Michael Bisping made his pay-per-view commentary debut at UFC 271, but many fans thought he was biased towards Israel Adesanya.
Throughout the fight, Bisping was praising Adesanya and believed he won nearly every round and the scrap was not that close. However, to many fans watching, it felt very close, and some media members even score the bout for Whittaker. But for Bisping, he doesn’t think he was biased and says the judges’ scorecards prove he was calling the fight correctly.
“It was a really close fight and to all you haters out there that are talking s***, the judges agree with everything that I f***ing said,”Bisping said on his YouTube channel.
“So, I’m not taking validation from that nor am I using this as an excuse to sit here and say I know it all. I watched a fight very closely, very intently, but I will go away and watch it and see if I made any mistakes. If you hear bad reviews of your work, you want to take it on board with an open mind. I want to get better; I want to learn and grow as a human being.”
PHOTO: KEVIN IOLE
Israel Adesanya was awarded the unanimous decision with the scorecards being 48-47 x2 and 49-46. It marked the fourth title defense of his middleweight and second win over Robert Whittaker. He has started to clean out the middleweight division, but this fight was much closer, despite Bisping believing it was a clear victory for the middleweight champ.
Michael Bisping was added to the UFC 271 commentating team as a late replacement for Joe Rogan. Despite the criticisms of Bisping’s commentary, the former middleweight champion no doubt adds a lot to the booth with his experience fighting and knowing what the fighters are going through.
Do youthink Michael Bisping was biased towards Israel Adesanya?
Israel Adesanya believes the UFC will learn from their contract negotiations with Francis Ngannou.
It was well-known that when the heavyweight champion entered his UFC 270 title defense against Ciryl Gane, it was the last fight of his deal. Since then, he has continued to be vocal about his displeasure with his current contract.
Ngannou’s friend and UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya, who just re-signed with the UFC, says the promotion needs to deal with the heavyweight champ better, and he is optimistic that they will.
āI donāt know this narrative of, oh, they just gave me a new deal because of what was happening with Francis,” Adesanya said after UFC 271. “Iām like, no, my dealings with the UFC donāt need to be brought forth because every case is different. With Francisā case, he needed to bring that forward because it was atrocious, and I respect him for that. But like I said, this is a first step.ā
Israel Adesanya believes the UFC and Francis Ngannou will eventually strike a deal to keep the heavyweight champion in the Las Vegas-based promotion. The hope for Adesanya is his contract and that of other big names will lift the minimum pay for the debuting fighters as well. The middleweight champ wants to see no UFC fighter need to have another job.
āDana already said they had dinner with [Ngannou] before he went back to Cameroon; they gonna have dinner when they come back,” Adesanya said. “So yeah, people make mistakes. The UFCās filled with humans. Humans make mistakes. Human error. But we can always amend those mistakes. Honestly, rising tides lifts all the ships. And with this, I feel like itās the first step in this trickle-down effect to the rest of the fighters and lifting everyone up.ā
As of right now, there is no talk on when exactly Francis Ngannou and the UFC will meet again but Israel Adesanya is hoping a deal gets made.
Do you think Francis Ngannou re-signs with the UFC?
The UFC rankings have been updated following UFC 271, and weāve got the full report for you below!
Menās Pound for Pound: After defeating Robert Whittaker via unanimous decision at UFC 271, Israel Adesanya moves ahead of Alexander Volkanovski to the #2 spot, sending Volkanovski down to #3. Additionally, Max Holloway (#6) moves ahead of Jon Jones (#7), and Glover Teixeira is no longer tied with Stipe Miocic at #10, with Miocic now ranked at #11.Ā
Womenās Pound for Pound: No Changes
Strawweight: No Changes
Womenās Flyweight: āKingā Casey OāNeill moves up to #12 after defeating Roxanne Modafferi at UFC 271. Additionally, Manon Fiorot (#13) and Maycee Barber (#14) swap positions this week, and Erin Blanchfield appears in the rankings down at #15.
Womenās Bantamweight: No Changes
Womenās Featherweight: N/A
Flyweight: Sumudaerji (#12) and Tim Elliot (#13) swap places.
Bantamweight: No Changes
Featherweight: No Changes
Lightweight: Gregor Gillespie moves up one spot to be tied with Conor McGregor at #9.
Welterweight: No Changes
Middleweight: Following his big win over Derek Brunson at UFC 271, Jared Cannonier moves up one spot to #3, sending Marvin Vettori down to #4. Another change in the top 5 this week sees Sean Strickland move up one spot to #5 to be tied with Paulo Costa.Ā Brunson remains at #4.
Light Heavyweight: No Changes
Heavyweight: Tai Tuivasaās fifth consecutive KO shook up the heavyweight rankings. After knocking out Derrick Lewis at UFC 271, āBam Bamā Tuivasa now finds himself ranked at #3, and Lewis drops two spots down to #5. This shakeup has caused the following fighters to drop in this weekās rankings: Alexander Volkov (#6), Jairzinho Rozenstruik (#7), Chris Daukaus (#8), Shamil Abdurakhimov (#10), and Tom Aspinall (#11).
Towards the end of the opening round, it appeared the undefeated run of “Blonde” Brunson was set to continue. But after the round-ending horn cut short a rear-naked choke attempt, the tide turned.
“The Killa Gorilla” came out in the second and made the most of his stand-up advantage. After one early shot appeared to affect Brunson’s movement and posture, Cannonier went in for the kill.
With a vicious elbow and clean backhand, the #3-ranked 185lber rocked his counterpart and sent him to the ground. From there, some sickening elbows signaled the end.
While predictions were largely split heading into the contest, with many backing Brunson’s previous form and five-fight win streak, one man was firmly supporting Cannonier on fight nightāthat man being the champ.
Having already faced and defeated Brunson on his way to the title in 2018, as well as dispatching most other contenders in the weight class, “The Last Stylebender” favored the idea of facing a fresh challenge next.
āI just saw bits and pieces. I think he even got rocked. I saw he got taken down, and then he elbowed Brunson. And so I didnāt really take stock. Iāll go back and watch the fight later on and see what it is,” said Adesanya. “But he made a statement. And I even told him after the weigh-ins, I said, ‘Look, please take this guy out so I can get some fresh meat.’ And he said, ‘Bro, Iām trying to work.’ I said, ‘Me, too.’ So Iām a man of my word.ā
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UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya began his Valentine’s Day with a more-than-subtle jab at former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Adesanya is just days removed from his rematch win over Robert Whittaker at UFC 271. It was a much more competitive fight than their first matchup, but Adesanya earned the decision on the scorecards.
Jones is preparing for a run at heavyweight in 2022, but it’s unclear when he’ll return. He’s recently teased a potential fight with Stipe Miocic for later this year.
Adesanya and Jones have had their fair share of back-and-forths on social media, and at one point seemed on track to fight each other. Their beef has gotten personal at times, but Adesanya took things to a new level on Valentine’s Day.
Adesanya signed a new contract with the UFC leading up to his headliner at UFC 271. The exact details of the contract are unknown, but it’s been rumored to be one of the most lucrative in the promotion’s history.
Adesanya and Jones seem to be on different paths for their Octagon returns, but a fight between them isn’t completely out of the realm of possibility down the line. If a fight between these two stars gets booked in the future, the buildup is sure to be anything but amicable.
