Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker expects his division’s title picture to soon have another Australian making waves.
Whittaker is one of the most experienced high level competitors in MMA today. He has been considered to be right at the top of the 185-pound weight class ever since 2017 when he became the interim champion by defeating Yoel Romero at UFC 213, and he’s still in the title picture to this day.
With that in mind, “The Reaper” is an excellent judge of whether fighters have what it takes to swim with the sharks. In his opinion, one of his close teammates and training partners is just waiting for the opportunity to live up to his potential…
Robert Whittaker Says Teammate Jacob Malkoun Has What It Takes To Fight The Best In The World
Speaking in an interview with MMA News, Whittaker was asked to name some of the fighters he will always tune in to watch as a fan favorite himself.
“Well, my teammate, Jacob Malkoun, he’s certainly one that I watch, obviously. But I think that he’s still flying under the radar,” Whittaker said. “I think he had a couple unfortunate weird losses but he’s back in that winning column now and he’s a guy that could fight someone in the top 10 tomorrow I think and like, handedly get his hand raised.”
The 28-year old Malkoun has had an up and down run so far in the UFC since debuting back at UFC 254 in 2020 with just four professional fights under his belt.
He has since secured four wins in seven outings, the latest of which came in March when he stopped Andre Petroski in one of the most unique endings to a fight in some time.
Whittaker believes that his teammate is more than equipped to compete at the top level of the division and hopes that he will get his opportunity to prove that in the near future.
“I think Jacob will beat a lot of people. Like, I cannot stress enough how much trouble he gives me in the gym and I think I’m the best in the world,” Whittaker continued. “He gives me trouble every single day, so the world’s his oyster. I want to see him get a top 10 fight and just cement that.”
During a recent appearance on the Today ShowAustralia, Israel Adesanya took the moment to congratulate a former opponent on his recent victory.
Robert Whittaker produced back-to-back wins when he stopped Ikram Aliskerov in the late-notice main event of UFC Fight Night Saudi Arabia on June 22.
“The Reaper” is now back into the title picture after getting Aliskerov out of there in the first round to build on his decision victory against Paulo Costa at UFC 298 this past February.
Adesanya and Whittaker have met two times inside the Octagon, with “The Last Stylebender” coming out on top on both occasions.
While reacting to footage of his iconic UFC 243 walkout in Melbourne, the Nigerian-New Zealander took a second to praise his Australian peer.
“I was fighting the local hero, Rob Whittaker, who just actually had a great win a week or two weeks ago, but I was fighting him here.
“It was beautiful. Robbie’s that guy. We fought twice. We always have history but it was good to see him back in the win column, and he’s coming for me, so I got to stay ready.”
Israel Adesanya Says Dricus Du Plessis Feud Is About Respecting ‘The Guys Who Came Before You’
If Adesanya’s fight with Whittaker — which pitted Australia and New Zealand up against one another — was a big deal, it has nothing on the grudge match that is on deck for UFC 305.
Much of the tension between them stems from comments made by Du Plessis about how him winning the middleweight title and bringing it back to Africa would make him the first true African champion because he still lives and trains out of the continent.
Adesanya spoke about this during his recent TV appearance, stating that the lack of respect being shown to the people that came before the current champion is where he feels his next opponent crossed the line.
“For me, it’s you have to honor the guys who came before you. He’s the guy saying, ‘I’m the real African champion,’ but look, you wouldn’t have been able to do what you’re doing at home in South Africa if myself, Francis Ngannou, and Kamaru (Usman) didn’t pave the way for you. So you have to respect your elders and I’ll make sure I do that to him.”
Du Plessis and Adesanya will headline the UFC 305 pay-per-view event in Perth, Australia, on August 17. The bout comes almost a year on from the latter’s most recent appearance, an upset loss to Sean Strickland in Sydney.
June was a big month for the UFC’s middleweight division with several top contenders in action as the upcoming title fight between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya draws closer.
Former champion Robert Whittaker could have announced himself as the number one contender had Khamzat Chimaev not withdrawn from their main event in Saudi Arabia.
Whittaker ended up facing Ikram Aliskerov where he produced a dominant display to earn a first-round finish.
