Despite suffering two professional losses against current UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya, former undisputed division kingpin, Robert Whittaker maintains he still poses the biggest threat to the title reign of the Nigerian-Kiwi.
Holding the current #2 rank in the official middleweight division, Whittaker, a former undisputed middleweight champion to boot under the banner of the UFC, has been sidelined since co-headlining UFC Fight Night Paris back in September, handing a one-sided decision win over Marvin Vettori.
The former gold holder has since been booked to feature at UFC 290 in July during International Fight Week against the surging South African contender, Dricus du Plessis in an official title-eliminator.
Robert Whittaker touts ability to defeat Israel Adesanya in third fight
Touting his ability to finally crack his win-less skid against Adesanya in a third title fight against the City Kickboxing staple, Whittaker or du Plessis will tackle the former in a return to Sydney, Australia for the UFC later this annum.
“He doesn’t want to fight me,” Robert Whittaker said during an interview with Fox Sports Australia. “I’m the hardest fight in the division for him. That first one, not so good for me. The second one, nearly. This third one though, I have a really good feeling.”
“I’ve been evolving every fight, you can see it,” Robert Whittaker explained. “If you watch back my fights, every fight I’ve been getting better. I think I’m the biggest threat to him and his reign at the present moment. So, of course he wants him (Dricus du Plessis) to win. It’s a much easier fight, but it doesn’t bother me.”
First winning interim middleweight gold back in July 2017, Whittaker defeated common-foe, Yoel Romero with a unanimous decision victory, before he was then later promoted to undisputed champion, ahead of a successful title rematch with Cuban veteran, Romero.