"Australia holds the record for the largest UFC event in history with almost 60,000 in attendance at Melbourne's Etihad Stadium in Holly Holm's surprise knock-out of super-star Ronda Rousey in 2015," Carr says.

Aside from being headlined by two females – unimaginable in boxing – that crowd trumped the Suncorp Stadium gate for the Horn versus Pacquiao fight. And Whittaker hopes to claim the undisputed middleweight crown in front of a bigger audience when he battles incumbent holder, Briton Michael Bisping.

"Whittaker has emerged as one of the UFC's brightest stars with his win last weekend," Carr says. "With his current trajectory and the UFC behind him, he's on-track to be a pay-per-view star in North America and other parts of the world." Since the first UFC event was held in Australia in 2010, the gross gate alone has exceeded $23 million.

AFR Weekend can reveal that the UFC, which has in recent years smashed boxing's pay-per-view numbers, has just renewed its television broadcast deals with Main Event and Fox Sports on a non-exclusive basis, allowing for further local distribution including possibly free-to-air rights. The UFC is also bolstering its live content on its own digital service, called UFC fight pass, which will add a 24/7 streaming channel.

"We are excited at the opportunity to expand our Aussie distribution network with plans in the works to reach more TV households," Carr says. "As traditional broadcast models are challenged through new technologies, we see an exceptional growth opportunity in the upgraded UFC Fight Pass offering."

Widely admired for his humility, Whittaker, who has two young children and refuses to trash-talk opponents, could become Australia's highest paid sporting star if his sponsor-friendly career keeps sky-rocketing. The UFC's lightweight champion, Conor McGregor, will this year become one of the best paid athletes on the planet.

Originally born in Auckland in 1990, Whittaker moved across the ditch at the age of 2 and is now an Australian citizen. An avid rugby league fan, he supports the Kangaroos in their contests with the Kiwis. "Pulling on that green and gold jersey is the ultimate accolade," he says.

Yet he's also proud of his mother's Maori heritage, with a sacred "Ta Moko" tattoo emblazoned on his left shoulder opposite the southern cross on his right.


Rival Bisping, who is normally unrelenting in his personal attacks, is surprisingly complementary. "Whittaker's a great guy who handles himself with class," he says.

Asked what he would be doing if he was not fighting, the Sydneysider says he'd be "working as a sparkie and playing park football".

In his spare time Whittaker helps TAFE NSW teach health and fitness in indigenous communities. He doesn't want to be typecast as a fighter for the rest of his life, and plans on moving into small business following his UFC journey. "I've learned a lot from the entrepreneurs who are my sponsors, including Kaplan Homes, Muscle Meals, and Actron airconditioning," he says.

The most important thing is, however, being a "good role model for my kids". "Dad brought me up with the mentality that how you conduct yourself off the field is as important as your performance on it. I have to be a champ in front of the cameras and when I brush my teeth."