Earlier in the month, there was controversy in the division after Nassourdine Imavov stopped Jared Cannonier in a call that many believe was made too soon.
Referee Jason Herzog waved the fight off in the fourth round with fans believing that he stopped the fight too early despite some worrying signs from Cannonier.
Robert Whittaker Does Not Envy The Thankless Role Of Being A MMA Referee
In an exclusive interview with MMA News, Whittaker said that he feels some sympathy towards MMA officials for the thankless jobs that they do.
“The Reaper” didn’t agree with the stoppage of that fight but he also didn’t want to be too negative about the call that Herzog made in this instance.
He stated that he understands the frustration of being on the wrong end of an early stoppage and having faced Cannonier in the past, knows that there is no quit in him.
However, Whittaker said that he does not envy the role of the referees, specifically referencing how they never get credit but will always get criticized when a mistake is made.
“Mate, being a ref’s hard. It’s a hard gig and it’s easy to point the finger at a ref for being trigger happy or pulling a fight too late or pulling a fight too short but man, the reality is their job is so hard. So hard. Nobody talks about a ref doing a good job, they only get hammered when they make a mistake or when it’s not to the liking of the fans. It’s a hard gig and I don’t have an opinion on it.”
Here are the some of the other topics Whittaker discussed in the exclusive interview that you can watch in the video above:
Being upset with the media for misrepresenting his injury issue heading into the Aliskerov fight
Reacting to his first KO finish in seven years
On refereeing and how he would change judging in MMA
Explaining his decision not to weigh in at UFC 305 as the backup fighter
Discussing Sean Strickland, Bo Nickal, and Conor McGregor
Predicting how a rematch goes against Dricus Du Plessis
Whilst the defending champ did secure a takedown and get the submission in the fifth round, up until that point, a lot of the contest took place on the feet.
Makhachev showed in his fights with Alexander Volkanovski that though it isn’t necessarily his strongest skillset, he’s more than capable of striking with his opponents as his confidence improves in this area.
Makhachev’s corner, and Khabib Nurmagomedov specifically, were calling for the champion to constantly threaten the takedown.
Whilst he was winning the majority of the striking exchanges, boxing with “The Diamond” is a dangerous game to play.
Makhachev was ahead on two of the judges’ scorecards going into the fifth and final round with Eric Colon and Sal D’Amato both having Poirier in need of a finish to leave with the 155-pound title.
Judge Chris Lee had the fight even but as he stated on his MMArcade Podcast, former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker saw it being far more one-sided for Makhachev.
“The Reaper” stated that despite it being a great fight, the champion was winning each round with his striking or grappling.
“Makhachev beat him there a lot of the rounds, I had him winning every round. I thought he was outstriking him in a lot of the rounds, I understand there was a lot of significant strikes passed between them, there was a lot of tit-for-tat moments but mate, it was great to watch. I thought that was such a, like I said, I think in my opinion it was one of the better title fights we’ve seen in a long time.”
A major talking point both before and after his fight with Paulo Costa this past weekend was the fighting style of Sean Strickland.
In back-to-back fights, Strickland showed how his unique approach can both be very effective and cause him some issues.
His title win over Israel Adesanya was a great display of defensive pressure but against Dricus Du Plessis, he lost close rounds by not opening up or landing eye-catching strikes.
The former middleweight champion got the win at UFC 302 but it was very much more of the same from the Xtreme Couture fighter as he walked Costa down, kept him at range and blocked anything coming back at him.
In recapping the fights on his MMArcade Podcast, Robert Whittaker spoke about the style that Strickland brings to the Octagon.
The former champion is one of the few top middleweights that “The Reaper” is yet to cross paths with and from his words, it doesn’t sound like it’s something he’s looking forward to.
Whittaker spoke about how nobody fights quite like Strickland does in his unorthodox stance and movement and how he could feel the frustration of what is like to compete against just from watching him on TV.
“I think that’s just his fight style. His fight style looks annoying as hell dude. He looks like a kid when a brother or sister is like ‘I’m walking forward and if you walk into it, it’s your own fault’ sort of thing. With those teep kicks just like rapid fire one after the other dude and Costa was on his bike the whole time, I think you can’t do that with Sean.”
