Tag: UFC middleweight

Robert Whittaker Describes ‘Same Moment’ From His Fight Against Du Plessis That He Saw At UFC 305

Robert Whittaker recently drew a parallel to the identical situation from his own fight against Dricus Du Plessis, which he observed during the main event of UFC 305. “Stillknocks” successfully defended his UFC middleweight title last weekend, securing victory with a fourth-round rear-naked choke to submit Adesanya at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia. […]

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Robert Whittaker recently drew a parallel to the identical situation from his own fight against Dricus Du Plessis, which he observed during the main event of UFC 305.

“Stillknocks” successfully defended his UFC middleweight title last weekend, securing victory with a fourth-round rear-naked choke to submit Adesanya at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.

The fight erupted at a blistering pace, with both fighters driving the action from the opening bell. The first round was a closely contested striking exchange, but in the second, Du Plessis relied on his superior grappling, securing multiple takedowns despite Adesanya’s resilience. As the third round unfolded, “The Last Stylebender” appeared to be in trouble but soon found his rhythm, landing powerful shots to the head and body.

Early in the fourth, the challenger seemed poised for a knockout, but Du Plessis turned the tide with punishing combinations, culminating in a perfectly timed takedown. He swiftly took Adesanya’s back and secured the submission victory moments later.

The South African’s unconventional fighting style, combined with the power in his hands, seems to be an enigma that his opponents can’t unravel. No one is better suited to attest to this than Whittaker, with his firsthand experience facing Du Plessis in the Octagon…

Whittaker Analyzes How Du Plessis Lulls Opponents Before Capitalizing

During a recent appearance on the MMArcade Podcast, ‘The Reaper’ dissected Du Plessis’ triumphant performance against Adesanya at UFC 305. Whittaker highlighted the uncanny similarity between his own second-round knockout loss to Du Plessis at UFC 290 in July 2023 and the manner in which Adesanya succumbed to the South African’s relentless power.

The former UFC middleweight champion observed that “Stillknocks” possesses a deceptive ability to coax his opponents into a false sense of security, making them believe he’s slow and predictable. But just when they start to feel comfortable, he surges forward with an unorthodox stance, unleashing powerful strikes that catch them off guard.

“There’s a method to his madness like I’m making light of it and making it funny, but the dude is a weapon. He’s a true warrior,” Whittaker said. “I can say that firsthand because he beat me right with the same cumbersome throwing punches. It’s funny—I saw the same moment Adesanya had in his fight that I had in my fight, and it was somewhere in the first round where you think you see the punches, you move out of the way of the punches, and you realize like he’s slow, I can see them, like I got this, it’s almost like you’re thinking, ‘This is too easy, I can see everything.’”

“And then, all of a sudden, he hits you. Then he starts climbing on you when he starts closing that gap a little bit more, like he starts, what, risking it a little bit more, like lunging into his shots, and he closes that inch that you thought you were safe by a little bit. Then there’s the factor of his power.”

“The Reaper” also highlighted that what truly makes Du Plessis a formidable force is his versatile style and the power that complements it perfectly.

“In that last exchange before the submission, Adesanya took some heavy shots. Adesanya’s got a great chin—he does, bastard. Dricus saw that too, pushed it, got the takedown, and then jumped on the back straight away—good instincts. He said he trained for that transition, and it looks good, but that’s just a testament to his power because his power is what got him the chance, the opportunity. There’s so much to dissect and so many ‘what ifs,’ like you’d have to ask him, but, like, man, to sum it all up, I think Adesanya looked outstanding. Dricus is just a warrior, and I understand what you need to do to beat him.”

Whittaker is eager to redeem his loss to Du Plessis and plans to do so by decisively defeating Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308 in October. With his sights set on reclaiming his place as the top contender for the next title shot, he’s meticulously analyzing the reigning champion’s every move.

Continue Reading Robert Whittaker Describes ‘Same Moment’ From His Fight Against Du Plessis That He Saw At UFC 305 at MMA News.

Former UFC Champions Pick Out The Perfect Fight For Israel Adesanya After UFC 305 Loss: ‘I Like His Chances…’

Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman recently took on the role of matchmakers, speculating on Israel Adesanya’s next move following his defeat to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305. “The Last Stylebender” succumbed to a fourth-round submission loss against the reigning UFC middleweight champion in his quest to reclaim the title for a third time last […]

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Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman recently took on the role of matchmakers, speculating on Israel Adesanya’s next move following his defeat to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305.