What is your reaction to Israel Adesanya trolling Jon Jones?
UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler thinks UFC champs such as Israel Adesanya should be more aggressive in the cage.
Chandler is coming off of his three-round war with Justin Gaethje at UFC 268. It was arguably one of the greatest fights in UFC history and featured nonstop action from the two lightweight brawlers.
In light of his recent fight, Chandler thinks that some of the UFC’s titleholders need to impose their will a bit more in the cage. This comes after Adesanya earned a unanimous decision victory over Robert Whittaker but many were disappointed by Adesanya’s lack of output in the later rounds.
During a recent tweet, Chandler praised Adesanya’s skill set but also stated why he prefers that UFC champions take more risks when defending their titles.
Trust me, I love Izzy. But we have gotten to a point where a dominant champ just needs to stand there, throw a few shots per round and he will not lose unless he gets caught&he will always get the nod. Izzy got paid on this last contract…go FIGHT, donāt you dare spar. #UFC271
“Trust me, I love Izzy,” Chandler said. “But we have gotten to a point where a dominant champ just needs to stand there, throw a few shots per round and he will not lose unless he gets caught and he will always get the nod. Izzy god paid on this last contract… go FIGHT, don’t you dare spar.”
Chandler later clarified that champions don’t need to throw caution to the wind to put on a stellar title defense.
Iām not advocating ābangingā over ātactically fightingā, all Iām trying to advocate for is a spirit of inflicting dominance in the face of danger. Donāt play it safe. Take more chances. I donāt need you to plod forward with reckless abandon…but have a little anger in your heart
“I’m not advocating ‘banging’ over ‘tactically fighting’, all I’m trying to advocate for is a spirit of inflicting dominance in the face of danger. Don’t play it safe. Take more chances. I don’t need you to plod forward with reckless abandon…but have a little anger in your heart.”
Chandler has lost back-to-back fights but is expected to return against Tony Ferguson later this year. The fight hasn’t been booked and scheduled by the UFC just yet, but that could come in the next few weeks. Ferguson has recently accused Chandler of delaying the fight.
Chandler is a former Bellator lightweight champion who earned wins over Benson Henderson and Patricky Freire during his time with the promotion. He made his UFC debut last year at UFC 257 with a knockout win over Dan Hooker.
Adesanya is expected to defend his title next against Jared Cannonier later this year, and Chandler hopes that he and other UFC champs be a bit more aggressive in their approach to defending their titles.
Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker thinks a trilogy with Israel Adesanya down the line may not be too far-fetched.
Whittaker and Adesanya went the distance at UFC 271 in a back and forth war. Whittaker had plenty of moments and looked improved from their first fight, but Adesanya was the more active in the later rounds and earned the unanimous decision win.
Whittaker felt he did enough to earn the win over Adesanya despite all three judges giving the reigning champion the decision. Most of the rounds were close, and some can be debated in Whittaker’s favor.
āPottery (laughs),” Whittaker said. “Nah. Honestly, a third fight between me and Izzy is inevitable, because Iām gonna stomp anybody who comes in front of me again, and he knows that too, thatās why he said āIāll be seeing you in the future.ā And I donāt see him losing the belt anytime soon, heās good, he is good. I think I am the person to beat him. My mission stays the same: beat the next guy in front of me.ā
Whittaker went on to hint that he doesn’t plan on making it a long road back to the title and winning another three fights as he did before the rematch.
āHopefully it will be quicker than that. I guess thereās obvious people I need to fight firstāthe people who I havenāt already beaten in the top ten. Then surely that puts me in a position to fight for the title again, especially considering how close this one was. Letās be honest, there arenāt a lot of people in the top ten that I havenāt had it over. I donāt know, Iām not really thinking about it. Iām more thinking about going home to my family and just cruising.ā
After getting knocked out by Adesanya at UFC 243, Whittaker went on to earn three-straight dominant wins over Darren Till, Jared Cannonier, and Kelvin Gastelum. He showed better patience on the feet over his previous few fights which he showcased at UFC 271.
Cannonier will more than likely get the next title shot after a win over Derek Brunson earlier in the night. While it’s unclear what Whittaker’s exact path back to another title shot could look like, he seems intent on getting his revenge over Adesanya.
Do you think we’ll see a trilogy between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker?
UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya had a message for Robert Whittaker just seconds after their rematch at UFC 271.
Adesanya and Whittaker went five full rounds this time around in their second battle in the Octagon. The two went toe-to-toe on the feet and ground, but Adesanya was seen as more active throughout the fight.
Adesanya defeated Whittaker the first time around at UFC 243 with a vicious knockout. He has emerged as one of the UFC’s biggest stars since earning the belt.
Image Credit: Carmen Mandato/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Following their rematch, Adesanya and Whittaker shared a brief moment in the cage. The two appeared to bury the hatchet of their rivalry and show mutual respect for one another.
During his UFC 271 post-fight press conference, Adesanya revealed the content of his conversation with Whittaker as the fifth round came to a close.
āI said, you know, āI donāt like you, you donāt like me, but I respect you,ā” Adesanya said. “And he said the same thing and āIām sure in another life we could be friends.ā And I said āmaybe.ā But yeah, we’re just two guys trying to be the best in the world. But tonight Iām the best in the world.ā
Adesanya will more than likely face Jared Cannonier next after Cannonier knocked out Brunson just a couple of fights before the Whittaker rematch. He has been a target of Adesanya’s for months, and Adesanya has praised him as the dark horse of the division.
Outside of Cannonier, there aren’t a ton of first-time title challengers waiting for a shot. There is Sean Strickland, who recently earned a unanimous decision win over Jack Hermansson, but he may need to win one more to earn a shot at Adesanya.
As for Whittaker, he’ll need to win a few more to have any hope of earning a third fight with Adesanya. While their rematch was close and competitive, it’s hard to see a scenario in which these two go to battle for a third time without Whittaker going on a torrid streak.
What are your thoughts on Israel Adesanya vs. Jared Cannonier next?
UFC 271 featured a middleweight title fight that had Israel Adesanya retain his title and another middleweight put himself next in line. Also, a warrior hung up her gloves and some heavyweights shook things up in Texas in the co-main event that made the pay-per-view fun enough.
There was a lot to take away from UFC 271, here are some things that stood out.Ā
Contracts
On Wednesday of fight week, many of the UFC regularly reporting entities had mentioned that before the fight, Israel Adesanyaās management had announced that he renewed his contract with the UFC for another multi-fight deal. Considering that he had yet to defend the title at the time and signed his end of the deal to face Whittaker the same week is either proof that fighters are getting more leverage, or his management is one of the best for athletes in MMA.
Per a release from @ParadigmSports, Israel Adesanya has signed a new multi-fight deal with the UFC, making him "one of the top paid athletes in the history of mixed martial arts."
During weigh-ins Friday morning there were some updates announced for UFC 271. William Knight came in 12 pounds over the contracted weight against his bout with Max Grishin. As a result, Knight had to forfeit 40% of his purse and the two will fight as heavyweights officially. Then, Alex Perez also missed weight as well and his match against Matt Schnell was canceled.Ā
No Rogan
You might have missed it, but Joe Rogan has been in the news a lot in recent weeks. Some of it is due to the guests he has had on his podcast and the conversations they had about COVID-19, and most recently for footage of him using a racial slur years ago. ESPN, a company owned by Disney handles the broadcast and sells the UFC pay-per-views. So, on Friday-the day before the event, it was announced that Rogan would not be calling the event.