Whittaker hinted at a quick turnaround during a recent interview with MMA journalist Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. He also recently teased a fight with Vettori as the fight to make, and it appears that the matchup will come to fruition.
Whittaker most recently fell to UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 271. It was a competitive fight from start to finish, but Adesanya earned the unanimous decision victory in their title rematch.
Whittaker had worked his way back to the title shot after getting knocked out by Adesanya at UFC 243. He earned dominant wins over Kelvin Gastelum, Jared Cannonier, and Darren Till before getting the second fight with Adesanya.
Marvin Vettori, Israel Adesanya
Vettori is one of the few top UFC middleweights who Whittaker hasn’t fought to date.
Vettori rebounded from a loss to Adesanya at UFC 263 with a win over Paulo Costa last October. The fight was originally supposed to take place at middleweight but took place at light heavyweight after Costa showed up on fight week overweight.
Before the loss to Adesanya, Vettori earned one-sided wins over the likes of Kevin Holland and Jack Hermansson.
Along with Whittaker vs. Vettori, Adesanya is expected to defend his title later this year against top contender Jared Cannonier. Sean Strickland is also closing in on a title shot after beating Hermansson earlier this year to make it six straight wins.
Whittaker and Vettori are both vying for another shot at Adesanya and a fight between them would certainly make sense. UFC 275 is set to be headlined by a light heavyweight title fight between Glover Teixeira and Jiří Procházka.
What is your prediction for the planned Robert Whittaker vs. Marvin Vettori fight?
Former UFC Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker has named the only contender who makes sense as his next opponent inside the Octagon.
Whittaker has firmly cemented himself as one of the top-two 185lbers in the UFC. Unfortunately for him, the other man in that equation, reigning titleholder Israel Adesanya, has defeated him twice.
At UFC 271 last month, “The Reaper,” who lost the gold to Adesanya in 2019, had his chance for redemption. He got there by rebounding with three straight victories over Darren Till, Jared Cannonier, and Kelvin Gastelum.
While his first loss to Adesanya left him demotivated and considering calling quits on his in-cage career, Whittaker’s response to his second setback against the champ has been the opposite.
“I think my guys are talking. I think that’s the next fight. That’s really the only guy in the top five that I haven’t fought,” said Whittaker. “I think that’s on the agenda. Realistically, it’s the only fight that makes sense for both of us. It’s funny, me and him both have a lot in common, we’re both chasing the third fight with Adesanya. If I can get two fights this year, that would be great. That hits my quota quite well.” (h/t CBS Sports)
Vettori was most recently in action in the UFC Vegas 41 headliner last October. Having fallen short of the 185-pound throne four months prior at UFC 263, where he suffered a second loss to Adesanya, the 28-year-old was hoping to rebound in style.
Against Paulo Costa, who arrived to fight week overweight and forced a switch to light heavyweight, Vettori certainly did so. After a five-round war, the Trento native was awarded the unanimous decision verdict. In doing so, he remained in the title conversation and moved closer to a potential third scrap with the middleweight king.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CViXkVCrsEi/
While the matchup makes sense in the context of the division, Whittaker and Vettori also have a number of things in common, like “The Reaper” said. Both have suffered two losses to Adesanya, took the champ to a five-round decision in their respective rematches, and thought they’d won.
Sounds like a match made in middleweight heaven.
Would you like to see Robert Whittaker face Marvin Vettori next?
UFC middleweight contender Darren Till feels he would’ve made quick work of former champion Robert Whittaker had he not torn his MCL.
Till got off to a fast start against Whittaker in their July 2020 headliner but was unable to keep his momentum for five full rounds. It was later revealed by Till’s coach, Colin Heron, that he suffered a torn MCL during the fight.
Till has lost four of his last five and has just one win at middleweight, a split-decision victory over Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 244. He made the move from 170 to 185 pounds following back-to-back losses to Tyron Woodley and Jorge Masvidal.
Till’s middleweight tenure has produced mixed results. After his win over Gastelum, he has lost back-to-back fights to Whittaker and Derek Brunson.
