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I guess it’s safe to say Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight striker, Uriah Hall, placed his bet on the odds released by Israel Adesanya, suggesting 185-pound champion, Robert Whittaker, was going to get injured and withdraw from his “Stylebender” title fight at UFC 243 in Melbourne.
While that might suck for “Reaper” fans, Hall is prepared to capitalize on the opportunity by stepping in to take his place. Not only would that secure a “Prime Time” title shot, it would also display some anime-level offense, according to the 35 year-old New Yorker.
“We know Robert’s going to get hurt – I’ll be on deck. I’ll be like, ‘Hey man, let’s crack,’” Whittaker told MMA Junkie. “It’s not even to say, ‘Screw you, man,’ – I think Israel is definitely one of the best. I’m just excited because I feel like it’s an anime thing going on between us. I’m Dragon Ball Z, he’s Naruto. So we’ve got to have that classic matchup. We understand each other’s style. I understand his style. I just want to test myself against the best.”
While that sounds like a fan-friendly fight, Hall (14-9) has a long way to go before he can start matchmaking with the Top 5 of the division. Not only has “Prime Time” previously lost to Whittaker, he’s also dropped four of his last six.
Hall can start to put together a middleweight win streak of his own at the upcoming UFC Fight Night 158: “Cowboy vs. Gaethje” event this weekend on ESPN+, where he faces fellow 185-pound bruiser, Antonio Carlos Junior, in Vancouver.
For the complete UFC Fight Night 158 fight card and line up click here.