Per a UFC official, Joe Rogan had a scheduling conflict this week and will not be on the call for UFC 271.
He is scheduled to do colour commentary for UFC 272 in March.
Tomorrow's broadcast booth will consist of Jon Anik, Daniel Cormier and Michael Bisping.
While it was said that it was due to a āscheduling conflict,ā given the current state of media, one has to wonder if that was the case. In the post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White said he expects Rogan to work again when there are no conflicts that keep him from working.
The Happy Warrior
Roxanne Modafferi fought her last fight at UFC 271. She lost a split decision to Kasey O’Neill and while the judging of the fight was questionable, the heart of Modafferi has never left any doubt. Good luck to you and whatever you do in the future.
Jared Connonier Secures His Spot Amongst Middleweights
With the win he picked up at UFC 271 over Derrick Brunson, Cannonier made sure Dana Whiteās attention was on him in the cage in his post-fight interview when he said he wanted the winner of the main event of UFC 271. Itās hard to argue that he should be next in line for the middleweight crown.
Swangin and Bangin
Both Derrick Lewis and Tai Tuivasa delivered on their promise to put on a show in the co-main event. With minimal clinching and a lot of swinging, fans were not disappointed in the fight these two heavyweights put on. While Lewis impressed with some takedowns in round one, it would be the resilience of Tuivasa in round two that would have him win the striking exchange and catapult himself up the heavyweight rankings.
To Beat The Champā¦
Adesanya won his bout against Whittaker but Whittaker did a lot better than the first time they met. So much so, that he even felt he won the latter rounds and did enough to win. Given the odd judging in Modafferi and O’Neill’s fight, itās no surprise that the result is sure to be a topic of conversation when the UFC updates their rankings on Tuesday.Ā
Thereās obviously more to take away from this event than what is listed here. The match between Adesanya and Connonier is all but booked and with things opening up, Dana White expressed interest in adding more locations to the UFCās road schedule in 2022. Time will tell but hopefully, things get back to something close to normal.
Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker 2 lived up to expectations. The two fighters met in a middleweight bout on Saturday night (February 12, 2022) at the UFC 271 pay-per-view event from Houston, Texas at the Toyota Center.
The first round didnāt feature much aside from some leg kicks and Israel knocking him down with a straight punch only for Whittaker to get right back up. Whittaker did make some weak takedown attempts, but was not successful. The second round saw a much more aggressive Whittaker come alive and was pushing forward. Whittaker did get a takedown, but couldnāt keep him on the ground.
In the third round, Whittakerwas able to get a takedown after Izzy put up some good defense. The only problem was that he couldnāt keep him there. Whittaker clinched with him up against the fence.
The fourth round saw Whittaker get a takedown, but Izzy was right back up so Whittaker took his back and Izzy eventually escaped. Another takedown for Whittaker in the fifth round only for Izzy to get back to his feet. Whittaker landed a solid shot out of the break. The judges gave the win to Adesanya, who retained the strap.
Their first fight took place at the UFC 243 pay-per-view from Sydney, Australia at the Marvel Stadium where Israel won by TKO to win the middleweight title.
Peep the highlights of the fight courtesy of the UFCās official Twitter account:
Before their first fight, Adesanya picked up a decision win over Kelvin Gastelum in the co-headliner of the UFC 236 pay-per-view event. Heading into this fight, he fought six times in less than a year-and-a-half total in the UFC and won all six bouts. Izzy was coming off a decision loss to light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259 after making his first title defense against Paulo Costa at UFC 253 and then beat Marvin Vettori at UFC 263.
After posting a nine-fight win streak, Whittaker lost to Adesanya His following fights saw him get unanimous decision wins over Darren Till at the UFC on ESPN 14 event, Jared Cannonier at the UFC 254 pay-per-view event, and Kelvin Gastelum by decision at UFC Vegas 24.
Letās see how the fighters reacted to the outcome of this fight:
Bring āeverythingā ? – didnāt see it… #UFC271
Adesanya is attacking lead leg of Whittaker to take away all The power and forward boxing pressure. Whittaker can not win moving backward he must Check kicks with forward pressure.
Three years ago, the MMA world was concerned about a 48-year-old Chuck Liddell fighting after being knocked out by Tito Ortiz. Many of those concerns were also placed on then-43-year-old Anderson Silva in 2018 when he was scheduled to face a rising Israel Adesanya. However, Adesanya believed these concerns were misplaced for a reason as simple as it sounds:
Anderson Silva is not Chuck Liddell.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 30, 2018, 8:01 AM]
Headline: Israel Adesanya: Anderson Silva Is Not Chuck Liddell
Perhaps announcing the return of 43-year-old Anderson Silva to go against a young, lethal rising contender could have been timed better, with the MMA world still reeling from the knockout of 48-year-old Chuck Liddell last weekend at the hands of rival Tito Ortiz.
To be sure, Liddellās brutal knockout serves as a precautionary tale for promoters, athletic commissions, and matchmakers on how to handle aging fighters. But if you ask Israel Adesanya, who will be sharing the Octagon with his hero Anderson Silva at UFC 234, any comparison between Anderson Silva and Chuck Liddell in 2018 are without grounds:
āLook, heās not Chuck Liddell,ā Adesanya said in an interview with Submission Radio. āBecause of (Liddell/Ortiz 3), people are like, oh, how dare you? Heās 43! Look, the last time I remember he was finished was when he broke his leg. He hasnāt been losing badly. He beat Derek Brunson. It was a close fight, I guess, but yeah. I think heās just been bored.ā
It was Anderson Silva who was originally not on board with the bout, but when the green light for the bout was granted by “The Spider,” Adesanyaās disappointment swiftly turned to enthusiasm:
āInitially, I was disappointed because I was like, man, this was the guy who liked the big challengesā¦the āgreat show,ā like he used to say. āI want a great show.ā And then, he said no to me. Iām like, man, maybe he doesnāt have it anymore.
āAnd then, he came back last Sunday, and I was like, yep, I want to do it. Iām like, they must have made him an offer he canāt refuse. Instantly, I knew it was like, title shot.
āIām going to be the guy to bring the best out of him. Youāre going to see a different Anderson, the Anderson of old, if you will.ā
Do you agree with Israel Adesanya? Does Anderson Silva still have enough to pose a legitimate threat for him at UFC 234?
Israel Adesanya admits that a fight against Sean Strickland interests him.
Israel Adesanya is the UFC middleweight champion. Being the champion comes with having a target on your back. Although he is already matched up with Robert Whittaker for this weekend’s UFC 271, there are already people calling for the next shot. One of those people calling for their shot is Sean Strickland.
Sean Strickland (Image Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Strickland’s odd behavior has made him the target of headlines and the saying “all news is good news” might fit him perfectly. Because all the attention has gotten him on Adesanya’s radar.
When asked about a possible matchup with Strickland, Adesanya had this to say:
āI like fresh meat. I like fresh blood,” Adesanya said during a UFC 271 media day scrum. “And we’ll see. We’ll see after this weekend. I gotta see what Bumson and Cannonier do this weekend, and we’ll see.