“The fight before (Brunson), I lost to Whittaker. In my opinion now, Whittaker and Adesanya are the two best middleweights on Earth. I don’t feel like I even gave 50%,” Till said. “God’s honest truth—I’m not trying to disrespect Whittaker. I don’t feel like I was even giving 50% in that fight. I was making him miss, I was relaxed, I was knocking him down. If I came in there 100% Darren Till, I would get Whittaker out of there quite quickly.”
Till is anticipating a return to the Octagon in 2022 and recently signed a new multi-fight deal with the UFC. He has also been seen training with rising UFC star Khamzat Chimaev in Sweden.
Despite his recent struggles, Till arguably still has massive potential at middleweight and could challenge for another UFC title someday. If he is victorious in his next bout, a rematch with Whittaker may become a part of the discussion.
Israel Adesanya reports he was down to his last few hundred dollars before making a deal with the UFC.
Now a four-time title defending champion and signed to a new major deal with the UFC, surely financial hardship isn’t on the course for Adesanya.
However, before he got his chance with The Ultimate Fighting Championship, Adesanya experienced less than desirable contracts with other fight promotions.
He claims there was only $300 in his bank account at the time. This was mostly due to a company in China breaching their contract with him.
“The company that I was working in China f***** me over cause I had seven fights left in my contract, each fight at that time was like $25,000. And they just stopped giving me fights. I was like ‘what about the contract I need fights’,” said Adesanya, according to Mirror.
He credits MMA clothing line and products site Engage for getting him through the rough patch.
Israel Adesanya
“So, I went to the UFC. Shout out to Engage though, they came in the clutch at that time. This was around my UFC debut at around November 2017. I wouldn’t have rent for either the next week or the week after,” Adesanya continued.
Friends and family also pulled through to help the future champ.
“This is one thing I loved about my parents, they always supported me. I hated going to them and asking ‘can you pay me this’ but I always did. And a friend like Corbin [close friend of Adesanya] as well, who was always in the clutch for me as well. People like that I keep around and I hold them dearly,” The champ explained.
Next Up For Adesanya
Israel Adesanya, Photo Credit: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
The middleweight champ signed a multi-fight deal with the UFC before his second battle against Robert Whittaker.
Whittaker thought he had the arsenal geared up to defeat Adesanya, but came up short in the decision. At such a close match, and “Bobby Knuckles” claiming to be the only fighter with the potential to take him down, a trilogy may be in store for the future.
“I can definitely see myself fighting at 205. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, just because I have to cut to middleweight, and cutting sucks,” Whittaker said in a recent appearance on Submission Radio. “So I think it might be fun. Obviously, I do understand the gravity of going up to 205—the bigger guys, the tall guys, longer reach, heavier set guys, more power. But stylistically, I have the style that can handle moving up to a heavier-pound division. But honestly, I’ll take it as it comes.”
Whittaker has been unstoppable in recent years to everyone not named Israel Adesanya. Whittaker ruled the middleweight division for a short amount of time as champion but has been a staple in the division for much longer. After some time away from the sport following the first loss to Adesanya, he returned with a newfound purpose and motivation. If Adesanya remains at the top at 185, Whittaker might be wise to look elsewhere for a title shot.
Although the UFC has been booking trilogies without thinking twice, the middleweight division has other options for the champ. On the other hand, Whittaker would be fresh blood at light heavyweight and a problem for many of the top fighters there.
The top five at light heavyweight at this time are Jan Blachowicz, Jiří Procházka, Aleksandar Rakic, and Anthony Smith, who are all waiting for their shot at champion Glover Teixeira. If Whittaker could position himself in that mix, he could make his way to a title shot with a win or two. All things considered, there may be no better time for Whittaker to make the jump than now.
What do you think of Robert Whittaker making the move to light heavyweight?
UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya isn’t happy with how Robert Whittaker has handled the aftermath of their rematch at UFC 271.
Adesanya earned a unanimous decision victory over Whittaker in their main event rematch at UFC 271. It was a back-and-forth competitive fight, but Adesanya earned the win on the judges’ scorecards.