“The Last Stylebender” succumbed to a fourth-round submission loss against the reigning UFC middleweight champion in his quest to reclaim the title for a third time last weekend at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.

Although Adesanya showcased sharp striking and strong defensive wrestling in a highly competitive fight, Du Plessis turned the tide in the fourth round with a relentless barrage of punches that left the Nigerian-born Kiwi staggered. With great presence of mind, “Stillknocks” swiftly secured a takedown and moved in to seal the deal with a rear-naked choke.

Following the defeat, a fleeting moment in the Octagon hinted that Adesanya might be contemplating retirement. As he removed his gloves, fans held their breath, thinking he was about to make an announcement during his post-fight interview with UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier. However, it turned out that Adesanya’s gesture was merely a false alarm, with no real intention behind it.

Now, after suffering the first submission loss of his career and enduring back-to-back defeats, “The Last Stylebender” finds himself at a pivotal crossroads. To reclaim his place in the title picture, he’ll need to embark on a challenging climb back to the top.

Cejudo and Usman have pinpointed several middleweight contenders they believe would make compelling matchups for Adesanya’s next fight…

Cejudo and Usman Split On Adesanya’s Next Possible Opponent

During a recent episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast, Cejudo and Usman weighed in on who might be the ideal next opponent for Adesanya. “Triple C” proposed that the former middleweight champion should square off against Paulo Costa in a rematch, viewing it as a quick path back to title contention. Cejudo believes this matchup could position Adesanya for a shot at the winner of the anticipated Du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland title fight.

“If I’m Israel Adesanya, I’m looking to fight a troll in Paulo ‘Borrachinha’ too, you know, do a rematch with ‘Mr. Secret Juice’—a winnable fight for him,” Cejudo said. “Then he just waits, sees, and hopes that a guy like Sean Strickland wins, and then boom, he’s at the title once again.”

Usman, however, took a different stance, questioning why Adesanya would bother facing Costa again when he’s already bested him. “The Nigerian Nightmare” instead argued that instead of revisiting old ground, Izzy should set his sights on new challenges.

“Why would we go ‘Borrachinha’?” Usman said. “He’s lost to Israel Adesanya, lost to Sean Strickland, lost to Robert Whittaker. Why would we go to ‘Borrachinha’? Give him new blood, give him something that’s going to be intriguing. And there are intriguing fights right now. You’ve got the French dude [Nassourdine] Imavov—that is going to be a fantastic fight. You’ve got Khamzat Chimaev, which was the buildup for potentially that middleweight title picture when Israel was champion.

“Those are fantastic fights, those are huge, and those are amazing fights where I actually think you can’t say that’s not a good fight. Because we’ve had this debate before, and we both agree—what happens when Israel Adesanya gets back up from Khamzat Chimaev? What happens when he’s able to not get taken down, stand there, and start to sharpshoot? We’ve had that debate before, and I like his chances.”

While Adesanya maintains he’s far from done, he’s not setting a timeline for his next fight. With a 4-4 record in his last eight Octagon appearances, Izzy now faces the harsh reality of reassessing his path forward.

Continue Reading Former UFC Champions Pick Out The Perfect Fight For Israel Adesanya After UFC 305 Loss: ‘I Like His Chances…’ at MMA News.

Michael ‘Venom’ Page Predicts Head Kick KO In UFC 305 Main Event: ‘The King Is About To Return To The Throne!’

Michael “Venom” Page recently offered his insights into the highly anticipated middleweight title showdown between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, suggesting that the fight could end with a spectacular head kick knockout. “Stillknocks” is set to defend his championship for the first time in a grudge match against Adesanya in the […]

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Michael “Venom” Page recently offered his insights into the highly anticipated middleweight title showdown between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, suggesting that the fight could end with a spectacular head kick knockout.

“Stillknocks” is set to defend his championship for the first time in a grudge match against Adesanya in the headline bout of the upcoming pay-per-view event, scheduled for this weekend at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.

The two fighters were initially expected to square off last September following their dramatic face-off at UFC 290 in July 2023, yet destiny had other plans when an untimely injury derailed Du Plessis. During that time, “The Last Stylebender” faced a surprising setback, losing the middleweight title to Sean Strickland at UFC 293.