“That’s gonna make a lot of money if me and him actually get to fight. Trust. [LAUGHS] I’m a bit of a troll, but I keep it under wraps. But yeah, if that happens, it happens. But we’ll see after this weekend.ā
Although interest from both parties might be there, it seems unlikely that Strickland will be next in line. Adesanya was right when he mentioned Derek Brunson and Jared Cannonier. Both men could be the logical next choice with a win at UFC 271.
As for Strickland and Adesanya, they might get the chance to meet in the futureāor if Adesanya loses on Saturday night.
Would you like to see Sean Strickland step up to fight Israel Adesanya?
Israel Adesanya is planning to send Robert Whittaker back to a dark place.
Israel Adesanya is flying high coming into his next title fight. He is undefeated in the middleweight division, he is facing a fighter who he has already beaten, and he has just signed a new contract with the UFC. During media day for the upcoming rematch against Robert Whittaker, Adesanya seemed in high spirits, but when asked about Whittaker’s past, he got a bit dark.
After their first meeting, Whittaker took some time away from the Octagon. He had just lost his championship title and needed some time to away from the sport.
Since then, he has returned with a new sense of competitiveness. But during his time away, he was admittedly in a bad place. Whittaker has been vocal bout his struggles since his return and even Adesanya can relate.
āI do empathize with what he said. Who brought this up to me? I can’t remember. I think I saw it on Instagram. He talked about his dark place he went to after the last time I beat him,” Adesanya said. “I (and everyone) has been there in their own personal way, so I understand, and I empathize when you don’t want to get up and all that stuff and you lose motivation.
“So yeah, I’m glad he’s pulled himself out of it. I’m glad he’s feeling much better (and that) he’s a better man, better fighter….so yeah, (I’ll) take him to the dark place again.ā
Even though Adesanya understands where Whittaker was in those bad moments, he doesn’t hold back on wanting to send him there again.
The first meeting at UFC 243 was over in just two rounds when Adesanya handed Whittaker the KO loss. Much has been put on Whittaker since that last bout and the improvements he has made in his fighting. Adesanya isn’t falling for the hype and plans on ending Whittaker once again at UFC 271.
Do you think Israel Adesanya will accomplish his task against Whittaker at UFC 271?
Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker says he doesn’t like rival Israel Adesanya’s “character” and the “way he conducts himself.”
As far as active rivalries go in the 185-pound weight class, not many have as much history and intrigue as the one shared by reigning middleweight king Adesanya and top contender Whittaker.
The pair first met at UFC 243 back in October 2019. At the time, “The Last Stylebender” was a fast-rising and undefeated star who held the interim gold. On the other side, “The Reaper” was riding a nine-fight, five-year unbeaten streak, and had been champion since 2017.
After finding success on their own journeys since, Adesanya and Whittaker’s paths are set to cross again this weekend at UFC 271. While the titleholder will be looking to record his fourth successful defense and firmly establish his superiority over Whittaker, the New Zealand-born Australian is out for redemption.
But despite that, the pair are certainly not friends. During a recent interview with RT Sport, Whittaker suggested a number of factors means he and Adesanya will always be rivals.
“I think we’ll always be rivals. It’s just, I think it’s a personality thing,” said Whittaker. “The fact that we’re both middleweights, strikers, from that part of the world; I think we’ll always be rivals.”
When asked if he can foresee a route to friendship with “The Last Stylebender” in the future, Whittaker admitted it’s unlikely, largely because he’s not a fan of Adesanya’s outgoing personality and the way the champ carries himself.
“I don’t like the way he conducts himself. I don’t like his character. It doesn’t suit.”
The result has been heavily discussed, debated, and predicted. However, the fact Whittaker and Adesanya will always share some form of animosity doesn’t seem to be arguable.
Do you agree with Robert Whittaker? What are your thoughts on Israel Adesanya’s character and personality?
UFC 271 is now two sleeps away, and our staff is ready to get you even more amped up for the second pay-per-view event of 2022!
UFC 271 will be available exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view on Saturday, February 12. The main card begins at 10:00 PM ET, and the ESPN2 preliminary card kicks off at 8:00 PM. The early preliminary card starts at 6:00 PM.
The main event will feature a rematch between two of the best middleweights to ever do it when Israel Adesanya faces Robert Whittaker again. Whittaker earned the rematch by winning three consecutive fights on his journey toward redemption. Will he get it? Our staff will dig into the predictions ahead.
The co-main event is quite the tricky bout to predict, as it will feature two men who can stop the show at any moment when KO king Derrick Lewis takes on Tai Tuivasa, who has won all but one of his 14 wins by KO, including every one of his four-fight winning streak.
Also on the main card, an unofficial title eliminator between Jared Cannonier and Derek Brunson is set to take place. We will also see Kyler Phillips try to bounce back from his first UFC loss against Marcelo Rojo and veteran Bobby Green return to the Octagon against Nasrat Haqparast.
UFC 271 Staff Predictions
MMA News is the place to be for all the latest UFC 271 updates. Harvey Leonard, Andrew Ravens, Ed Carbajal, and special guest Tyriece Simon have provided their picks for you.
Here is the full main card lineup for UFC 271:
UFC Middleweight Championship: Israel Adesanya (c) vs. Robert Whittaker
Heavyweight: Derrick Lewis vs. Tai Tuivasa
Middleweight: Jared Cannonier vs. Derek Brunson
Bantamweight: Kyler Phillips vs. Marcelo Rojo* – NOTE: This fight has been moved to the ESPN preliminary card and has since been replaced with Alexander Hernandez vs. Renato Moicano.
Lightweight: Bobby Green vs. Nasrat Haqparast
Bobby Green vs. Nasrat Haqparast
Bobby Green, Nasrat Haqparast
Harvey Leonard: There is certainly more pressure on Haqparast in this one. The Germanās striking speed is impressive, and if he can utilize his reach advantage and land at a high volume, he could edge a decision, like how Fiziev did against Green last year. However, Haqparast can often fall into the trap of becoming too predictable. Against an experienced campaigner like Green, itās hard to picture that going unpunished.
The key for Haqparast will be variety and change-ups on the feet, something Green could look to stifle with takedowns and wrestling, similar to Hookerās UFC 266 game plan, or a mixed striking approach himself. I give a narrow edge to āKing.ā (Prediction: Bobby Green)
Andrew Ravens: A tough fight for both guys as Green is always game and going to bring a fistfight to anyone who steps up to him, so itās going to be a fun fight. Nasrat has a lot of upside and probably hasnāt even hit his prime yet. Iāll side with Hasrat by decision. (Prediction: Nasrat Haqparast)
Ed Carbajal: This opener should make for an exciting lightweight bout. Greenās experience could trump the youth and inexperience of Haqparast, but in todayās realm of combat sports, itās never been more obvious that MMA is a young manās game. Green certainly has the ingredients to put Haqparast away early, but if it goes longer than one and a half rounds, Iām going with the younger fighter. (Prediction: Nasrat Haqparast)
Tyriece Simon: This fight should be really entertaining. Bobby Green has good head movement and striking. He also has the wrestling that he can mix with his striking to create problems for Nasrat Haqparast. I think it will be a close fight, but Green gets the win. (Prediction: Bobby Green)
Final Scorecard: 2-2 Draw
Kyler Phillips vs. Marcelo Rojo
Kyler Phillips, Marcelo Rojo
Harvey Leonard: Phillips has impressed so far, and his win over Yadong should not be understated. He also shouldnāt have been handed a loss to Paiva. While heāll be looking to get back on track, Rojo will hope to rebound from his debut defeat, with his place in the promotion likely on the line.