Adesanya had a similar situation happen with another of his previous opponents, Marvin Vettori. During their post-UFC 263 banter, Vettori claimed that he felt he won the fight over Adesanya.
During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Adesanya compared how Whittaker and Vettori handled their losses.
“He and Vettori are sippin’ the same wine that Costa was sippin’,” Adesanya said.
Adesanya went on to claim that he allegedly heard Whittaker’s team having the opposite opinion mid-fight.
“But yeah, everyone’s entitled to their opinion. I’m not gonna try to change their opinion. But from what I’ve heard, his corner was telling him in the corner, like, ‘You’re losing this fight. You need to step up.’ That’s what I’ve heard. How the fuck you gonna think you won when your corner’s telling you you’re losing the fight?”
Israel Adesanya Is Expected To Face Jared Cannonier Next
Israel Adesanya’s next fight might be against Jared Cannonier later this year. Cannonier earned a gruesome knockout win over Derek Brunson on the UFC 271 main card, setting up a showdown for the middleweight title.
Adesanya has previously expressed interest in a fight with Cannonier, and it appears that it’ll finally come to fruition. Before the win over Brunson, Cannonier had earned big wins over the likes of Jack Hermansson and Kelvin Gastelum.
For now, it appears that any hope of a third fight between Adesanya and Whittaker is on hold. Whittaker will need to go on another win streak to potentially earn a third chance at Adesanya.
How did you score Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker 2?
Israel Adesanya’s head coach Eugene Bareman has shut down Joe Rogan’s in-fight assessment that the UFC champion broke his hand at UFC 271.
Adesanya earned a unanimous decision win over former champion Robert Whittaker in the UFC 271 main event. He utilized an efficient striking attack to out-pace Whittaker, especially in the later rounds.
Eyebrows were raised when Rogan texted play-by-play commentator Jon Anik in the middle of the broadcast that he thought Adesanya had broken his right hand. Adesanya appeared to curl his right hand and not be as active with it as the fight went on.
“No, that’s more to do with something that happened in Rounds 2 through 4, trying to get that right-hand side going,” Bareman said. “But for whatever reason, Robert was making Israel a little anxious to throw not just the right hand but the right side in terms of the leg going a little bit. [Israel] said not just the right side in terms of the upper body moving, but there was a block there that [Israel] tried to mitigate [his] way through each round. But for whatever reason, [he] wasn’t able to successfully get that right hand going the way we wanted to. So it wasn’t about a broken hand or anything, it was [mental].”
Rogan was absent from the commentary team due to an unknown conflict. It was originally reported by some outlets that it was due to a scheduling issue, but UFC President Dana White has since shut that theory down.
Adesanya has now successfully defended his title four times since knocking out Whittaker at UFC 243. He also challenged for the light heavyweight title against Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259 but fell short in a decision.
Bareman has clarified Adesanya’s health status with his hand and it sounds like the middleweight champion is still anticipating a return for some time this summer.
Who do you want to see Israel Adesanya fight next in 2022?
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.
“Pottery (laughs),” Whittaker said. “Nah. Honestly, a third fight between me and Izzy is inevitable, because I’m gonna stomp anybody who comes in front of me again, and he knows that too, that’s why he said ‘I’ll be seeing you in the future.’ And I don’t see him losing the belt anytime soon, he’s 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.”
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.
“Hopefully it will be quicker than that. I guess there’s obvious people I need to fight first—the people who I haven’t 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. Let’s be honest, there aren’t a lot of people in the top ten that I haven’t had it over. I don’t know, I’m not really thinking about it. I’m more thinking about going home to my family and just cruising.”
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.
“I said, you know, ‘I don’t like you, you don’t like me, but I respect you,’” Adesanya said. “And he said the same thing and ‘I’m sure in another life we could be friends.’ And I said ‘maybe.’ But yeah, we’re just two guys trying to be the best in the world. But tonight I’m the best in the world.”
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.
Contracts
On Wednesday of fight week, many of the UFC regularly reporting entities had mentioned that before the fight, Israel Adesanya’s 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.
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 “scheduling conflict,” 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 White’s 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. It’s 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 Champ…
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, it’s no surprise that the result is sure to be a topic of conversation when the UFC updates their rankings on Tuesday.