In the wake of his defeat, Adesanya announced that he would be taking a hiatus to prioritize his mental well-being and recalibrate his career. Meanwhile, the South African power puncher made a triumphant return, narrowly defeating Strickland by a split decision to seize the 185-pound title at UFC 297.

Despite returning from a loss and a year-long break, Adesanya still stands as the odds-on favorite against Du Plessis. The Nigerian-born Kiwi is hailed as one of the most formidable middleweight champions in UFC history, with five successful title defenses under his belt. His reign of dominance is credited to his intricate fighting style, a puzzle that many opponents struggle to solve, combined with his remarkable ability to land potent strikes while maintaining flawless control of range.

A virtuoso of unconventional striking techniques himself, Page has a deep understanding of just how lethal ‘The Last Stylebender’ can be on his feet against Du Plessis…

Page Expects ‘Old-School’ Adesanya To Shine Against Du Plessis

During a recent UFC 305 prediction video on his YouTube channel, “Venom” offered his thoughts on the looming clash between Du Plessis and Adesanya. Page threw his support behind the former middleweight champion, suggesting that Adesanya’s time away from the octagon has likely reignited his hunger and determination.

“The middleweight division is just crazy right now with its constant handovers when it comes to the belt, but I do think the king is about to return to his throne,” Page said. “There’s a different level of focus right now when it comes to Izzy after he had a little back and forth with [Alex] Pereira, got his one back. That was unbelievable because he put so much mental strength into that. He kind of just wasn’t in the same mindset after that; he kind of relaxed a bit too much and then obviously lost the belt. Now he’s back after giving himself some time to just, I guess, get that motivation again.”

The Englishman further added that he anticipates a striking clinic from Izzy, one that will expertly neutralize the grappling and takedown threats posed by “Stillknocks”.

“I do think we’re going to see the old school Izzy. Dricus is going to want to grab him and take him down to the floor. I think he’s [Adesanya] going to struggle initially to try and find the timing, but then when he starts getting plugged, it’s going to be a bit of a desperate takedown, which he may get, but I see Izzy standing straight back up on him and then just getting to work on his hands until I think he just gets demoralized. My boy is going to find a way to land. I could even see a head kick coming or a big punch that’s going to rock him and take him out of the fight.”

Adesanya stands on the brink of history. If he secures a victory on August 17, he will join the exclusive ranks of the legendary Randy Couture by claiming an undisputed UFC title for the third time in a division. This monumental achievement would firmly establish his place among the greatest icons in MMA history.

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UFC Commentator On People Underestimating Adesanya Ahead Of UFC 305: ‘Izzy’s Not The Type Of Beast I’d Want To Awaken…’

Jon Anik recently cautioned fans not to undervalue Israel Adesanya ahead of his upcoming title fight against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305. Adesanya is set to take on the reigning middleweight champion in the highly anticipated main event of the pay-per-view extravaganza, scheduled for August 17 at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia. […]

Continue Reading UFC Commentator On People Underestimating Adesanya Ahead Of UFC 305: ‘Izzy’s Not The Type Of Beast I’d Want To Awaken…’ at MMA News.

Jon Anik recently cautioned fans not to undervalue Israel Adesanya ahead of his upcoming title fight against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305.

Adesanya is set to take on the reigning middleweight champion in the highly anticipated main event of the pay-per-view extravaganza, scheduled for August 17 at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.

“The Last Stylebender” is gearing up for his Octagon return after an 11-month hiatus—the longest of his UFC career. After his title defeat to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 last September, Adesanya took a voluntary break to concentrate on his mental well-being.

Adesanya is currently navigating the most challenging stretch of his career since his unsuccessful attempt to capture the light heavyweight title against then-champion Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259. Following that setback, he endured his first middleweight defeat—a fifth-round TKO loss to his longtime rival Alex Pereira at UFC 281.

In light of his recent performances, some MMA pundits have begun to question Adesanya’s ability to stand toe-to-toe with a formidable opponent like “Stillknocks”, with whom he’s shared a fierce rivalry for some time. However, Anik firmly believes that “The Last Stylebender’s” skills are beyond reproach and should not be doubted…

Anik Suggests Adesanya’s Success Depends On Tempering Aggression Against Du Plessis

During a recent interview with MMAFightingonSBN, Anik shared his excitement for the highly anticipated showdown between Du Plessis and Adesanya. The UFC play-by-play commentator emphasized that the simmering tension between the two fighters not only adds intrigue to the bout but also raises the stakes, making it a more challenging encounter for both competitors.

