Robert Whittaker News

Natasha Hooper - October 5, 2019

The interim champ, Israel Adesanya collided with the middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker in the main event of UFC 243. The much-anticipated bout was expected to break the UFC’s all-time attendance record and saw the Kiwi athletes fight for undisputed middleweight gold. The rising UFC prospect, Adesanya entered the Octagon on an undefeated 17-0 record. His official UFC debut was only a year and a half ago, but ‘The Last Stylebender’ had already fought 6 bouts. His MMA accomplishments include 13 TKO finishes, a $150,000 UFC fight-night bonus award and the 2019’s MMA award for breakthrough fighter of the year. The kickboxer’s short but rapid growth in the UFC was a result of his winning tally against stars such as Brad Tavares, Derek Brunson, Anderson Silva and Kelvin Gastelum. His flamboyant yet streamlined striking style has captured the attention of fans. Along with his magnetic aura, Adesanya has been compared to the likes of Jon Jones and Anderson Silva. However, his UFC 243 title bout against Robert Whittaker presented a new level of competition.

Chris Taylor - October 5, 2019

Robert Whittaker squared off with undefeated UFC interim middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in the headiner of tonight’s UFC 243 event. The fight marked Whittaker’s first in fifteen months, as his most previous Octagon appearance had come at UFC 225 in June of 2018. That night in Chicago, Robert Whittaker (21-5 MMA) defeated Yoel Romero by split decision in a ‘fight of the year’ performance to retain his middleweight title.

Chris Taylor - October 5, 2019

A middleweight title unification bout between Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya headlined tonight’s UFC 243 pay-per-view event in Melbourne, Australia. Israel Adesanya (17-0 MMA) was returning to action for the first time since April’s UFC 236 event where he scored a thrilling unanimous decision victory over Kelvin Gastelum to capture the promotions interim middleweight title.

Chris Taylor - October 5, 2019

A middleweight title unification bout between Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya headlines tonight’s UFC 243 pay-per-view event in Melbourne, Australia. Israel Adesanya (17-0 MMA) was last seen in action at April’s UFC 236 event where he scored a thrilling unanimous decision victory over Kelvin Gastelum to capture the promotions interim middleweight title.

Chris Taylor - October 5, 2019

UFC lightweight contender Justin Gaethje says he ‘went big’ on a first round finish from Robert Whittaker for tonight’s UFC 243 event. Whittaker will take on Israel Adesanya in a middleweight title unification bout that serves as the headliner of this evenings UFC 243 event in Melbourne, Australia.

Chris Taylor - October 5, 2019

The Octagon returns to Melbourne, Australia tonight for UFC 243, an eleven-bout fight card headlined by Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker. Israel Adesanya (17-0 MMA) was last seen in action at April’s UFC 236 event where he scored a thrilling unanimous decision victory over Kelvin Gastelum to capture the promotions interim middleweight title.

Chris Taylor - October 5, 2019

Paulo Costa will be watching tonight’s UFC 243 middleweight title unification bout between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker with great interest. The undefeated Brazilian, Costa (13-0 MMA), is expected to be the next man to challenge for the promotions coveted middleweight title.

Adam Martin - October 4, 2019

All 22 fighters scheduled to compete on Saturday night’s UFC 243 card have officially weighed in, and two fighters have missed weight. The card features an incredible UFC middleweight title fight between champion Robert Whittaker and interim champ Israel Adesanya. Both men have officially made weight for their championship title bout, and the fight is on.

Tom Taylor - October 4, 2019

UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker is not worried about finishing Israel Adesanya at UFC 243 on Saturday night. Instead, the champ is planning on dragging his Kiwi challenger into a hellacious, five-round war. If the finish materialized somewhere in the midst of that war, so be it.

Mike Pendleton - October 3, 2019

With UFC 243 right around the corner, current UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker will return to action, after being away for 16 months in a title unification fight against interim champion Israel Adesanya. In what many are calling the biggest fight in Australia and New Zealand history, the two fighters have been given star treatment by the UFC and their host venue of Marvel Stadium in the build-up to the fight. With plenty of media, appearances, and attention being given to both fighters, “The Last Stylebender”, Adesanya, believes he’s built for the pressure of a main event this meaningful.