There’s 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 UFC’s 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 didn’t 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 couldn’t 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 couldn’t 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 UFC’s 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.
Let’s see how the fighters reacted to the outcome of this fight:
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.
Tonight, Robert Whittaker will have an opportunity to recapture middleweight gold when he faces Israel Adesanya at UFC 271. This chance at redemption for Whittaker after getting starched in their initial bout three years ago is something “The Reaper” has no doubt fantasized about.
Another fantasy bout for Whittaker would have been against one of his three favorite fighters of all time, Georges St-Pierre. In this article from four years ago, Whittaker discussed GSP not fighting him after St-Pierre captured the title from Michael Bisping in 2017.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 9, 2018, 7:08 PM]
Headline: Whittaker Addresses Not Fighting Georges St-Pierre For Middleweight Title
UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has sounded off on Georges St-Pierre not fighting him.
St-Pierre returned to competition in November after four years away from the sport to win the middleweight title with a submission victory in the third round over Michael Bisping at UFC 217. The win made St-Pierre just the fourth fighter in UFC history to win titles in two divisions. He now joins Randy Couture, B.J. Penn, and Conor McGregor.
Shortly after the fight, it was announced that GSP had vacated the title and the promotion awarded interim champion Whittaker the actual championship. Now, GSP is on the sidelines as he deals with colitis. “I felt like the champion well before they came out and said it,” Whittaker said this week on The MMA Hour. “I think a lot of the middleweight division considered me the champion well before they came out and said it. The middleweight division was in a funny spot for a long time, with just the way things were panning out, who was fighting who, all these fighters that were coming out of left field. Like, there were matchups — they’re all funny, let’s just say they’re funny. “And in my opinion, the rankings and the division, the way it should work is you have your champ, you have your No. 1, your No. 2, and the champ fights one, two fights one, three fights two, and you work your way up like that. And I just feel like, with Georges getting in there and proving to everyone the caliber of fighter he is, and that he can still get in there and do what he’s supposed to do, and the belt coming to me after I fought my way through some tough guys, the best in the division — I feel this is like a return to normalcy.”
No doubt the biggest fight that Whittaker could’ve taken right now would be against St-Pierre due to the fact that he’s one of the biggest draws in the history of the sport.
“I was split,” Whittaker said. “It was hard. I thought maybe if we fought in Montreal, we get a big pay-per-view, [St-Pierre] may want to fight me, because realistically, he doesn’t have too much to lose with that fight. But, yeah, there was always that part of me that thought, ‘No, there’s no way he’s going to take that fight with me.’ It’s a hard fight for anyone on any given day. And like he showed and he said, it’s not his division. He’s not built for the division the way that I am or other middleweights are, so it was hard for him to get up to the weight and to utilize that weight properly. “I always knew there was a very big chance he was just going to take off and not fight,” Whittaker added. “I was just hoping he wouldn’t take another fight on the sidelines and just hold up the division once again.”
What are your thoughts on the promotion not booking this fight? Sound off in the comment section below.
Robert Whittaker has dropped his top-three favorite fighters list.
At UFC 271, Robert Whittaker will look to carve his name in the history books by becoming a two-time UFC middleweight champion. But not only is Whittaker an elite fighter, but he is also a fan.
In an interview with RT Sport MMA, Robert Whittaker named a few fighters he puts above all others.
“Georges St-Pierre, Khabib, and probably Emelianenko. I was trying to think of fighters that were complete. I feel like that is what makes a true mixed martial artist. That’s what sets them higher than everybody else; set them as the champions that they were. Honestly, those three guys hit every one of the boxes,” Whittaker told RT Sport MMA.
Many conversations in MMA begin with these respected names. All three fighters have incredible professional records and are veterans of the sport. They definitely set a champion standard.
Whittaker ended a nine-fight win streak when he fought Israel Adesanya in 2019 but is undefeated since then. Avenging a loss to one of the greatest fighters in the league would be another gold star on Whittaker’s résumé and could put him in the GOAT category among his favorite fighters.
Georges St. Pierre, Photo Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images
GSP is a stellar addition to the list. He is a part of the two-division champion circle at middleweight and welterweight.