“I can’t wait, right? If I gotta go from South Florida to Perth, Western Australia, 37 hours from door to door if you really want to know—thankfully, it’s for a main event of this magnitude,” Anik said. “I mean, Izzy’s not the type of beast that I’d want to awaken or add sort of extra fuel to, but at this level, I feel like these guys competitively make for a fascinating stylistic matchup, and they’ll bury the hatchet. If there’s a knockout, you know, maybe there’s some extra friction here, but I think it’s just two guys who have a lot of pride in where they’re from and who they are, and two guys who just aren’t going to back down.”

Anik went on to say that although Adesanya is the premier striker in the middleweight division, he’ll need to rein in his assertive approach when facing “Stillknocks”, a dangerous power puncher. He added that the former UFC middleweight champion must be strategic in his offense to avoid getting caught by Du Plessis’ heavy hands.

“I’m curious to what extent Izzy is going to not throw caution to the wind but sort of manage risk and manage aggression because he is maybe the best striker that I have ever seen in there, and a lot of people like this matchup for him. He is the betting favorite right now, increasingly so in those latter rounds. You know, how is he going to manage risk if the bout continues to just come at him? You know, that’s a big question mark for me. I think Izzy is going to be in prime form. I just think that this is a guy you really have to separate from consciousness, and I think if anybody’s capable of doing that, it’s Izzy.”

Continue Reading UFC Commentator On People Underestimating Adesanya Ahead Of UFC 305: ‘Izzy’s Not The Type Of Beast I’d Want To Awaken…’ at MMA News.

Sean Strickland Opens Up About Neo-Nazi Childhood Struggles

UFC middleweight Sean Strickland has been known to push the envelope from time to time and has opened up about some controversial childhood memories. Sean Strickland last competed against Uriah Hall at UFC Vegas 33 in July. After the contest, the decision victory expanded the winning streak of “Tarzan” to five. En route to victory, […]

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UFC middleweight Sean Strickland has been known to push the envelope from time to time and has opened up about some controversial childhood memories.

Sean Strickland last competed against Uriah Hall at UFC Vegas 33 in July. After the contest, the decision victory expanded the winning streak of “Tarzan” to five. En route to victory, Strickland pushed a pace Hall struggled to keep up with. Following the triumph on the judge’s scorecards, Strickland looked to be getting his big break when the company was aiming for him to face a former champion.

Sean Strickland scoring the victory at UFC Vegas 33

The rising 185-pound fighter’s eccentric personality has consistently made headlines. Before Luke Rockhold and Strickland were scheduled to appear in the Octagon, they exchanged expletive-filled rants. In addition, the streaking middleweight went so far as to threaten Rockhold’s safety, which has raised eyebrows to a certain extent.

While Strickland was expected to face former UFC champion Luke Rockhold at UFC 268, the American Kickboxing Academy member pulled out of the contest due to a back injury. Now sitting at #7 in the official rankings, Strickland’s menacing teenage years are behind him.

Sean Strickland Opens Up About Troubled Childhood

Speaking on a recent episode of Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Sean Strickland shed some light on a few of his childhood traumas. The middleweight details growing pains that amounted to being kicked out of school for hate crimes.

“I was really fucking angry,” Strickland said in regard to his abusive childhood. “I was so angry I actually went through this weird neo-Nazi, white supremacist phase when I was younger and I got kicked out of school for hate crimes, like all this crazy shit. I was angry and I had a lot of fucked-up influences in my life that it felt so good to fucking hate something. I would walk down the street with like a knife or a rock hoping to kill somebody. And when I started training I’m like man, you’re just fucking angry.”

The outspoken Strickland admits that he was in a very dark place during his grade school years. While “Tarzan” acknowledges that influences played a role in his behavior, the 24-3 professional finds himself taken aback by his former character.

“My grandfather was like this big piece of shit,” Strickland continued. “When you’re a kid you don’t see that, you hero worship. He kinda just filled your head with crazy shit. You’re in seventh grade spouting off about Nazis, you don’t even know what the fuck that means. But you hear it from someone you look up to and that identity consumed me. Drawing swastikas walking to school, like I didn’t know what the fuck that was. Later my grandfather died and I kinda resented him for it. When you’re racist, you don’t get ahead in life. You’re fucked, man. There’s no privilege from being racist, so I resented him for a majority of my life.”