Christopher Taylor - October 3, 2019

Current UFC interim middleweight champ Israel Adesanya has taken a shot at Yoel Romero in his latest warning to reigning division kingpin Robert Whittaker. Israel Adesanya (17-0 MMA) will square off with Robert Whittaker (20-4 MMA) in the headliner of this weekend’s highly anticipated UFC 243 pay-per-view event from Australia.

Mike Pendleton - October 3, 2019

As UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and interim middleweight champion Israel Adesanya prepare to unify their titles in the main event of UFC 243, the anticipation is high. There have been many who believe this fight will break UFC records for highest attendance, and it is widely considered the biggest fight in Oceanic history given the pair’s ties to Australia and New Zealand. While both Whittaker and Adesanya are confident heading into this matchup, the UFC has set this fight up to be a spectacle for those in Australia as they have Marvel Stadium playing host to UFC 243.

Natasha Hooper - October 3, 2019

This weekend Israel Adesanya goes head to head against Robert Whittaker in the main event of UFC 243. Want to know how to watch this UFC event? Find out below The event takes place at the Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia. It starts on Saturday 5th October for the United States and Sunday the 6th of October for Australia. Find the official start times for the US, Australia and the UK below:

Cole Shelton - October 1, 2019

Robert Whittaker’s longtime jiu-jitsu coach Alex Prates recently said his pupil is a better version of Georges St-Pierre. “Maybe you’ll see Robert Whittaker using a style that I think is the one that suits him better but he never really needed it because it was always comfortable for him on the feet for most of his fights,” Prates told MMA Fighting, discussing Whittaker’s looming showdown with Israel Adesanya. “With Yoel Romero, for example, it would have been stupid to try to take him down. But Robert has great wrestling and great timing. I honestly think Robert is a better version of GSP. And we might see this now.”

Cole Shelton - September 30, 2019

Robert Whittaker sees a clear path to victory against Israel Adesanya and it is not by using his wrestling as some would expect. At UFC 243, the UFC middleweight champion will return to the Octagon for the first time since June of 2018. He will make his return against the interim champ in Adesanya. It is a highly anticipated fight between an Australian and a Kiwi in Adesanya, and it’s being billed as the biggest fight in Oceanic history.

Natasha Hooper - September 26, 2019

Israel Adesanya has already established himself as one of the best middleweights in the world. With a record of 17-0, he is confident that his winning strategy will allow him to “pick apart” Robert Whittaker at UFC 243. It’s been a big year for Adesanya. “The Last Stylebender” got tongues wagging in a riveting three-round performance against former UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva in February at UFC 234. His creative arsenal of striking attacks was enough to earn a unanimous decision victory. Most recently, Adesanya took on Kelvin Gastelum in a fight that exceeded expectation. Despite being a close match, the tides turned in Adesanya’s favour and he took home a decision win after five fun rounds.

Tom Taylor - September 12, 2019

UFC middleweight champ Robert Whittaker is scheduled to defend his title opposite interim champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 243 this October. In the opinion of long-time middleweight contender Uriah Hall, however, this Whittaker-Adesanya matchup is doomed to fail. Hall believes that Whittaker will ultimately withdraw from this fight, just as he did last time he was scheduled to fight in his native Australia. In that event, Hall says he’ll happily step in on short-notice to replace Whittaker against Adesanya — a fighter he seems to respect.

Tom Taylor - August 29, 2019

Robert Whittaker was expected to defend his UFC middleweight title against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 234 in in Melbourne, Australia back in February. Regrettably, the Australian was forced out of this fight at the last minute with a hernia and a collapsed bowel that required immediate, emergency surgery. Whittaker says this unfortunate twist of fate left him in a pit of depression and despair. He opened up on this struggle on a recent episode of Submission Radio.