Robert Whittaker News
UFC 243 | Robert Whittaker plans on exploiting Israel Adesanya's striking defense
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.
Israel Adesanya on Robert Whittaker: 'I’ll pick him apart quite easily'
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.
Coach: Robert Whittaker is a 'better version of GSP'
Tom Taylor - September 23, 2019
UFC middleweight champ Robert Whittaker has won his last few fights with his striking, but striking certainly isn’t his only skill. In fact, Whittaker is so well-rounded that his coach Alex Prates considers him 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 Guilherme Cruz of MMA Fighting. “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.”
Uriah Hall believes Robert Whittaker will withdraw from UFC 243
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.
Robert Whittaker says Yoel Romero didn't follow game plan against Paulo Costa
Fernando Quiles Jr. - August 23, 2019
Robert Whittaker is of the belief that Yoel Romero was flustered when he couldn’t put Paulo Costa away. On the main card of UFC 241, Romero and Costa engaged in a middleweight tilt. The bout went the distance and delivered hard-hitting action with both men delivering a barrage of power shots. In the end, it was Costa who walked out of the Honda Center with the unanimous decision win.
Robert Whittaker makes prediction for title fight with Israel Adesanya
Fernando Quiles Jr. - August 22, 2019
Robert Whittaker has a prediction for his bout with Israel Adesanya and it doesn’t involve the judges. Whittaker and Adesanya are set to collide on Oct. 5. “The Reaper” is the UFC middleweight title holder, while “The Last Stylebender” holds interim gold. They’ll do battle in a title unification bout. Their scrap will take place inside Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia.
VIDEO | Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya square off
Adam Martin - August 15, 2019
UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and interim champ Israel Adesanya squared off Wednesday at the UFC 243 pre-fight press conference. As you can expect, it was a tense staredown between the world’s top two middleweights. Check out the video below.
Israel Adesanya is insulted by comparisons to Jon Jones' striking
Cole Shelton - July 31, 2019
Israel Adesanya is set to fight Robert Whittaker in the main event of UFC 243 this October in Australia. Yet, in the lead up to the fight, a lot of the talk has been about the budding rivalry between Jon Jones and Israel Adesanya. It even got the point where “Bones” and Whittaker were talking about training with one another for this title fight.
Kelvin Gastelum makes pick for Robert Whittaker vs. Israel Adesanya fight
Tom Taylor - July 30, 2019
Robert Whittaker explains why he hasn't trained with Jon Jones yet
Cole Shelton - July 29, 2019
During Israel Adesanya’s and Jon Jones’ intense trash talk, “Bones” said he would help train Robert Whittaker for his fight against “The Last Stylebender”. Yet, with the fight in October at UFC 243, Whittaker and Jones have yet to train together. According to the middleweight champion, there is a simple reason why.
Robert Whittaker questions the prevalence of trash talk in MMA
Tom Taylor - July 18, 2019
These days, it seems like the majority of UFC fighters are trash talkers. Whether it’s to build interest in a fight or get under their opponent’s skin, many fighters seem to have embraced this verbal side of the game. UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker, however, has not. Speaking on a recent episode of Submission Radio, Whittaker gave his take on all the trash talk in MMA. In his eyes, the time and energy fighters spend trash talking would be well spent elsewhere — like in the gym.
Israel Adesanya compares Robert Whittaker to a 'meth head'
Tom Taylor - July 10, 2019
Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker don’t even know where their UFC 243 middleweight title fight will occur yet, but Adesanya is already letting the trash talk fly. Speaking at the UFC Hall of Fame ceremony over the weekend, the interim champion Adesanya shared his thoughts on his first staredown with the undisputed champ Whittaker.
Robert Whittaker says Israel Adesanya is 'arguing by himself'
Fernando Quiles Jr. - July 10, 2019
Robert Whittaker has no plans to be goaded into a verbal spat with Israel Adesanya. Whittaker and Adesanya are set to collide in a middleweight title unification bout on Oct. 5. The championship tilt will serve as UFC 243’s main event. While the headliner and event have been announced, a location has not. While many had anticipated Melbourne, UFC president Dana White revealed during the summer press conference 2019 that nothing is a lock yet.
Israel Adesanya responds to Jon Jones' offer to train with Robert Whittaker
Fernando Quiles Jr. - July 6, 2019
Israel Adesanya has offered a response to Jon Jones’ offer to help train with Robert Whittaker and he didn’t have many kind things to say. Adesanya is the interim UFC middleweight champion and he’ll collide with main champion Whittaker in a title unification bout. The UFC announced that the fight will take place at UFC 243 on Oct. 5. A location has not been announced. Adesanya and Whittaker appeared at the UFC summer press conference 2019 and “The Last Stylebender” said he wasn’t amused by “The Reaper” posting memes on social media.
Jon Jones can't wait to see Robert Whittaker 'stomp a mudhole' in Israel Adesanya
Christopher Taylor - June 26, 2019
UFC light heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones will return to the octagon against dangerous knockout artist Thiago Santos at next month’s UFC 239 event. While ‘Bones’ is clearly focused on his upcoming fight with the Brazilian, it hasn’t stopped questions surrounding future fights with bitter rival Daniel Cormier and rising star Israel Adesanya from being asked. Jones, who has taken shots at both ‘DC‘ and ‘Stylebender’ in recent weeks, took the opportunity to add salt to the wound during a recent interview.
Israel Adesanya questions Robert Whittaker's status as champion
Tom Taylor - June 20, 2019
Robert Whittaker captured the UFC interim middleweight title with a July, 2017 defeat of Yoel Romero. He was then promoted to undisputed champion when Georges St-Pierre vacated the undisputed title in late 2017. Current interim champ Israel Adesanya, who fights Robert Whittaker at UFC 243 in October, believes Whittaker’s unconventional road to middleweight gold casts doubt on his status as a legitimate champion.
Robert Whittaker vs. Israel Adesanya headlines UFC 243 in Melbourne
Adam Martin - June 20, 2019
The two best middleweights in MMA are set to fight in a title unification bout this fall. According to a report from Raphael Marinho of Combate, UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker will take on interim UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in the main event of UFC 243, which takes place October 6 at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia. It is the biggest fight in MMA history between fighters from Australia and New Zealand.
Israel Adesanya takes shot at Robert Whittaker on Twitter
Natasha Hooper - May 10, 2019
Israel Adesanya has taken aim at the current middleweight champion Robert Whittaker, mocking his heritage. The Twitter image and caption posted by Adesanya mocks Whittaker ahead of their unification title bout intended for 2019. It can be assumed the post was made to promote the fight, cause a stir and put seeds of doubt in the mind of Robert Whittaker.
Report | UFC 243 set for Sydney, Australia with Robert Whittaker vs Israel Adesanya in the works
Drake Riggs - April 29, 2019
Generally, when an interim champion is crowned, we know exactly what fight will be next for them. That, of course, is none other than the undisputed champion. When “The Last Stylebender” Israel Adesanya (17-0) defeated Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236 in a fight of the year candidate, he became the new UFC interim middleweight champion. Thus making an encounter with the undisputed champ, Robert Whittaker (20-4), inevitable.