He defended his welterweight title nine times and retired in 2013 as the welterweight champion. After leaving the UFC, St. Pierre proved he has not lost his touch by subbing Michael Bisping by rear-naked choke in 2017. The short-lived comeback headlined UFC 217.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, Photo Credit: Zuffa LLC
It is difficult to discuss the lightweight division without hearing Khabib’s name.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is undefeated across several platforms in his MMA career. The Russian fighter was a grappling sensation in the Octagon and headlined numerous UFC events.
He defeated Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje before–all by submission–before retiring from the UFC. Since retiring from MMA, Khabib coaches and represents his own fighting promotion, Eagel FC.
Fedor Emelianenko, Photo Credit: Getty Images
The list ends with heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko.
“The Last Emperor” is a dominant force in the cage and moves smoothly at over 230 pounds. 31 out of his 40 wins are by knockout and submission. The heavyweight has seen only 6 losses in his 46 fights. Currently, Fedor is on a 2-fight win streak in Bellator and will soon have his final bout.
The list is impressive, indeed. These well-rounded fighters are considered GOAT status in the sport. Stand-up game, grapple game, submissions, knockouts—they have it all.
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.
“I 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.”
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 German’s 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, it’s 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 Hooker’s UFC 266 game plan, or a mixed striking approach himself. I give a narrow edge to “King.” (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 it’s going to be a fun fight. Nasrat has a lot of upside and probably hasn’t even hit his prime yet. I’ll side with Hasrat by decision. (Prediction: Nasrat Haqparast)
Ed Carbajal: This opener should make for an exciting lightweight bout. Green’s experience could trump the youth and inexperience of Haqparast, but in today’s realm of combat sports, it’s never been more obvious that MMA is a young man’s game. Green certainly has the ingredients to put Haqparast away early, but if it goes longer than one and a half rounds, I’m 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 shouldn’t have been handed a loss to Paiva. While he’ll 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 it’s unlikely he’ll 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 Phillips’ 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 I’ve 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 they’re 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. He’s 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: There’s only so many times I can count Brunson out before I learn not to underestimate him. However, I’m going to try my luck one last time. Brunson’s game plan is clear. And if he executes it like he did against Till, he’ll win.
But against a middleweight as experienced and powerful as Cannonier, not to mention his strong takedown defense, I can’t see Brunson being able to turn this into a wrestling match, and anything but that favors “The Killa Gorilla.” (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 they’re pretty even in reach. Cannonier’s striking output seems to be greater than Brunson’s, 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: It’s 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, Tuivasa’s recent admission that he’ll have to fight “smart” has encouraged me about his chances. I see this one as pretty much a coin flip, but I’m leaning 51/49 in favor of “The Black Beast.” (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 don’t 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/KO’d. Tuivasa has only been T/KO’d 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 don’t 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 he’s almost impossible to bet against, at least at middleweight. Having seen Vettori’s failed attempts to take the champ down last year, I can’t envision Whittaker being able to impose his will in the grappling department. Beyond that, how does he win? Can he outstrike Adesanya? Finish him? It’s tough to see.
But outside of his loss to Adesanya, “The Reaper” is unbeaten since 2014 and has looked unstoppable in his last three fights. If he’s at his best, and really is a “different beast” on the feet now, as his manager claims, there’s no one more likely to hand Adesanya his first blemish at 185 pounds. I expect a tight contest, but one “The Last Stylebender” edges. (Prediction: Israel Adesanya)
Andrew Ravens: Finally, the rematch that we’ve 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 wouldn’t be shocked if Whittaker wins here by split decision, as I think he’s going to give Israel a real challenge. However, I do think Israel is currently the best fighter in the division, so I’ll side with him getting it done by decision. (Prediction: Israel Adesanya )
Ed Carbajal: This main event doesn’t seem as hyped as the first time around. Probably because the first time went so well for Adesanya, it’s hard to think anything will go differently the second time around. But it’s fun to think it would, right? Whittaker did take some time off, so there’s 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.