Growing up in California, in an abusive household, the 185-pound athlete reveals ignorance played a role in his childhood trauma. With a notable impact from his grandfather, the rising UFC star divulged that he harbored resentment toward his deceased family member. Despite being shaped by his grandfather’s Neo-Nazi views at an early age, Strickland is now separated from that dark chapter of his childhood.

What do you make of Sean Strickland’s turbulent upbringing?

Continue Reading Sean Strickland Opens Up About Neo-Nazi Childhood Struggles at MMA News.

Coincidence Much? Chael Sonnen Returning to Middleweight After “Fight Night” Bout With Shogun Rua


(Referee Yves Lavigne scrambles to clean up the pool of Vaseline he dumped on the canvas to turn Sonnen’s perfectly-timed spinning backfist into a subject of parody at UFC 148. Photo via Getty.) 

We are shocked, Potato Nation. SHOCKED WE TELLS YOU.

For reasons that are not yet understandable despite being clearly explained to us, P4P G.O.A.T., multi-division UFC champion, possessor of the arms and the charms, the hefty lefty, the flyin hawaiian, the Juggernaut, bitch, Chael Phinneus Sonnen Esq., recently announced that he will be returning to the middleweight division after he defeats Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at Fight Night: Sonnen vs. Shogun on August 17th.

It’s a goddamn travesty is what it is. As we all know, Sonnen was last “defeated” by light heavyweight “champion” Jon Jones via technical knock out (emphasis on “technical”) at UFC 159 in a fight that he would have undoubtedly won had referee Keith Peterson not been in Jones’ pocket and prematurely stopped the fight. So discouraged by the evident corruption at 205, Sonnen broke the news of his middleweight return on UFC Tonight yesterday:

I’ve moved to Southern California and am training at Reign with Mark Munoz. My new contract, which is a five-fight deal, was finalized today.

I’ll return to middleweight after beating Shogun. There are two guys I want to get matched up with: Vitor Belfort, because he’s awesome and he’s on an incredible roll. And Wanderlei Silva, who I’ve heard is going back to middleweight. The landscape has completely changed. I’ve got a new contract and I’m returning to the weight class.


(Referee Yves Lavigne scrambles to clean up the pool of Vaseline he dumped on the canvas to turn Sonnen’s perfectly-timed spinning backfist into a subject of parody at UFC 148. Photo via Getty.) 

We are shocked, Potato Nation. SHOCKED WE TELLS YOU.

For reasons that are not yet understandable despite being clearly explained to us, P4P G.O.A.T., multi-division UFC champion, possessor of the arms and the charms, the hefty lefty, the flyin hawaiian, the Juggernaut, bitch, Chael Phinneus Sonnen Esq., recently announced that he will be returning to the middleweight division after he defeats Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at Fight Night: Sonnen vs. Shogun on August 17th.

It’s a goddamn travesty is what it is. As we all know, Sonnen was last “defeated” by light heavyweight “champion” Jon Jones via technical knock out (emphasis on “technical”) at UFC 159 in a fight that he would have undoubtedly won had referee Keith Peterson not been in Jones’ pocket and prematurely stopped the fight. So discouraged by the evident corruption at 205, Sonnen broke the news of his middleweight return on UFC Tonight yesterday:

I’ve moved to Southern California and am training at Reign with Mark Munoz. My new contract, which is a five-fight deal, was finalized today.

I’ll return to middleweight after beating Shogun. There are two guys I want to get matched up with: Vitor Belfort, because he’s awesome and he’s on an incredible roll. And Wanderlei Silva, who I’ve heard is going back to middleweight. The landscape has completely changed. I’ve got a new contract and I’m returning to the weight class.

“To those of you who think I am only doing this because Anderson Silva has finally been dethroned,” Sonnen continued whilst one-arming a 90 pound dumbbell and smoking a corncob pipe, “I will remind you that I am still up 5 rounds to 2 on that chickenshit.”

In even more shocking news, Chael Sonnen apparently respects (most) Brazilians now *vomits*. First he declared that “Rua seems like a really great guy” and now he’s calling Vitor Belfort “awesome.” Marriage has truly revealed some cracks in his grizzly exterior, but REGARDLESS, who would you prefer to see “The American Gangster” take on after he finishes putting a spanking on Rua?

–J. Jones