Robert Whittaker explains why he remains excited despite losing to Israel Adesanya for a second time: “There is no ceiling”

By Harry Kettle - February 14, 2022

UFC middleweight Robert Whittaker has explained why he feels excited despite his loss to Israel Adesanya at UFC 271.

Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker, UFC 271

Despite improving dramatically in comparison to his first meeting with Adesanya at UFC 243, Robert Whittaker wasn’t able to get the nod on the judges’ scorecards this past Saturday night. Their Houston collision went the distance with “The Last Stylebender” successfully defending the strap, to the surprise of the challenger.

Alas, in a message to his fans after the fight, Whittaker seemed to be in an upbeat mood as he looked ahead to the future.

“I thought I did enough, I left it all in there – but, the decision aside, I believe I surmounted one of the biggest obstacles my career has thrown at me in the last decade or so. I feel like I’m evolving as a fighter, and every fight you can see a better version of myself. Honestly, it just excites me to see that there is no ceiling. I’m just gonna keep getting better, I’m 31 now, I’m just entering the prime of my career, and I have every avenue to run down. So, yeah, if you’re a long term supporter or fan, you guys know that The Reaper is just getting better. But, if you’re just jumping on, stay tuned. It’s gonna be fun.”

In the eyes of many, a fight against Marvin Vettori makes sense for “Bobby Knuckles” in his push for another shot at the belt. Israel Adesanya, meanwhile, will be turning his attention to his next challenger – with the expectation being that Jared Cannonier will fill that role.

Do you think we will see Robert Whittaker compete for an undisputed or interim middleweight belt again before the end of the year? If so, will he become champion? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments, BJPENN Nation!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM


Topics:

Israel Adesanya Robert Whittaker UFC UFC 271