Unfortunately, I think itās unlikely heāll be able to outpoint the more well-rounded Phillips. And given that the 26-year-old has never been finished, it looks set to be a tough task for Rojo. If he can attack Phillipsā lead leg and slow his movement, and if Phillips pushes too hard for a battle on the feet and a KO, Rojo will have a chance, but I see it as a slim one. (Prediction: Kyler Phillips)
Andrew Ravens: This is going to be a real challenge for Rojo, who is making his second UFC appearance here. Kyler will likely never be a champion, but he is someone who is solid competition and everything Iāve seen makes it seem like this is going to be a one-sided beatdown with Kyler getting it done by submission. (Prediction: Kyler Phillips)
Ed Carbajal: Phillips is a bantamweight that came out of LFA, one of the places the UFC farms a lot of talent from that does very well once theyāre signed. He is coming off a loss, but it was a decision loss, which means he was never out of the fight. Rojo came to the UFC from Combate Global and has had a few ups and downs. Heās coming off a loss, too, and while that should motivate both men for a finish, Phillips is more likely to get one. (Prediction: Kyler Phillips)
Tyriece Simon: Kyler Phillips wants to rebound from his majority decision loss against Raulian Paiva. Before his loss against Paiva, Phillips had won three fights straight, including a win over Song Yadong. Meanwhile, Rojo is looking to get his first win in the UFC. I think Phillips’ striking and speed will be too much for Rojo. (Prediction: Kyler Phillips)
Final Scorecard: 4-0 Phillips
Jared Cannonier vs. Derek Brunson
Derek Brunson Jared Cannonier
Harvey Leonard: Thereās only so many times I can count Brunson out before I learn not to underestimate him. However, Iām going to try my luck one last time. Brunsonās game plan is clear. And if he executes it like he did against Till, heāll win.
But against a middleweight as experienced and powerful as Cannonier, not to mention his strong takedown defense, I canāt see Brunson being able to turn this into a wrestling match, and anything but that favors āThe Killa Gorilla.ā (Prediction: Jared Cannonier)
Andrew Ravens: Brunson gets it done here. The longtime star has been on fire as of late and collected an impressive winning streak. Jared is a tough guy and one of the best in the division. His only loss since 2018 came against Robert Whittaker, and that should tell you all that you need to know. At 38-years-old, Brunson knows that if he wants to fight for a title, he needs to keep winning, so I think heart and focus will outperform Jared. (Prediction: Derek Brunson)
Ed Carbajal: This fight is pretty even despite the experience of Brunson over Cannonier in their MMA careers. Brunson has a slight height advantage but not enough to matter, and theyāre pretty even in reach. Cannonierās striking output seems to be greater than Brunsonās, so I would not be surprised if we see a lot of takedowns from Brunson, and that could get him a decision win. (Prediction: Derek Brunson)
Tyriece Simon: Derek Brunson has looked impressive, relying on his wrestling to win dominantly in his last four fights. However, Jared Cannonier has good takedown defense at middleweight (only been taken down once since moving to middleweight) and has power in his hands to knockout Brunson. I think Cannonier keeps the fight standing and beats Brunson. (Prediction: Jared Cannonier)
Final Scorecard: 2-2 Draw
Derrick Lewis vs. Tai Tuivasa
Tai Tuivasa, Derrick Lewis
Harvey Leonard: Itās pretty unique to have a fight where a KO/TKO is effectively guaranteed, but the winner is so hard to predict. This could well come down to whoever gets a clean shot in first. My gut tells me the more patient Lewis will be able to catch the fast-starting Tuivasa as he rushes in.
However, Tuivasaās recent admission that heāll have to fight āsmartā has encouraged me about his chances. I see this one as pretty much a coin flip, but Iām leaning 51/49 in favor of āThe Black Beast.ā (Prediction: Derrick Lewis)
Andrew Ravens: Tai has been on a roll as of late while Lewis is looking to continue the ball rolling forward in his hometown. Most will side with Lewis to win here, and I think he gets it done by decision. Although Tai is a tough dude and will test the gas tank of the fan-favorite, I donāt think he has the skills to outstrike Lewis. (Prediction: Derrick Lewis)
Ed Carbajal: Up until UFC 265, Lewis was undefeated in Texas. That loss was to Ciryl Gane and his fifth time being T/KOād. Tuivasa has only been T/KOād once in his professional career, so if the chins are going to be checked between these two fan favorites, I would not be surprised if the underdog, Tuivasa pays off in this matchup. I donāt think home-field advantage matters anymore in combat sports. (Prediction: Tai Tuivasa)
Tyriece Simon: The last time Lewis fought in Houston, Texas, he lost to Ciryl Gane. I think Lewis wants to win at home, and he has the power to knock out any heavyweight. I also believe that Tuivasa will want to fight in close distance to knock out Lewis, and he will get hurt instead. (Prediction: Derrick Lewis)
Final Scorecard: 3-1 Lewis
Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker
Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya, Photo credit: Zuffa LLC
Harvey Leonard: Adesanya has grown into a unique position where I think heās almost impossible to bet against, at least at middleweight. Having seen Vettoriās failed attempts to take the champ down last year, I canāt envision Whittaker being able to impose his will in the grappling department. Beyond that, how does he win? Can he outstrike Adesanya? Finish him? Itās tough to see.
But outside of his loss to Adesanya, āThe Reaperā is unbeaten since 2014 and has looked unstoppable in his last three fights. If heās at his best, and really is a ādifferent beastā on the feet now, as his manager claims, thereās no one more likely to hand Adesanya his first blemish at 185 pounds. I expect a tight contest, but one āThe Last Stylebenderā edges. (Prediction: Israel Adesanya)
Andrew Ravens: Finally, the rematch that weāve all been waiting for. The shine on Israel has started to fade compared to where he had been when he first won the title. On the flip side, Whittaker has done everything right to get back to this spot and fight for a title while also doing it in an interesting fashion.
Honestly, I wouldnāt be shocked if Whittaker wins here by split decision, as I think heās going to give Israel a real challenge. However, I do think Israel is currently the best fighter in the division, so Iāll side with him getting it done by decision. (Prediction: Israel Adesanya )
Ed Carbajal: This main event doesnāt seem as hyped as the first time around. Probably because the first time went so well for Adesanya, itās hard to think anything will go differently the second time around. But itās fun to think it would, right? Whittaker did take some time off, so thereās always a chance, but not big enough for me to not go with the current champion. (Prediction: Israel Adesanya)
Tyriece Simon: This fight is tough to call because of how skilled both fighters are. In the first fight, Robert Whittaker returned after a year recovering from injuries against a very active Israel Adesanya. In his last three wins, Whittaker looked healthy and motivated to reclaim the UFC middleweight championship.
