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Since joining the UFC in 2018, Israel Adesanya has been an unstoppable force in the middleweight division. “The Last Stylebender” is ready to show why he deserves to continue to hold on to the UFC middleweight championship when he faces a motivated Robert Whittaker at UFC 271.
Inside the Toyota Center in Houston on Saturday, Adesanya will put his title on the line for the fourth time. The two fought one another three years ago, with Adesanya winning via KO in the second round. Adesanya is a much different fighter compared with the man who beat Whittaker for the title at UFC 243.
Speaking to Jake Asman on The Wheelhouse, Adesanya described the potential differences between this fight and the one in 2019.
MORE: UFC 271 fight date, time, odds, PPV price, card and location for Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker 2
“Same thing but different,” Adesanya said. “I think he’s going to be a lot more cautious, a lot more patient. So will I. I’ve got the belt. If he wants it, he’s got to come get it.”
Adesanya has successfully defended the title against Yoel Romero, Paulo Costa and Marvin Vettori. Whittaker has since beaten Darren Till, Jared Cannonier and Kelvin Gastelum. With a new lease on life and fighting, Whittaker is ready to show that his mistakes from the first fight will not make it to the second bout. Adesanya is hoping to expose Whittaker in the octagon once again.
Whittaker has stated that he did some soul-searching and changed a lot of things in his life preparing for the fight. A new man, Whittaker is looking for a clean slate. Adesanya believes Whittaker isn’t the only one who has improved in the octagon over the past few years.
MORE: Robert Whittaker ready to get to work, reclaim middleweight title at UFC 271
“Well, he (Whittaker) said he’s a better fighter,” Adesanya went on to say. “I feel like I didn’t just sit in my house and twiddle my thumbs. I got better as well, exponentially. I’ve grown leaps and bounds in my game. I’ll go out there and do my thing. I have many things I can do (against him).”
The only blemish on Adesanya’s MMA record is a loss against UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz. When asked whether he would move up in weight again, Adesanya said yes, but that Whittaker is the primary focus. The dream is to be a double-champion. A self-driven man, Adesanya is all about focusing on what is in front of him, along with adding to his legacy.
If Adesanya beats Whittaker, he will pass Chris Weidman for second in title defenses within the division with four. Anderson Silva, a man Adesanya beat at UFC 234, owns the record with 10 defenses.
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