“Maybe it’s just a psychological thing. He doesn’t want to see that be replayed in his head over and over again. But I mean, there’s a reason I brought my hi-top fade back. I have to remind him. I had the Little Caesar for a while for the Costa fight and the Vettori fight. But I brought the hi-top fade back just to remind him. So when he steps across the cage from me, déjà vu,” Adesanya said at UFC 271 media day.
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.
“I humbled him to the sense that he can’t say the sh*t he was saying the first time around because he was talking all that sh*t saying this and that. ‘I think Adesanya isn’t as good as he thinks he is.’ I remember that,” Adesanya said in a video uploaded to his YouTube channel. “I’m the elephant in the f*cking room. I never forget. ‘Oh, Israel’s not as good as he thinks he is.’ I’ll show you how great I think I am.”
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.
“I saw a little snippet of what he was saying. It’s like he finds it hard to swallow,” Adesanya added. “It’s a hard pill for him to swallow. He’s admitting it, he’s saying the right things, but he’s not believing it. His ego won’t let him and that’s his downfall. His ego. People tried to say that about me leading to the first fight. ‘Oh, he’s too egotistical. He’s not humble like Whittaker.’ I’m like, bro, stop. I am extraordinarily humble. I know my limits as a human being and my capabilities. So I know I’m the sh*t but at the same time, I know I ain’t sh*t. He needs to check himself. He’s got this newfound mental clarity and it would help him positively if it was true. I just don’t buy into it.” (h/t MMA Fighting)
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?
Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker believes fellow contender Derek Brunson has always been as good as his recent results suggest.
This time three years ago, not many would have expected or predicted Brunson to be in position for a title eliminator in 2022. But that is exactly the spot the veteran has placed himself in. He’s set to face Jared Cannonier at UFC 271 next month, with the winner expected to challenge for gold later in the year.
To get to this spot, Brunson has built a five-fight win streak that has firmly broken him beyond the status of gatekeeper and into the elite at 185 pounds. After going 0-2 in 2018, Brunson rebounded with unanimous decision victories over Elias Theodorou and Ian Heinisch.
In a main event against the then-unbeaten Edmen Shahbazyan, Brunson showed his quality. He dominated and beat up the youngster on his way to a third-round TKO.
Now sitting at #4 in the middleweight rankings, Brunson has firmly exceeded expectations and made a late surge towards the title. But while most are surprised by his resurgence, one of his former opponents isn’t.
During an interview with LowKick MMA, Whittaker, who defeated Brunson via first-round TKO in 2016, suggested not much has changed in Brunson’s approach for him to find his recent success. “The Reaper” said that the middleweight mainstay has always been this good, but has simply faced tough opposition.
“He kind of fights the same way (as before) doesn’t he? [LAUGHS] He gets in your face, then he grinds you up against the fence, and then takes you down and makes your life a living hell,” said Whittaker. “I think he was always that good, it’s just he fought some good opponents and had some bad nights. He definitely seems more experienced and (is) making smarter decisions.”
Brunson’s strength of schedule is certainly up there with the best at 185 pounds. His five UFC defeats came against powerhouse and former title challenger Yoel Romero, legendary former champion and GOAT contender Anderson Silva, Brazilian grappling great Ronaldo Souza, current middleweight king Israel Adesanya, and former titleholder and now-top contender Whittaker.
Brunson will hope to avoid adding Cannonier’s name to that list when they collide in February. Discussing that matchup, Whittaker said the key for Brunson will be taking “The Killa Gorilla” to the ground and keeping him there.
“Brunson’s a good fighter. You can see, the only guys he’s really lost to have been previous champs, really,” added Whittaker. “I think Cannonier’s a tough guy to beat though. I think to get this win, (Brunson) takes him down and holds him down and makes him uncomfortable and just grinds him out there for three rounds. But Cannonier is very hard to hold down. And he hits like a truck. His standup striking is very technical, very textbook. It’s an interesting fight.”
As well as Brunson’s likely title eliminator against Cannonier, UFC 271 will also see another crucial middleweight contest go down. In the main event, Whittaker will look to exact revenge on Adesanya in their rematch and regain his spot on the 185-pound throne.
How do you think Robert Whittaker and Derek Brunson will fare in their respective matchups at UFC 271?