While Adesanya has looked sensational and unbeatable at middleweight, I think Whittaker has the skills to give him problems. He may be the underdog in the fight, but I believe Whittaker can pull off the upset. (Prediction: Robert Whittaker)
Final Scorecard: 3-1 Adesanya
That’ll do it for our UFC 271 staff picks! What do you think? Do your picks look similar? Let us know in the comments section! Also, you can check out the UFC 271 undercard below.
Israel Adesanya has brought back the hi-top fade to “remind” Robert Whittaker of UFC 243.
UFC 271 takes place on Saturday, February 12. As the headliner, Adesanya will rematch Robert Whittaker.
Apparently, Whittaker is not a fan of watching his own fights. “Bobby Knuckles” told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour that, whether victorious or not, watching his fights is a rare occurrence. Though, his coaches would prefer that he did.
But Adesanya has a remedy for Whittaker in case he forgets their first dance.
Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya, Photo Credit: Zuffa LLC
“Izzy” ended their initial bout inside of round 2 by TKO. It was a devastating end to the Aussie’s 9-fight win streak.
Despite not watching their 2019 bout, Whittaker is ready for the rematch. He claims to be a different warrior and possesses the blueprint to defeat Adesanya.
Since stripping the Middleweight Championship title away from Whittaker, he has defended it with impressively stylish performances. It is “The Style Bender’s” plan to dominate once again at UFC 271.
Whittaker is undefeated since Adesanya. However, the champ remains unbothered.
It will be interesting to see what new skill set Whittaker brings this Saturday and if it will be enough to dethrone Israel Adesanya. Or maybe, just maybe, Izzy’s choice of hairstyle will stop The Reaper dead in his tracks.
What are your thoughts on Whittaker not watching his first fight with Adesanya?
UFC middleweight contender Robert Whittaker has detailed the host of changes he’s made ahead of his second fight against reigning 185-pound king Israel Adesanya.
What followed was a period of uncertainty for the New Zealand-born Australian, who took time away from the sport to figure out what his future held. In the end, he returned to training revitalized and with a rejuvenated love for martial arts.
Whittaker: “I’ve Changed So Many Things Since That Fight”
In the period since his championship defeat, it’s understandable Whittaker has made an abundance of changes to his team, training, and personal life.
While some have suggested it’s unlikely he’ll be able to make the necessary adjustments needed to hand Adesanya his first loss at middleweight, Whittaker and his team are confident of the opposite.
During an interview with LowKick MMA, Whittaker detailed the fresh looks and alterations he’s made to his preparation in the years since his first Octagon meeting with “The Last Stylebender,” changes which he believes have aided him both inside and outside the cage.
“All the ideas are fresh. There’s been so many changes. How long ago was that now? That’s a long time between fights. I’ve changed so many things since that fight,” said Whittaker. “I’ve changed coaching staff, I’ve changed locations, I’ve changed the way I train, why I train. I’ve changed myself as a person outside the Octagon, which directly impacts how I am inside, walking into it, how I deal with my training, how I develop my training, how I’m going through it all, how I’m going through the process. So, there’s been a lot of changes.”
Ultimately, whether he’s victorious on February 12 or not, Whittaker knows he’s made the necessary changes to feel satisfied with the UFC 271 result either way.
“I guess that’s the overriding feeling moving into this next fight,” Whittaker continued.
“It’s just that I am confident and I am satisfied with who I am and why I do it, and what I’m doing to get to this fight that when I get in there, I’m gonna give it my absolute 100%. And I will be satisfied with the result if I can do that. I didn’t get that satisfaction after the first fight.”
UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya doesn’t expect Robert Whittaker to talk trash ahead of UFC 271 having “humbled” him in their UFC 243 contest.
Adesanya completed his undefeated climb to the top of the 185-pound mountain in October 2019. After beating Marvin Vettori, Derek Brunson, and Anderson Silva, and having collected interim gold in a FOTY-worthy clash with Kelvin Gastelum, “The Last Stylebender” had his chance for undisputed glory.
In Whittaker’s own backyard, Adesanya secured his crowning moment. After nearly finishing “The Reaper” in the opening round, the Nigerian-New Zealander completed the feat in the second frame. As well as earning his spot on the middleweight throne, Adesanya also ended the nine-fight, five-year unbeaten run of Whittaker.
Adesanya: “He Can’t Say The Sh*t He Was Saying The First Time”
Now, with their rematch set for UFC 271 this weekend, the main question on everyone’s lips is what will we see different this time around? That includes in terms of pre-fight build, performance, and result.
One thing Adesanya expects to play out differently is the fight week and interview back and forth. While narratives surrounding a personal feud and an Australia vs. New Zealand rivalry were accentuated ahead of their Melbourne clash, a factor Whittaker believes played a part in his loss, the champion expects the now-“humbled” former titleholder to approach the rematch quietly.
āI humbled him to the sense that he canāt say the sh*t he was saying the first time around because he was talking all that sh*t saying this and that. āI think Adesanya isnāt as good as he thinks he is.ā I remember that,” Adesanya said in a video uploaded to his YouTube channel. “Iām the elephant in the f*cking room. I never forget. āOh, Israelās not as good as he thinks he is.ā Iāll show you how great I think I am.ā
According to Adesanya, Whittaker’s ego was his downfall in 2019 and will likely contribute to another defeat this Saturday in Houston. While Whittaker says he’s feeling rejuvenated and with a newfound love for the sport of MMA, “The Last Stylebender” isn’t buying it yet.
āI saw a little snippet of what he was saying. Itās like he finds it hard to swallow,ā Adesanya added. āItās a hard pill for him to swallow. Heās admitting it, heās saying the right things, but heās not believing it. His ego wonāt let him and thatās his downfall. His ego. People tried to say that about me leading to the first fight. āOh, heās too egotistical. Heās not humble like Whittaker.ā Iām like, bro, stop. I am extraordinarily humble. I know my limits as a human being and my capabilities. So I know Iām the sh*t but at the same time, I know I aināt sh*t. He needs to check himself. Heās got this newfound mental clarity and it would help him positively if it was true. I just donāt buy into it.ā (h/t MMA Fighting)
The wait is over, #UFC271 fight week is šššš! š¾
While Adesanya looks to prove his superiority over Whittaker again, the New Zealand-born Aussie will be targeting redemption and a second reign on the middleweight throne. We’ll find out which party leaves the Toyota Center happy on Saturday night.
Do you expect Israel Adesanya to beat Robert Whittaker for the second time this weekend at UFC 271?
UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya is a happy man after signing a new deal with the highest platform in MMA.
It was reported earlier on Wednesday that Adesanya has agreed to a new multi-fight deal with the UFC. This comes just days before his highly-anticipated rematch with Robert Whittaker at UFC 271.
Adesanya has become a household name for the UFC since even before his first fight with Whittaker. From his interim title win over Kelvin Gastelum to his latest title defenses over Marvin Vettori and Paulo Costa, fans have come to belove the 185-pound champion.
Israel Adesanya, Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
ā100%. Thatās the thing. The thing I want to know is, whatās my value to the company?” Adesanya said. “You canāt undersell my value. If you are, youāre kidding yourself. I bring so many different looks to this company, even without trying.
“Iām Nigerian. I brought that whole nation. Me and the three kings, the continent of Africa is on our back. I wear it on my chest. We have the Oceania region looking at us. Iām a guy that crosses over to the mainstream so easily. And I have this appeal. I have that āitā thing. So Iām glad that the UFC is starting to see that.”
