, Young was beaten in less than a minute by Miranda who suggested afterwards “the featherweight division now has a big problem”

The loss, the fourth straight for Young, finished a tough couple of days for the Kiwi, who was forced to give up 30 per cent of his purse after weighing in heavy and was then finished via a neck crank so tight he appeared to briefly convulse while out.

The fighter thankfully recovered quickly however and appeared OK as he walked from the Octagon.

The win continued a fast-paced opening for Adesanya’s team, with fellow CKB fighter Kevin Jousset opening the night by winning his UFC debut in style – submitting Irish welterweight Kiefer Crosbie via rear naked choke with 11 remaining in the opening round.

“We have four more boys to go, and I believe we can go six in a row,” he said, before then calling out another rising Irish star, Ian Machado Garry.

Unfortunately, that run was over in the next bout.

So quick were the opening two fights finished, Bruce Buffer announced to fans that there would be a break of 20 minutes before the third fight of the night, between CKB product Blood Diamond and Charlie Radtke gets underway.

STRICKLAND’S BIG BOILOVER PROMISE

Sean Strickland has promised to auction off the UFC middleweight title if he upsets Israel Adesanya at UFC 293, an effort the challenger says will require “sacrificing some brain cells and giving a bit to the Gods”.

Despite being a $6 underdog with some bookmakers, Strickland is promising to go to war – and likely wrestle – when he challenges Adesanya at a sold out Qudos Bank Arena this afternoon.

In his final interview of the week with Fox Sports Australia, the polarising striker also took one more dig at Adesanya, claiming even UFC executives consider the New Zealand superstar “an a…hole”.

While Adesanya is effectively the hometown fighter today, there is no doubting Strickland has won over Aussie fight fans with his self-deprecating humour and everyman attitude.

The challenger even suggested, should he cause one of the greatest boilovers in UFC history, he will then auction off the belt — whose value sits anywhere between $50,000 and $300K — because he would be better served with the money than “piece of metal”.

But as for a price?

“I’m not saying that,” he laughed. “We’ll see what comes in.”

So as for how he goes as gets said strap against one of the greatest fighters on the planet?

“This has to be a war,” Strickland continued of his path to victory. “I have to give a bit to the Gods, sacrifice some brain cells … it has to be the fight of my life.”

He also suggested, again, that Adesanya was struggling to win over the Australian crowd at this week’s events because “he’s just a guy with a lot of money who is trying to be a superstar”.

“People like me because I’m authentic, I represent them,” he said. “Watching me is like watching your buddy fight.

“But Izzy, even people inside (the UFC) think he’s an a..hole.

“I’ve been broke a lot of my life.

“Same with a lot of MMA fighters, we tend not to come from money.

“It’s like, this is my one f…ing option, fighting.

“And that keeps you grounded.

“But Izzy comes from a wealthy family. His parents are well off.

“I remember sleeping in gyms.

“I remember being 21 years old, riding a bike to the gym thinking ‘man, you’re 21 and still don’t own a f…ing car – you’re a loser’.

“So I remember what it’s like to be poor. To struggle.

“And I don’t think Izzy has ever had to deal with that in his life.”