Robert Whittaker will make his long-awaited return to the Octagon next month. “The Reaper” headlines UFC 243 in Australia opposite Israel Adesanya.
Whittaker defends his UFC middleweight title against the interim champ in Adesanya. All the action goes down from the Marvel Arena in Melbourne, Australia on October 6. Whittaker hasn’t competed since June of 2018. Over a year has passed for Whittaker since he has fought, dealing with some serious health issues along the way. Now, he’ll step back into action against one of the hottest strikers in the sport at the moment.
Speaking to MMA Junkie, however, Whittaker says she’s unconcerned with ring rust heading into the fight, as he has been keeping himself active.
“I do believe in ring rust if you’re not doing certain things to prepare yourself for competition,” Whittaker said. “If you’re not competing at all, if you haven’t competed at all and you’re not used to the adrenaline dump, not used to the pressure that comes with competing, then certainly the pressure is going to get to you and you might falter.
“I’ve been competing in jiu-jitsu, I’ve been competing in wrestling, I’ve been sparring in ways to increase the pressure and feel that. There’s ways to combat that. I also think once you reach a certain level – I know what to do. I’ve been there before, I’ve felt the pressure before, and I know that come October I’m going to walk in there and do my best.”
Whittaker takes on an undefeated Adesanya with a record of 17-0. “Stylebender” is a proven finisher who has picked up big victories over Derek Brunson, Anderson Silva, and Kelvin Gastelum. When the two finally clash in Melbourne, it will be the biggest fight in Australian history.
Do you think Whittaker will show signs of ring rust at UFC 243?
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