āTheyāve already known that. Theyāve known this since the jump. Dana knew this since the jump. But yeah, Iām just the guy who deals with my dealings with the UFC behind the scenes. And Iām glad that we came to an agreement with this new deal. And I look forward to this effect trickling down to the rest of the fighters.”
Adesanya is undefeated at middleweight after making the full-time move to MMA following an accomplished career in kickboxing. In their first matchup, Adesanya knocked out Whittaker to cement his status as the middleweight champion and one of the biggest stars in MMA. Adesanya’s lone blemish on his UFC record came against Jan Blachowicz for the light heavyweight title at UFC 259.
Another win over Whittaker would continue Adesanya’s path of attempting to lap the division. The winner of another UFC 271 fight, Jared Cannonier vs. Derek Brunson, will more than likely get the next title shot.
Where do you rank Israel Adesanya among the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world?
Heading into their rematch at UFC 271, Robert Whittaker is in a different headspace than he was two years ago.
“Bobby Knuckles” Whittaker has his chance at redemption this Saturday in a rematch against UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya. When they last headlined at UFC 243, there was a lot of commotion going into the fight.
The event took place in Australia, Whittaker’s native home, which fueled a rivalry with his New Zealander opponent. It’s a sigh of relief for Whittaker to not deal with the pressure of home court again, as this fight will take place in Houston, Texas.
Bad blood weighed heavy in their last battle. This time, it is strictly a moment to prove who is the better fighter. Whittaker claims to know Adesanya’s game and can prove “The Last Style Bender” is “beatable”.
Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya, Photo Credit: Michael Dodge/EPA
He will enter battle with the championship on his mind and his ego in check. Pre-fight tension carried a lot of weight in their first match, but Whittaker is not falling for any media traps this second go-around.
“This one is completely different. I feel there’s an underlying sense of mutual respect. We’re both the best in the game. He’s the champ and I’m #1, and we’ve ran through everybody else. I think there’s a certain level of mutual respect that comes from that.
“I think the fact that the New Zealand/Australia rivalry isn’t so much getting thrown at everybody’s faces here; understanding that this is Australia and New Zealand taking over the world sort of thing. In saying that, we’re not mates. Far from it. But I just don’t think because we’re in Houston and the media is not angling that rivalry, the fight isn’t personal,” Whittaker explained to Submission Radio.
Whittaker took home three impressive victories to get back to Adesanya after their 2019 bout. He learned from his “reckless” mistakes in the first encounter and plans to turn things around in the rematch.
In comparison, since UFC 243, Adesanya defended his belt three times and took home one lost to Jan Blachowicz in a bout for the light heavyweight title.
Both fighters simply want to win. They have devastated the competition as champion and #1 contender to make it back to this point. Of course, “Izzy” wants to keep his belt, and Whittaker never wanted it taken from him. And on February 12, Whittaker will look to seize his opportunity to even the score with Adesanya and reclaim the middleweight crown.
Do you think Robert Whittaker will once again become Middleweight Champion at UFC 271?
Robert Whittaker feels he is at his best and has the game plan to beat Adesanya this time around, but Adesanya does not agree.
Adesanya is certain that Whittaker will be quitting in their upcoming fight and is predicting exactly when that will happen. He spoke to ESPN about the precise moment he feels he’ll take away Whittaker’s spirit.
āWhen he finds out he canāt grapple with me,” Adesanya said. “When he canāt outgrapple me. I want him to scramble with me. I really want to see. Heās a good scrambler. Even with the Romero fight, thereās certain positions in there where he was able to scramble. But man, you guys donāt understand. When I was young, I was the guy (who people said) āHeās got it. This guyās gonna be great. And I always knew that about myself.”
There wasn’t much grappling in the first meeting between these two, but Adesanya thinks that will be different this time out. He ended Whittaker’s night early by KO at UFC 243, but the New Zealand native has strung together three solid wins since then. In a day when many champions get an immediate rematch when they lose their title, Whittaker instead to the scenic route back to a title shot.
Adesanya suffered his only loss recently when he fought Jan Blachowicz for the light heavyweight title. Whittaker thinks he can take some cues from Blachowicz and use his ground game over Adesanya. Adesanya is preparing for this and is ready to show that he can dominate on the ground as well.
Do you think Adesanya will be victorious once again against a grapplingWhittaker?
UFC middleweight Derek Brunson has revealed he’s planning on retiring after two more appearances inside the Octagon.
Brunson’s recent form has certainly been one of the more surprising stories of resurgence in recent memory. Entering 2019, the North Carolina native, who’s been a part of the UFC roster since 2012, was 2-4.
A pair of two-fight skids, which featured defeats to reigning champion Israel Adesanya, former titleholder Robert Whittaker, GOAT contender Anderson Silva, and Brazilian grappling legend Ronaldo Souza, were separated by triumphs over Dan Kelly and Lyoto Machida.
After rebounding with wins against Elias Theodorou and Ian Heinisch, Brunson hit the form of his life following his transition to the now-infamous “Blonde Brunson.” Since making the hair alteration, the 38-year-old has finished Edmen Shahbazyan and Darren Till and outpointed Kevin Holland, all three of which came in main event contests.
After confirming that a championship opportunity is the only fight he’ll accept if he’s victorious over Cannonier, Brunson laid out his retirement plan, and it’s one that is perhaps further along than most would have expected.
“I’m gonna sit and wait for a title fight after I win this fight. For sure. I’ve done everything I needed to do in this division,” said Brunson. “Honestly, I plan on fighting two more times. I feel like I’m lucky and blessed to like, fight in the UFC 20 times, and I’m super smart and got a good brain in my head, so I don’t wanna fight until I can’t fight no more. I’m in the best shape. I’m feeling good. So that’s all I’m thinking about right now; beat Cannonier, beat Izzy, and riding out. That’s it.”
Brunson went on to confirm that regardless of the situation, he’s limiting himself to two more Octagon outings. He cited his desire for more family time and his target of retiring without accumulating significant damage as the reasons behind his decision.
“Just two more times. You know, I spend a lot of time getting ready for these fights away from my family and stuff, and I’m 38,” Brunson continued. “I’m missing like, soccer games and stuff like that for my daughters. So, that’s more important to me than chasing money and stuff like that. I’ve been smart with my money, made enough money.
“I have no excuses. I’m in really good shape. I feel really good. I’m motivated. I don’t even plan on losing. But I just know that you can’t do combat sports forever, and end peacefully. I feel like I’ve got a super good brain, my head is good, no injuries, nothing. I think finish my goal, finish my task, complete the mission, get the title, and be like, ‘Peace, I’m out,’” Brunson concluded.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYM7iRlvcTh/
With toes dipping in the realms of real estate, gym ownership, fight promotion, and management, Brunson certainly won’t be short of new ventures and exciting possibilities moving forward when he does call an end to his fighting career.
Do you think Derek Brunson has what it takes to beat Jared Cannonier and dethrone Israel Adesanya?
Israel Adesanya will be staying with the UFC for the foreseeable future.
It was well known that Adesanya could fight out his UFC contract this year, but on Wednesday, it was revealed the middleweight champion has re-signed with the promotion. His management company, Paradigm, announced via a press release the middleweight champ has signed a new multi-fight deal with the promotion that will make him “one of the top paid athletes in the history of mixed martial arts.”
