ROBERT WHITTAKER VS. ISRAEL ADESANYA
This is one of those bouts that don’t require a lot of breakdown or explanation — everyone knows it’s an outstanding matchup with massive stakes — but just in case this is the first time you’re choosing to look in on the action inside the Octagon, here’s what you need to know.
Whittaker has gone 8-0 since moving to middleweight, capping that run with back-to-back wins over Yoel Romero in a pair of thrilling, Fight of the Year-type battles. Injuries and illnesses have limited the 28-year-old to just one appearance in the last two years, however his talent, toughness and heart have never been in doubt and there is no question “The Reaper” will be ready to give his all in his return to the Octagon this weekend in Melbourne.
In the time since Whittaker last stepped into the cage, Adesanya has collected four victories, extending his UFC winning streak to six and pushing his record to 17-0 overall. Last time out, the charismatic and crafty striker rallied down the stretch to pull away from Kelvin Gastelum and claim the interim middleweight title in a bout that remains the clubhouse leader in the Fight of the Year race.
In terms of how they match up, this one isn’t so much a clash of styles as it is the difference between a home-cooked meal and dining out at a fancy restaurant. Both are supremely talented and well-rounded competitors who have proven their mettle time and again inside the Octagon, just Whittaker doesn’t have the flash and flair of Adesanya, whose technical abilities and sound fundamentals often get overlooked because of his playful, performative nature.
This is a compelling, competitive, exhilarating matchup and has a very real Fight of the Year potential.