This is no doubt good news for everyone involved as since joining the UFC, Adesanya has become a fan-favorite and a massive star. With him re-signing, he will have at least several more fights inside the Octagon.
Israel Adesanya (Image Credit: Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC)
āMy prediction is that I am going to f*ck Whittaker up, again,ā Adesanya said to theĀ Stake. āHe canāt stand with me, so I know he will be forced to grapple. Last time he said āKevin Gastelum has given the blueprint on how to beat Adesanyaā and now heās saying āJan has given the blueprintāā¦ he needs to write his own blueprint. If he wants to copy someone elseās work, then by all means try, because it went so well last time for him when we fought… There has been no cutting corners this time. Itās made me even more motivated to do it again and do it more decisively if thatās even possible. That is my motivation for this fight, to get up and beat him again in an even more devastating fashion.ā
Adesanya is coming off a decision win over Marvin Vettori at UFC 263 in June. The victory got him back into the win column after suffering a decision loss to Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259 for the light heavyweight strap.
What do you make of Israel Adesanya re-signing with the UFC?
The BOAT is the Best of All Time. Unlike the GOAT, you arenāt bound by the laws of longevity. Thereās no need to wait for a decade or more to begin a conversation that you can plainly see is going to happen anyway. Nope, you can strictly go by talent and the likelihood to win any given contest, no matter the circumstances.
This week in BOAT talk, Chael Sonnen tackles the debate of Anderson Silva vs. Israel Adesanya for middleweight supremacy.
Last week, Daniel Cormier gave his take on just who is the middleweight GOAT. Seeing as how the majority of people define a “GOAT” to be the man who has the most accomplishments in a given field, Cormier considered it an insult to rank anyone over Anderson Silva, who has the most successful title defenses in UFC middleweight history. Below, you can find Mr. Cormier’s argument.
āNo. Dude, Anderson Silva existed. Anderson Silva existed. Like, I donāt get this recency bias that fans have,ā Cormier said during a recent episode of DC&RC. āHonestly RC, I think the word āGOATā gets thrown around way too easy in fight sports. The only person that doesnāt get passed is Muhammad Ali and there have been some really impressive fighters, but people recognize what Muhammad Ali was. Anderson Silva was to MMA what Muhammad Ali was to boxing. No, [Israel Adesanya] has some work to do to catch Anderson.ā (h/t SportsKeeda)
Chael Sonnen Takes Cormier To Task For MW GOAT Take
Chael Sonnen, Daniel Cormier
Chael Sonnen feels as strong about this debate as Cormier, only he is taking the opposite side. Both Sonnen and Cormier have competed against Anderson Silva before. Sonnen fell short twice while Cormier defeated Silva at UFC 200. Sonnen believes that victory is the most logical explanation for DC placing Silva over Adesanya despite the fact that he feels “The Last Style Bender” squashed The Spider’s place as MW GOAT.
ā(Cormier) said that other people come up to him all the time and ask him about Adesanya. And then they, in their question about Adesanya, say to him, āIs he the greatest of all time?ā Daniel pushed back and said, āTime out. Recency bias aside, Anderson Silva existed. Anderson Silva is the greatest of all time.ā He then went on to talk about (how) we always do that. We always pass up somebody with somebody new, and the only sports figure in history that that hasnāt happened to is Muhammad Ali.ā What in the BLEEP is Daniel Cormier talking about?!” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel.
Sonnen would also use Muhammad Ali as an example of erroneous usage of the “GOAT” label. Sonnen argued that if we were to poll trainers and boxers of 2022 who they watched film on to improve their technique and skillset, it wouldn’t be Muhammad Ali.
Sonnen would go on to shoot down common arguments found in GOAT debates where the losing fighter is granted an “out-of-prime” exception.
āLook, if we are at least down to Adesanya and Anderson, weāve done a good and fair job as a community. Because those are the two. I will tell you this: they fought. And it was a good fight. Adesanya won two rounds to one. Everybody saw it the same as the judges. Adesanya won 1 and 3; Anderson won number 2. It was a valiant effort by Anderson. It was closer than any of us thought that it was gonna be. It was a great fight. But that still answers the question, if youāre being fair. If you want to be unfair and your side doesnāt win, you (say), āWell, he wasnāt in his prime.’ Shut up with all that. Just stop. Stop.ā
Fabricio Werdum vs. Fedor Emelianenko, Image Credit: Associated Press
One person who is often granted an out-of-prime exemption is heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko. Those who argue he is the heavyweight or overall MMA GOAT dismiss losses to names like Dan Henderson, Fabricio Werdum, and Antonio Silva because Fedor (who was in his early-mid 30s at the time of those losses) was out of his prime. Sonnen appears to believe that Anderson Silva is being granted this same exemption when it comes to his loss to Israel Adesanya at UFC 234.
There is just one problem with Sonnen’s take. For the most part, the vast majority of people do not define GOAT the way he seems to. It is clear that what Sonnen is arguing is that Israel Adesanya is the BOAT. He is arguing that Adesanya is a better, not more accomplished, fighter than Silva. He believes that Israel Adesanya is more likely to win any given fight, and that Adesanya further proved his superiority by defeating Silva head-to-head, thus closing the door on any credible debate on the matter.
If Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen had a face-to-face debate on this issue, I can assure you that they would talk in circles. The reason being that they are debating two different things. Daniel Cormier is having a GOAT debate while Chael Sonnen is having a BOAT debate.
Folks, there are over 500,000 words in the English language. That number changes every year, and each year brings new additions. It wasn’t too long ago that “GOAT” was added to the English and sports lexicon. When there are so many words in just one language, this can only be possible when there are several words that have very similar meanings but with the slightest of alterations.
It is undebatable that “BOAT” is one of those words; that it has a clear difference in meaning than GOAT; and most importantly, that we need to finally add it to the English and sports lexicon.
Bareman: Adesanya Is “One Hundred Percent” Under-Promoted
Adesanya’s opening title defense of 2022 will come just three weeks after his African counterpart Francis Ngannou pushed through a heap of adversity to keep hold of his title at UFC 270. One of the main narratives heading into the opening pay-per-view of the year was a perceived under-appreciation and disrespect towards “The Predator.”
That sentiment has now been shared by the coach of Adesanya.
During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Bareman, who also coaches the likes of Dan Hooker, Kai Kara-France, and Brad Riddell, was asked whether he thought the UFC’s promotion of the 185-pound king was lacking.
While the 42-year-old New Zealander was clearly hesitant to criticize the organization, he did suggest the sentiment was the “correct observation.”
āYou are correct; a hundred percent correct. But Iām not, at the moment, willing to talk about this particular subject,” said Bareman. “At the moment, Iām sorry, boys. I canāt. Itās one hundred percent the correct observation. The correct observation ā Heās not being nowhere near pushed the way he should. But thereās stuff that I canāt talk about regarding that. So, Iāll just leave it as a no comment. But your assumption is correct. They can (promote Adesanya more). At least I agree with that.ā (h/t Sportskeeda)
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With Ngannou standing firm on his demands and potentially leaving the UFC to explore free agency at the end of the year, it’s hard not to wonder whether Bareman’s comments are a sentiment shared by Adesanya himself, who is also likely to fight out his deal this year.
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